10 Podcasts For Every Mood
If you know me personally, you know that I LOVE a podcast. I’m pretty sure I have one for every mood. Culture, comedy, true crime, grown up shit, anxiety, career, relationships, I listen to it all. I love learning, and since there’s a podcast for literally every subject, I end up listening to so many! I’ve narrowed it down to my absolute favorites for every mood, hope you enjoy this list.
1. The Read
This was probably the very first podcast I ever listened to. Hosted by Kid Fury and Crissle West, these two hilarious Black/queer hosts are pioneers in the pop culture podcasting world. Each week they cover the following segments: Black Excellence, Hot Top(ic)s, Sport Shorts, Listener Letters, and finally, The Read. I love how Kid Fury and Crissle can cover a range of topics from politics to Meg the Stallion, and every episode has me gut laughing. “Throwing shade and spilling tea with a flippant and humorous attitude, no star is safe from Fury and Crissle unless their name is Beyoncé. (Or Blue Ivy.)” -thisistheread.com
2. The Friend Zone
I was introduced to this podcast via The Read, and this trio is part of what is known as the “Superfriends” podcasting group (along with The Read, Gettin’ Grown and Jade and X.D). The Friend Zone is podcast about “mental health, mental wellness, and mental hygiene, ‘cause who in the hell wants a musty brain.” Hosted by Hey Fran Hey, Dustin Ross, and Assanté Smith, each friend covers their own categories. Fran covers the Wellness Segment, anything relating to psychology, skin care, hair care, herbs, essential oils, and everything in between. Dustin covers the segment TV Land, where he catches us up on the latest Bravo/reality TV chisme of the week. Assanté is Mr. Music Man, where he talks about the latest and greatest in music, ranging from indie artists to top 40. Together they make a hysterical show with feel-good vibes all around.
Adulting with Michelle Buteau and Jordan Carlos
This is a newer show I started listening to because I looove Michelle Buteau. The self-described “Caribbean with freckles, big hair, and big tiddies” comedian and her co-host Jordan Carlos, along with other comedians and celebrities (such as Ilana Glazer and Aparna Nancherla) give real-life advice to audience questions like, “how much should I pay for a pillow?” and “do you need to wash your dishwasher?” ya know, the pressing adult stuff!
Gettin' Grown
A podcast about two “happy and hard-working (Blackity) Black Women who are just trying to adult, for real.” Chef Jade and Dr. Keia Robinson cover a wide variety of topics in adulting such as career, pop culture trash, life as a married mother and a single woman, grief, petty peeves (my favorite segment) and so much more! I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting them both in San Francisco 2019 while on tour, and they were exactly how they sounded on the show. I love all the wisdom they drop in each episode, make sure to give them a listen!
Level Up Latina
This podcast has become a new favorite! As I recently recommitted myself to The Chill Babe, I was looking for advice on creativity and entrepreneurship and how to build life on your terms, by Latinas and for Latinas. My favorite episode so far is Episode 168: Overcoming a Scarcity Mindset. I love how it makes me feel like I’m with my mom and tias listening to their convos, and feels right at home. If you’re a Latina creative or entrepreneur, this podcast is definitely for you!
Radio Ambulante
This one is for my Spanish speakers, or anyone who doesn’t use their Spanish in daily life and wants to keep it up (hi, me!) Think “This American Life” but in Spanish, and instead of Ira Glass, it’s Daniel Alcarón. This show is so moving, and tells amazing stories of underrepresented Latines in the US and Latin America.
Buddhability
Buddhability is also another new favorite, and as you can probably guess, the most spiritual of the group. The description of the show is below, and honestly I couldn’t have written it better myself.
“This show is about how to believe in yourself again, told by a community of Buddhists doing it every day, and changing the world along the way [...] each week you’ll hear an honest conversation about real life and how to tap into your Buddhability [...] from relationships to dream jobs to lessons in psychology and activism.” This Buddhism demonstrates how enlightenment is already within us, and every moment is an opportunity to tap into it.
Sounds Like A Cult
If you’ve ever watched a documentary about cults and judged the people who join them (guilty) then this show is for you! A show about our own CULTure and facing us to question our faves like the cult of RuPaul’s Drag Race, the cult of true crime (guilty again), the cult of fast fashion, the cult of dating apps and so many more! If you think you’re not susceptible to joining a cult, you may have already…
My Favorite Murder
Didn’t I just say anyone is susceptible to joining a cult? I’m definitely in the cult of true crime, and My Favorite Murder are the leaders! Part comedy, part true crime, these women discuss your “favorite” true crime cases such as JonBenét Ramsey, Karla Hamolka and Paul Bernardo (The Ken and Barbie Killers), as well as inspiring survival stories turned activists such as Kara Robinson Chamberalin. Though by no means experts in their field, they have a hilarious way of presenting these horrific stories, while still managing to honor the victims and survivors.
Anxiety Slayer
I love listening to this show while I do my nighttime bed routine. This is an amazing free resource for anyone who suffers from mental health struggles such as panic attacks, PTSD, anxiety, and overall stress. The soothing voices of the hosts Shann Vander Leek and Ananga Sivyer provide support through meditations, conversations, breathing techniques and so much more. If you need help feeling centered and soothed, this show is for you.
