In our final episode of the year, we’re reflecting on it all. We talk about our New Year’s wishes and expectations, look back on our episode with Bretman Rock, and recap how our Christmas tour went—highs, lessons, and everything in between. We also dive into parasocial relationships and what it means to connect with an audience in the age of the internet. A cozy, honest way to close out the year. ❤️
DA BADDEST has entered the chat. And honestly, he needs no introduction but in case you’ve been living under a ROCK…
Our guest on the pod is singer, songwriter, actor, athlete, activist, occasional scientist on the mf side, star of Crystal of the Day, coconut connoisseur, and cultural icon himself… Bretman Rock.
Bretman been our most requested guest since we started this podcast. In this episode, Bretman gets real with us about childhood trauma, growth, healing, and the moments that shaped who he is today. He also spills some tea on the best and worst celebrities he’s ever met, and of course, we put him through all the classic Sweet or Savory questions. Including the ultimate one… can you be friends with your ex?
Podcast uploaded straight from our hotel room bed in Waikiki 🌺
We’re in Hawai‘i getting ready for the Our Little Christmas tour (Blue Note Hawaii on 12/4, Blue Note Napa on 12/11, and Dynasty Typewriter on 12/14), Huge thank you to Hawaiian Airlines for taking such good care of us for tour!
In this episode, we reminisce about the times we’ve seen our moms experience rage (kinda), share some unhinged childhood stories, and AJ opens up about his most embarrassing fan interactions.
Tune in!
The studio FLOODED… and survived! This week, we’re back in our space after AJ’s heroic battle with a hairline crack, one confused True Value employee, and a tube of black caulk he very confidently asked for out loud. From there, the chaos only escalates.
Alyssa recaps Girls’ Night™️, where her PR shelf was raided with Olympic-level enthusiasm, while AJ explains how he accidentally gave away ✨seven✨ LabuBoos because the kids at Cousinsgiving kept winning (and because he has a soft heart and no self-control).
We also break down everything that goes into self-producing a tour — the hotels, flights, commissions, merch, the budget stress, and why we do it anyway. And yes… we hint at some big Rafael family updates we can’t share yet.
We wrap with excited updates about the new Christmas music we recorded this week (hello, Troy Laureta magic), and a reminder to grab tickets for Hawaii, Napa, and LA before the shows hit next week.
It’s messy, it’s honest, and it’s very us.
Stay sweet… or savory.
This week, AJ, Alyssa, and Justine recap our wild night at the Dancing With The Stars taping — and yes, it was Prince Night. 💜
We’re not in our usual studio (it semi-flooded from the rain 😭), but we still dive into the behind-the-scenes moments the cameras don’t show, what it’s really like sitting right behind the judges, and the hilarious shock of suddenly being on TV.
Spoiler warning: we do talk about the dances and results!
A quick, chaotic sibling breakdown of an unforgettable night in the ballroom. ✨
This week, we’re joined by the incredible Macy Schmidt — Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Tony-nominated music director, orchestrator, and founder of The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra transforming the sound of Broadway and beyond.
Macy shares how her dream began with a fireworks show at Disney World, the challenges of breaking into a historically male-dominated field, and the journey of building a business that uplifts and empowers women in music. We talk about her biggest career highlights, how leading massive productions all started with a cold-pitch email, and her surprising take on the question: can you be friends with your ex?
Filipino balladeer Christian Bautista joins Alyssa & AJ to talk about OPM, Josh Groban, musicals, and learning to find peace in the hustle — plus a hilarious PB&J challenge you don’t want to miss.
In this episode, we sit down with OPM legend Christian Bautista — the voice behind “The Way You Look at Me” — for a heartwarming and hilarious conversation about his 20+ years in music, growing up in church choirs, his viral “Josh Groban” moment, and the power of faith and family through it all. We talk about how Filipino TV shaped a generation of singers (including us!), his dream role in Moulin Rouge, why he’s learned not to “break every door” in life, and yes — whether he’s Team Sweet or Team Savory when it comes to peanut butter.
It’s part nostalgia trip, part life lesson, and all-around Sweet or Savory goodness.
This week on Sweet or Savory, we’re joined by our good friend Albert Posis — Filipino R&B singer, songwriter, and OG YouTube artist — fresh off the release of his brand new album! We dive into the old school YouTube days, the pressure (and guilt) of disappointing your parents while chasing a creative dream, and yes… the art of making the perfect peanut butter and ube sandwich. It’s a nostalgic, funny, and heartfelt convo about music, family, and finding your flavor.
In this quick catch-up episode, we’re talking all things Christmas (yes, already!)—from our new holiday music to what’s coming next. AJ shares details about performing at a charity basketball game and Alyssa laces up for her first-ever game 🏀. Plus, we take a moment to celebrate Filipino American History Month, reflecting on what it means to represent our community through music, storytelling, and everything in between.
Catch our Christmas tour: http://ajrafaelmusic.com
This week we’re catching up with our good friend Alex Aiono! We talk about his new music, the old YouTube days when he seemed to go viral every other week, and what it was like to step away from music to focus on acting and self-growth.
Alex gets real about creativity, taking breaks, and what it’s like being friends with your ex (yes, we go there 👀). It’s a nostalgic, funny, and honest conversation between friends who’ve grown up online—filled with reflection, laughter, and heart.
Grab a snack (sweet or savory) and join us for an episode that feels like a late-night catch-up with old friends.
Our sister Justine Rafael joins us this week for one of our most unhinged and family-filled episodes yet 😅 We catch up on life—starting with our mom’s new beach house 🏖️ (yes, we’re already planning family karaoke nights there). Then we dive into stories about our stepbrothers and stepdad, share hilarious sibling memories, and somehow end up dissecting The Summer I Turned Pretty finale like it’s a college thesis 🌊
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Rafael family convo without a little chaos—so we round it out with unfiltered thoughts on the new Taylor Swift album 🎶 and some truly random “unhinged questions” for Justine that had us crying laughing. Equal parts nostalgia, pop culture, and sibling therapy—you don’t wanna miss this one ❤️
AJ is officially unallergic to dairy again (bring on the pizza and ice cream 🧀🍦) and shares what it’s like going back to church after a long time ⛪. Meanwhile, Alyssa comes armed with the most unhinged questions you could possibly imagine 🤯—the kind that make AJ laugh, sweat, and maybe rethink life choices.
On top of that, we dive into our favorite road trip and date-night games 🚗🎲. From guessing games to silly categories to who-knows-what Alyssa will come up with next, you’ll basically feel like you’re in the backseat with us—minus the snack crumbs.
This one’s equal parts chaos, laughs, and heart. Buckle up.
We’re back with a special episode straight from Hawai‘i! 🌺 In this one, we dive into what makes the islands so special to us, open up about dealing with haters, and share all the details on how you can see us live on our upcoming Christmas tour. A little bit of travel, a little bit of real talk, and a lot of music — tune in for the vibes!
This week, @justineyweeny joins us back on the pod! If you haven’t listened to our previous episodes Can You Be Friends With Your Ex? or Millennial vs. Gen Z, go back and catch those because Justine made appearances there — but this is her first time as a featured guest.
We dive into what it was like growing up in a musical family, how she found her way from dance to musical theatre, and some traumatizing (but funny) stories from childhood — including the infamous one about how she lost her middle finger.
Justine and Alyssa also bond over their love for pop culture and reality TV — from The Bachelor to Love Island to The Summer I Turned Pretty. Is she Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad? Her answer might surprise you.
This week on Sweet or Savory, we’re joined by the incredibly talented Ashley Argota Torres — actor, singer, writer, and producer.
Ashley takes us back to the very beginning of her journey in entertainment, from competing in talent shows to booking her first national tour in The Lion King at age 11, where she even met Kobe Bryant. She went on to star in Nickelodeon’s True Jackson VP alongside Keke Palmer, Bucket & Skinner’s Epic Adventures, Disney Channel’s How to Build a Better Boy, and is now writing and producing her own projects.
We talk about the differences between life as a child actor and navigating the industry today, and Ashley opens up about her exclusive People article, where she shared the truth about her toxic relationship with her mom. She reflects on how becoming a mother gave her the courage to reclaim and tell her story and how that perspective continues to shape both her artistry and her life.
What if we told you that behind some of the greatest musicians in the world is a Filipino music director?
This week, we’re joined by the incredibly talented Troy Laureta: musical director, arranger, producer, and musician for some of the biggest names in the business — from Ariana Grande, David Foster, Katy Perry, and Andrea Bocelli to Filipino icons like Regine Velasquez.
Troy shares his journey as a Filipino American artist, including how his whole family moved from Hawaii to California to pursue the Hollywood dream. He opens up about what it’s really like working at the highest levels of the music industry, how his heritage continues to inspire his work, and the journey of embracing his identity and truly finding himself in his 30s.
We also dive into the creative process behind arranging and producing, the unforgettable moments from his career, and his new album Harana: The Sound of Us — a heartfelt tribute to Filipino music (featuring AJ!).
It’s just us this week! 🎙 For the first time in a while, we’re doing a solo pod to catch you up on everything we’ve been up to — and we’re so glad you’ve been loving all of our incredible guests lately.
We recap about how we got to moderate Kaila Yu’s Fetishized book launch at Barnes & Noble, discuss the update on Maybe Happy Ending casting, and we open up about our own journeys with therapy. We also tease our upcoming Christmas tour… please come!!!🎄🎶
This week, we’re joined by the powerhouse band Siren Society — who you might recognize from Netflix’s Building the Band! 🎶 We chat about how we first met, the epic jam session we hosted at our house, and all the behind-the-scenes tea on what it was really like filming the show.They share how each of them was cast, what it’s like stepping into this new chapter together, and their big plans for the future. And don’t miss our PJB sandwich segment… Vegemite sandwiches made their debut and it was unlike anything we’ve ever done before.Stream their debut single “If It Was Me” now, and pre-save their brand-new single “Stand” dropping August 22!
This week, we’re joined by our friend Francis Dominic - a Filipino American content creator, Lorcana champion, and Labubu lover who you may have seen lighting up red carpets at movie premieres.
We talk about his growth as a creator, advice he has for aspiring creators, how he stays present while living life online, and what it’s like to blend work and passion. Francis also shares the story of how he was trusted to manage socials for the biggest event in our lives… our wedding!
In this episode, we sit down with writer, former model, and OG MySpace star Kaila Yu to talk about her new book Fetishized. Kaila opens up about her journey through the spotlight — from living in the Inland Empire and internet fame to unpacking the stereotypes and cultural expectations she’s faced as an Asian woman in the public eye. We dive into identity, representation, and the power of telling your own story.