In this episode, I dive into:

• The numerology of 2026
• How hard it is to sit still and do nothing
• What I've learned from having two no small talk events
• My thoughts on how B'day fits into the 3 acts
• The politics of pricing
• The public backlash from Beyoncé charging $948 for a wooden vinyl box
• My theory on what happened
• Is Beyoncé a capitalist?
• Can you refuse to be a billionaire
• What we can learn from Dolly Parton's legacy
• Who are the top billionaires in the world

Billionaire list mentioned: https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/

No Small talk 🔴: https://funfunfun.events/nosmalltalk/

After seeing Durand Bernarr perform in Lisbon, I couldn't stop thinking about what great artists actually do. They don't just entertain us; they remind us of who we were before the world told us to tone it down.

Inside this episode:

• Why watching Durand Bernarr is a permission slip
• The masks we wear to survive and when it's time to take them off
• Why I think we're entering an Age of Authenticity (I break down the North Node in Aquarius)
• Durand's unique career trajectory
• How Tiny Desk has changed
• Do we still need award shows?
• Leo vs. Aquarius
• The magic of seeing Black joy in Lisbon
• Why I believe we are in a fun epidemic
• Why I think the influencer era is fading (and what's replacing it)

Grab a little treat, go for a walk, and come frolic with me. 🎧💛

Tweet I mention: https://x.com/iamMelsmith/status/1643794235269824512

Learn more about the north node in Aquarius: https://saturnandhoney.substack.com/p/horoscopes-and-forecast-for-the-nodes?triedRedirect=true

My scavenger hunt, August 2nd: https://funfunfun.events/playground/

My SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/lilbukkake/

This episode I get into:

• Why I was reluctant to become a DJ
• Building a sustainable DJing career and being a perfectionist
• Why RuPaul hates Madonna
• Does Madonna need to make new music?
• Has Madonna seen Drag Race?
• The ageism Madonna faces
• Why Lizzo is an easy target
• Lizzo’s low album sales and why we need to stop being obsessed with numbers
• Lizzo's promise to Prince
• What pivot I think Lizzo should make for her career
• How Tinashe and Lizzo's careers mirror each other

My most recent mix: Banned Twice from Grindr

My shop

My events

We had this conversation right after the presidential elections here in Portugal (pre-run-off).

I gain insight into her predictions for Portugal's future, politically speaking.

She shares with me about how Portugal was during the dictatorship, what life was like in Lisbon pre-drug decriminalization, and her thoughts on this recent election.

Music counterpart: ⁠⁠Eargasms FM: where every song is about rain ☔️⁠⁠

Leticia's Instagram: ⁠⁠@venusatlisbon⁠

Jesuton is the total package: brains, beauty, charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent. ✨ Beyond the surface, there lies someone who is sensitive, intuitive, a channel, and most importantly, a steward for her work.

This episode, we peek behind the curtain and into the soft pink underbelly of what it takes to be a black independent female artist in this day and age. This conversation is raw, unfiltered, and real. Lots of laughs and gems being dropped.

I hope you enjoy❤️

Topics discussed:

- How this album was born and who she had to become to make it

- The "perks" of being a one-woman team and dealing with big egos in the music industry

- Does she consider herself a perfectionist?

- How she ended up in Brazil and Portugal

- Meeting Seu Jorge

- Being a steward for her creativity and advocating for her artistry

- What AI won't be able to replace

- How she got discovered

- If she dreams of winning a Grammy

- What she wants her legacy to be

And all the songs that shaped her 🦋

Follow Jesuton on ⁠Instagram⁠ + ⁠Spotify⁠

We dive into:

- why 2024 was raggedy

- growing up gay in Jamaica and being raised by his Chinese grandmother

- the Portugal caste system and how the country has changed in the past 8 years

- being a black ballet dancer in NYC

- how Janet Jackson inspired his dance career

- his love for Mariah Carey, FKA Twigs, and the B'day album

- his tips for young artists

- what he wants written on his tombstone

Follow him on:

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠Ballet Para Todos⁠

⁠All of his links + Cinema Law info ⁠

Things mentioned in the episode:

⁠Girl going viral for walking⁠

⁠Julia Fox and FKA Twigs interview ⁠

⁠Eargasms Episode #1: sweet heat 🌶