Marjon Carlos is a talker, however it’s a persona trait that has labored in her favor tenfold.
She’s a journalist sure, and has profiled pop stars and trend business titans alike, together with Doja Cat, Cardi B, Valuable Lee, and Gigi Hadid. Lately, nevertheless, since stepping away from a “dream” journal job and reconfiguring her profession path, she has discovered her stride as a formative business voice making intricate connections between trend and popular culture at giant. You may typically discover her on a social platform—Twitter/X, Instagram, or TikTok—detailing what works (or what doesn’t) from a star street-style look or passionately recapping the newest episode of The Actual Housewives of New York. She has vary.
Once we sat down on a busy Friday afternoon at Bótani Cafe in Mattress-Stuy (a who’s who hang-out for the neighborhood’s artistic sorts), Carlos is right here to speak about her newest endeavor: the leveled-up, CashApp-backed manufacturing of her Instagram Dwell sequence turned official podcast, Your Favourite Auntie. When she first launched it on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sequence allowed Carlos to attach with business buddies to speak popular culture and trend, however simply served as an opportunity for pleasant check-ins, too. At its core, Your Favourite Auntie is a component recommendation present, half digital kiki, a manner for Carlos to assist steer the cultural dialog—one thing she believes has been lacking within the podcasting house.
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“Black ladies are in so many alternative areas, however I undoubtedly really feel just like the podcasting world hasn’t essentially been totally approached,” she tells Harper’s Bazaar. “I’m excited to enter that lane. We ought to be exhibiting up extra in that house.”
We go off-topic a number of occasions throughout our dialog, whether or not it’s discussing the in a single day affect of Sofia Richie (and paying correct respect to the unique influencer, her large sister Nicole), why Duchess Meghan’s Archetypes deserved a second season, or if Cardi B will lastly give us that sophomore album within the subsequent 12 months. The topics are all natural segues, woven out and in of the bigger dialogue, very similar to when Carlos sits right down to interview buddies and friends—corresponding to Christopher John Rogers, Evan Ross Katz, and even her personal aunties—on the upcoming season of Your Favourite Auntie.
Under, she talks about bringing this new iteration of Your Favourite Auntie to life and why she received’t cease taking on house any time quickly.
Your Favourite Auntie began off clearly through Instagram Dwell and has now advanced right into a full-fledged podcast. How did you select to degree up the programming?
The identical DNA is there—that not essentially in-your-face, however provocative type of pot stirring of conversations about tradition and about simply residing in New York and being a artistic. Having the ability to file conversations in individual has modified the dynamic, and company at the moment are opening up extra—they’re extra susceptible they usually’re prepared to actually let that allow you to underneath the veil. So I really like that a part of it.
I’m additionally hoping it reaches extra individuals as a result of Instagram is a really risky platform, and the algorithm could be so merciless. That algorithm can do no matter it desires to do. Now it is going to be on YouTube, it’s going to be on streaming channels, and extra individuals are going to have the ability to entry it. I believe it’s going to herald an entire different viewers and simply faucet into individuals that ought to have already identified about it.
Clearly, I nonetheless need to develop on it—Your Favourite Auntie is a visible world as a lot because it’s a dialog. I need to undoubtedly create my very own set. Sooner or later it might be a correct front room set, however proper now it’s been cool to do it within the studio and sit throughout from anyone. Having that monetary help is clearly very nice, as a result of I used to be simply type of freewheeling beforehand. It was very artistic, and it was such an exquisite option to stay engaged and impressed throughout a time that was the other of that.
You’ve an amazing lineup of company for the primary few episodes: Christopher John Rogers, Evan Ross Katz, Jessel Taank from Actual Housewives of New York Metropolis! What are a few of the matters listeners can anticipate to be mentioned?
There’s at all times a [throughline] of working in trend, and likewise popular culture at giant and at all times dissecting what’s taking place—like ROHYN or Barbie or no matter is arising. Superstar breakups, too. We’ve additionally talked about profession and the way you bought the place you’re, and likewise individuals dealing with challenges and the way they’ve overcome. We speak about household and the connection of their lives. That’s at all times vital.
It’s such an attention-grabbing dynamic, too, to interview your mates—since you don’t actually interview your mates! It’s nearly a bit of extra high-pressure. You don’t need to piss them off. You don’t need to cross a line or perhaps say one thing you shouldn’t say once you’re recording. While you’re doing it on all reside, it’s very That is what it’s, take me as I’m!
You’re taking all the things to the subsequent degree now. You’ve a sponsor. Do you’re feeling like it’s important to filter your self extra with this new platform?
I by no means need to filter myself! Once we had been doing all of the negotiations, it was reassuring to know that CashApp was saying, “We wish you to be you.” I didn’t really feel like I wanted to edit myself. I’d say I’m most likely extra unfiltered on this model.
You have turn into a very important voice inside the business in the case of not being afraid of critiquing the powers that be. Now that you’ve this bigger platform with the podcast, do it’s important to think about different individuals’s emotions within the tales you need to candidly inform?
I’ve had a dialog with myself lately the place I’m wondering if I performed the sport a bit of bit extra, would I be a bit of additional alongside—as a result of I’m such a loudmouth. That’s how I describe myself. I say the issues that perhaps different individuals are considering, however wouldn’t essentially say.
Effectively, that’s additionally the Aries in you—coming from a fellow Aries.
Actually, it’s the Aries. I nonetheless need to be outspoken! It could go in opposition to who I’m if I wasn’t. But additionally, there’s occasions the place I don’t must say all the things that involves thoughts—like that goes to Shut Associates! I’m making an attempt to be diplomatic. [Laughs.]
Who can be the dream company for an upcoming season?
I’d like to have Tracee [Ellis Ross]—that should occur. NeNe Leakes. Nicki Minaj! All of them symbolize distinction sides of me. Perhaps Andy Cohen, too.
You’ve achieved main cowl tales. You’ve secured nice model partnerships. What have you ever realized playing on your self the previous couple of years?
At all times wager on your self. You’ll by no means lose. If one thing is now not serving you, you need to be capable to stroll away. That’s a very highly effective lesson that I’ve realized over time—I must take pleasure in doing this or I don’t suppose it’s a proper match anymore. And it’s okay to stroll away! I typically joke that I blow up my life each couple of years as a result of I’ll be like, I don’t know if this works for me anymore. It’s such an enormous problem so that you can tackle any alternative so that you can work out what you actually, actually need to do.
Your Favourite Auntie can be out there to stream on Apple, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are streamed.
Tradition Editor
Bianca Betancourt is the tradition editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com, the place she covers all issues movie, TV, music, and extra. When she’s not writing, she loves impulsively baking a batch of cookies, re-listening to the identical early-2000s pop playlist, and stalking Mariah Carey’s Twitter feed.
