As a podcast enthusiast, I’ve listened to a decent amount of content out there but ‘Anything Goes’ by Emma Chamberlain easily stands out as one of the best podcasts I’ve listened to so far. Unlike other podcasters, Emma started out as a content creator on YouTube back in 2017. Emma’s podcast structure and style gives an informal way of grappling onto listener’s attention by making it feel like a conversation with an old friend over a cup of coffee. Despite the fact I haven’t met Emma nor know anything that goes on in her personal life, it feels like I’ve known her for years and there is something comforting and familiar when listening to her.
One of the main themes that surrounds Emma’s content, is to inspire the younger generations to be themselves regardless of what rules society tries to instil in them. As someone who was thrust into the limelight of social media and YouTube, Emma has gained a relatively young fanbase who look to her for advice. She highlights the ‘ugly truth’ behind being in front of the camera as a social media influencer. In one of her recent episodes for Halloween, Emma described her struggle with anxiety and dealing with the pressures of what others might think of her based on what she chose to wear. In one episode, she talks about wearing specific Halloween outfits that could result in people judging her by labelling her as ‘uncool’ or ‘weird’.
She goes on to talk about a variety of topics including the most mundane ones and yet still manages to make them sound interesting. For example in one episode she talks about cooking and how her love for cooking grew over time as she found it to be very therapeutic. In my personal favourite episode titled ‘Alone But Not Lonely’, Emma talks about the distinction between being alone versus loneliness. She explains that there has always been a stigma surrounding people who spend time alone as people who are lonely but the truth is that it is okay to be alone. It shouldn’t be a sin to be alone, in fact some people need it for self-reflection and for the sake of their mental wellbeing. Emma emphasises the fact that it is healthy to spend time alone and embrace it as long as you do it in moderation.
I listen to this podcast whilst doing chores or taking long walks back home from classes and I find it to be a source of free therapy for myself. Emma covers a lot of topics and there’s always something for everyone regardless of your age or whether or not you’re a fan of Emma . At the end of every episode, there’s always something that listeners can take away and think about whether it’s related to mental health or doing normal stuff like cooking or painting. She changes the way we see and perceive things through this podcast.
Overall, I found this podcast to be a breath of fresh air. It’s inspiring and liberating to hear from Emma in her own words on the challenges that she faces and how she overcomes them. Internet influencers are often deemed unchallenged as they are thrust into the limelight of success, fame and fortune, which is why most of us have the desire to be like them. However, in this podcast Emma shines a light on how social media influencers like her are in fact human beings that go through challenges just like the rest of us. The podcast breaks down barriers of stereotypes and myths that are often associated with successful social media influencers.