holding ourselves accountable!!!
welcoming you to the first ever Broadly Relevant newsletter—it’s a pleasure to be in your inbox!
Hey bestie!!
When we started Broadly Relevant, we weren’t thinking about algorithms, brand deals, or engagement charts. We were just two overtalkers with microphones, trying to answer the same question every burnt-out creative probably has: what are we even doing here?
So yeah, starting a Substack about a podcast does sound ridiculous. Who really needs a newsletter from the people they already hear yapping in their ears every week? But here’s the thing: we’ve spent so much time talking about the culture, we thought it might be nice to talk from inside it for once. To let people actually peek in. Plus, we’re obviously attention seekers, why else would someone threaten people with another podcast.
But seriously, we go on about community all the time — how it matters, how it grounds us — but community only works if you let people in on the process. We don’t believe in gatekeeping how we make things. There’s power in deconstructing what you love, especially when the media world is full of smoke and mirrors. Podcasts, even small ones, live in that landscape too. And if we want to be taken seriously as creators and contributors to that chaos, then being transparent,even when it’s embarrassing, feels like the only honest way forward.
Maybe you’ll care, maybe you won’t. But at the very least, it’s a way of keeping ourselves accountable.
What we’ve learned:
We came into this year feeling like we’d hit the creative low point. Last year cooked us. We were overworked, under-inspired, and painfully aware of it. So we shook things up: one Broadly Deep a month, one Broadly Diva, one Broadly Recommended, and one Broadly Interviewed. Structure as self-care, if you will. Hopefully you like it! Tell Ryan if you don’t, Simran will cry and then accept it a month later.
Ryan thinks recording in person makes everything better, and he’s right. The energy shifts. The pauses have weight again. He’ll hate that I’m quoting him, but he said he “hated recording without you”, and honestly, hearing that made the grind feel worth it.
The broadlyrelevant.com link still doesn’t work (we know, ryan’s on the case), but we’re figuring it out, one upload at a time as they say.
For my part, I’ve been juggling burnout, bad habits, and my ongoing delusion that I can outsource creativity. In a moment of desperation-slash-experimentation last month, I decided to outsource our weekly clips on Airtasker. The task? $50 to cut a few podcast highlights. The result? A week of chasing messages, sending detailed instructions, and slowly realising that $50 isn’t enough to pay someone to care about your art. Something that should’ve taken me an hour became my burden for a week. And if you haven’t noticed, there are no clips from last month Anyway, if you’re a cheap-ish but competent video editor, my inbox is open.
Then there was the time I forgot to book our recording spot at the humble (and affordable) public library. In an effort to “be accountable” (and financial masochism), I paid $150 for a two-hour session in a studio slightly too nice for us. I texted Ryan, half-apologetic, half-panicked, expecting mild annoyance. Instead, he literally didn’t acknowledge the change. That’s the thing about him — he meets my chaos without judgement. It’s weirdly grounding, and it reminds me why this whole project still feels good, even when it’s falling apart.
What we’re looking forward to:
Next week’s episode is about Glee, which Ryan is deeply, almost disturbingly, excited about. Especially because he’s simply never seen it, but is randomly a Ryan Murphy supporter now (listen to ep 51), so I’m stressed.
I am looking forward to remembering to book the studio and taking my dexies when I need them.
But ultimately, we both are looking forward to doing this thing we so love together. It’s embarassing but true, and I guess this is what this whole substack is about. We’re trying to be earnest in a cultural moment that rewards irony, trying to be honest in an industry built on performance.
So yes, this newsletter is self-indulgent, but it’s also a small act of transparency. If you’re part of Broadly Relevant, as a listener, supporter, or quietly judgmental observer (we see you and you should use incognito more), then you’re part of this little experiment too. Maybe it’ll work, maybe it won’t. But at least you’ll know what went into it.
Anywho, we’ll be here, still talking, still learning, still making this thing… broadly.
ALSO WE HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS
You thought we’d leave you with nothing after sitting through our mind nonsense!! Here are our reccs of the month, as discussed in the latest episode of the pod.
Watching
I caught a very early showing of new musical called A Transgender Woman on the Internet, Crying which comes to Hayes Theatre Sydney later in the month—a wonderfully fun hyperpop musical about transmedicalism and social media activism (just a rly fun story). —Ryan
The Beaver Family aka the most wholesome people on TikTok who are gracious enough to give us an inside look at what a separation looks like from your best friend and your former partner. —Simran
Listening
Dodie’s EP You will make you feel like a woodland nymph chatting with friends, whilst also giving you an insight to how Simran deals with a breakup. Win win! —Simran
Oh my GOD you need to listen to debut album Star Scum City by Melbourne duo 2charm (consisting of the same boys who make up Cub Sport!!!) which was mostly produced by Ninajirachi (i’m drooling). They’re calling it gooner pop and I just am obsessed, euphoric dance for a horny euro summer. Iconic. —Ryan
Reading
The latest edition of the Show Pony Zine, detailing one writers entire experience at the 2025 Melbourne Fringe, brimming with reviews and stories about running from venue to venue, it kind of explodes beyond a zine of reviews and becomes an enchanting archival of a contemporary arts festival. —Ryan
I Was Addicted to Hair Transplant Consultations by John Paul Brammer for GQ, honestly the headline does the work for me. Enjoy!! —Simran
OH AND WE NEED YOUR VOTE
Simran and I pitched two divas to win Broadly Diva on our episode from the 10th of February and we need your help to pick the winner. Have a listen to our argument in the episode to help inform your vote.
Anywho, that’s all from us. We’ll see you next month and broadly xx