Creators Lyqa Maravilla, Victor Anastacio, Stanley Chi, Gift Boiser, and Jeng Taugan share their personal stories as audio creatives and the joys of podcasting.
As part of its ongoing commitment to celebrating and promoting its creators year-round, Spotify has chosen to shine a spotlight on some of the most passionate Filipino audio creators. These creators are dedicated to engaging in discussions close to their hearts and enriching the lives of their listeners by exploring shared interests and conversations that expand their perspectives.
“At Spotify, we are dedicated to recognizing and elevating Filipino creators throughout the year. The Filipino podcasting community offers a vibrant and diverse array of talents, and their stories, dedication, and unique viewpoints have consistently provided entertainment and inspiration to listeners and aspiring creators,” shared Carl Zuzarte, Spotify’s Head of Podcast for Southeast Asia.
To offer a glimpse into the world of podcast storytelling, Spotify has collaborated with Filipino creatives, including Victor Anastacio of Intellectwalwal, Gift Boiser of Gift Podcast, Stanley Chi of Underpaid, Lyqa Maravilla of Trying Hard, and Mama Jeng of Laban, Self!. In addition to discussing their podcasting journeys, they delve into what it means to have an impact on listeners and, as a bonus for new or aspiring creators, share tips on how they’ve maximized their presence on Spotify.
The phrase “Trying Hard” may carry negative connotations, but for Lyqa Maravilla, it signifies the courage to strive for something different to enhance one’s life and position. During the pandemic, Lyqa created the Trying Hard podcast to inspire listeners to pursue their dreams, even in challenging times. Over three years and nearly 100 episodes, covering topics from self-improvement to relationships and communication, Lyqa has helped listeners facing similar challenges by sharing the lessons she’s learned. For Lyqa, success and fulfillment are not just measured by numbers but by the community the podcast has built. She stated, “TryHards (Trying Hard’s official community name) are my biggest motivation: the lives we touch, the messages we receive, and the people who start or continue dreaming big after listening to us.” Lyqa attributes this strong bond to the nature of podcasting, as it allows for intimate conversations, free from visual distractions, fostering both breadth and depth in her community.
In the spirit of inspiring Filipinos to pursue their dreams, Lyqa offers this advice to aspiring podcast creators: “My first podcast episodes were recorded with just my phone – I didn’t even have a separate microphone. So don’t wait for the best equipment or perfectly edited episodes; you may never start if you wait for perfection. The true value of a podcast lies in what you have to share.”
Victor Anastacio, host of Intellectwalwal, began his podcasting journey due to his profound love for humor and the joy it brings to people. But it was the sense of community within podcasting that led him to discover his true calling. Victor shared, “The podcasting community feels very open and welcoming, yet it’s intimate. The fact that you can have conversations without the need for high-energy celebrity flair and time constraints of traditional media got me into it.” Since launching Intellectwalwal in 2020, Victor has produced over 200 episodes, covering various comedy topics, interviews with entertainers and content creators, and everyday life stories. The Intellectwalwal podcast offers hours of comedic content, brightening the lives of its growing community of listeners, who express their gratitude for how the podcast helps them through the day. For those considering a podcasting journey, Victor advises, “Just start your podcast, and let the audience’s responses guide your content creation for subsequent episodes.” He also stressed the importance of drawing inspiration from listening to podcasts on Spotify.
Stanley Chi, known for his infectious humor, has been a pillar of the entertainment industry with a background in comedy, TV, and radio. He ventured into podcasting with Underpaid, a podcast that delves into relatable workplace themes, office humor, and navigating the corporate world. To his delight, Underpaid resonated widely, with listeners expressing gratitude for salary increases, promotions, and new job opportunities influenced by the podcast. Stanley emphasized the significance of a unique concept and a memorable podcast name but highlighted that content creation’s true essence lies in deeply connecting with the audience and involving them in shaping the podcast’s trajectory.
Gift Boiser’s entry into podcasting took an unexpected turn. As a well-known social media content creator at just 16 years old, starting a podcast wasn’t her initial plan. It wasn’t until a follower suggested the idea that she decided to launch the Gift Podcast to continue making a positive impact on her followers. Releasing a new episode every Friday, the podcast provides refreshing perspectives on growing up, self-improvement, daily life, and memorable moments from a teenager’s viewpoint in the Philippines. The Gift Podcast, known for its authenticity, has connected deeply with its audience, particularly among Gen Z listeners. Gift has found profound fulfillment in her listeners, who have shared how much the podcast has helped them. For aspiring podcasters, Gift emphasized the importance of authenticity, consistency, discipline, and effective time management in creating quality content.
Before creating the Laban, Self! with Mama Jeng podcast, Mama Jeng was already known for authenticity, empowerment, and meaningful conversations on social media. She ventured into podcasting to provide her audience with a safe space for deeper discussions on topics that mattered to her, from relationships to self-care and self-love. Mama Jeng appreciates the podcast’s format, which allows her to express herself authentically while discussing meaningful topics at her own pace and in a comfortable setting. Although it has only been a few months since the podcast’s launch, its listenership has grown significantly on Spotify, a testament to Mama Jeng’s values in her creative process. She encouraged aspiring podcast creators to prioritize consistency, passion for their chosen topic, and authenticity, as these factors are essential for success. Mama Jeng finds joy in being a source of strength for her listeners, offering companionship in their lives when they need it most.
Thinking of Starting a Podcast?
In addition to its unwavering support for local creators at all stages of their podcasting journey, Spotify also provides podcasters with a suite of tools and resources designed to facilitate not only episode creation but also content planning and listener engagement. Here are some of the favorites among podcasters:
Gift and Stanley have found Spotify’s Q&A feature for podcasters to be invaluable in elevating their interactions with listeners. According to Gift, her audience has utilized this tool to share ideas for podcast topics, while Stanley has used it to gather feedback on his content. Stanley shared, “I’ve been using the Q&A feature to solicit feedback from my listeners, especially on days with higher engagement. This has allowed me to continually enhance the quality of my content.”
Mama Jeng has been pleasantly surprised by the user-friendliness of managing her channel on Spotify. She noted, “The Spotify for Podcasters platform simplifies channel setup and episode uploading. Additionally, Spotify offers supplementary resources, including research materials, masterclass videos, and the latest news, all of which have significantly contributed to enhancing my presence on the platform.”
If you’re eager to embark on your podcasting journey, you can find more information at https://podcasters.spotify.com/.
