Let's Catch Up: Quarantine Season, 'Black Is King' & Taking Social Media Breaks
Who would have thought so much could have taken place in one of the seemingly longest years on record? Well, hallelu, October is on its way, giving us only three remaining months of 2020's funny actin' ways (which, we all know is a means for celebration in and of itself). The Happy Hour trio is now a duo! The ladies of the xoNecole Happy Hour Podcast's Season 2, Sheriden Chanel and Amer Woods, join together to catch up on the latest and greatest of what all has gone down since the pandemic made the podcast's second season go AWOL, and it's all good conversation, y'all.
So, grab your drinks and press play. This episode is one for the books.
Be sure to subscribe and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Episode Show Notes:
Catching up on what's worth watching:
- Euphoria | Great, underrated acting, memorable scenes, and our good sis, Zendaya needing. her. flowers. now.
- P-Valley | stage play past, humanizing stripper culture, and Uncle Clifford
- Moesha | the show needed Kim, the end!
- Sister, Sister | Ray (the dad) vs. Moesha dad, funny episodes, and actual life lessons
- The Game | Janay vs. Melanie, Derwin being trash, and Drew Sidora: is she to blame?
- The Chi | Lena Waithe themes, Keisha's tough season, current event themes, the boys growing, and crying on the finale.
- Insecure | Molly vs. Issa, growing out of friendships, relationship dynamics, relating to the show, and....Lawrence. *side eye*
- I May Destroy You | heavy themes, true story background
- Black Is King | Beyonce was everything, per usual.
Catching up on Coronavirus:
- We're handling it terribly
- We're unprepared, there's no sense of community
- Karens and Kens racial aggression
- Too much information at one time
Catching up on being social:
- Taking social media breaks
- Twitter is male: did we know this?
- Everyone is trying to go viral
- Too many opinions everywhere
- And the importance of listening to what the pandemic is telling you
"There's some bliss in naivety. I told myself last year that 2020 was a harvesting year, so I feel like I should listen to what the pandemic was telling me." - Sheriden Chanel
Catching up with politics:
- Will Trump pull it off again? Historically, the answer is "yes"
- Please don't vote on Election Day; pre-plan!
Catching up with Sheriden:
- Brought on Will Packer Media's staff, with benefits, yall!
- She's enjoying manifestation
- She's streamlined a complicated writer's processes for the site
- Sis has been visiting her international boo bae #hayyy
- And intentionally taking a self-care day, setting boundaries
Catching up with Amer:
- Her son's school is doing virtual learning, but she's back to teaching basic schooling habits
- She's finding her own self-habits, gyming more, reserving weekends for self, and has created a skincare routine.
- Oh, and sis has been cutting her own hair!
Topics To Think About:
- Has anyone experienced friends that enter relationships and desert the friendship?
- Are people only dating during the pandemic because they're bored?
- Did the pandemic kill casual sex?
- Are men really equipped for threesomes? #hellnah
- How can we keep up with the rest of 2020?
Name Shout-Outs:
- Katori Hall (Show Runner, Playwright of P-Valley)
- Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You)
- Zerina Akers (Chloe x Halle, Black Is King stylist)
Resources Mentioned:
- hux.com (housekeeper site)
- HelloFresh
- Hope House
Leave us a voice message on xohappyhour.com to share your story with us or ask a question for a chance to be featured on the show!
Listen to "The Catch Up"
Featured image by Mecca Gamble
Charmin Michelle is a southern native and creative spirit who works as a content marketer and events manager in Chicago. She enjoys traveling, #SummertimeChi, and the journey of mastering womanhood. Connect with her on Instagram @charminmichelle.
Exclusive: Melanie Fiona On Making High-Vibrational Music & Saying Yes To Partnership
Melanie Fiona is back! After taking a little more than a decade-long hiatus, she has officially made her return to music and blessed us with two singles, “Say Yes” and “I Choose You.” While both singles are very different from each other, they both reflect who she is today and the type of music she wants to make. In our conversation, the mom of two expressed what she learned during her time away.
“It's interesting, even when I said it is like coming back, I don't ever feel like I really left because I was always still performing. I've still been public. It's not like I went into being this recluse person or version of myself, but the thing that I really learned in this process is that I think things take time,” Melanie says in a xoNecole exclusive.
“I think often we're so caught up in it, being on the timing of demand or popularity, or, like, striking while the iron is hot and the thing that I've learned is that everything is on God's time. That's it. Every time I thought I would have been ready, or, like, things were taking too long, I had to reship some things, personally, professionally, in my life. I also gave myself permission to make a living, not just make a living, but make a life for myself.”
Making a life for herself included getting married to Grammy-nominated songwriter Jared Cotter, starting a family, and embracing new landscapes, such as podcasting as a co-host of The Mama’s Den podcast. She also began doing more spiritual work and self-care practices like meditation, sound healing, Reiki, acupuncture, and boundary setting, which allowed her to get in touch with her inner voice.
“I wasn't putting out music, and I wasn't experiencing a number one record, but I was being a number one mom,” she says.
“I was experiencing things that were allowing me to heal and get in touch with myself so that I could make new music from a space of joy and freedom, and excitement again because I definitely feel like I did lose some excitement because of just politics and industry and what it can do to your mental health and even your physical health. So giving myself the space to really just say, ‘Hey, it's okay. Everything's right on time.’”
The joy and excitement are felt in one of two new singles, “I Choose You,” which is more of a lovers rock vibe, a tribute to Melanie’s Caribbean roots. While the Grammy award-winner is known for ballads like “It Kills Me” and “Fool For You,” she is becoming more intentional about the music she makes, calling it high-vibrational music. She says her music is a “reflection of my life,” as it captures every facet, from hanging out with friends to riding around in her car.
“Say Yes” has the classic R&B vibe Melanie is known for. However, both songs are inspired by her relationship. Melanie and Jared got married in December 2020, and the Toronto-bred artist dished on their relationship. Fun fact: he is featured in the “Say Yes” music video.
“When we first started dating, I had come into that relationship post a lot of self-work. I had gotten out of a long-term relationship, I had a year and a half to date and be by myself and do a lot of work on myself alone. And when we met, I remember feeling like this has to be my person because I feel it,” she says.
“And so when we went into that relationship, and we started dating, I was very clear. I was like, I know what I want. I'm very clear on what I need, and I'm not going to withhold my truth about myself in this process because of pride or fear of rejection. I know you love me, but I'm coming with my heart in my hand to let you know that if we're gonna get there, we have to put fear aside and say yes. So that was kind of like my open letter to him, which is why the video is us having a conversation.”
Melanie also shares that saying yes to her partner has empowered her in many ways, including motherhood and showing up for herself. Her new EP, also titled Say Yes, will be available at the top of 2025.
Check out the full interview below.
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Tasha Smith On Why Your Self-Worth Is Your Greatest Asset In Relationships
If the definition of BOOM needed a photo next to it, it better be Tasha Smith’s face.
Tasha Smith, 53, the actress known for her captivating performances and outspoken personality, has become a beloved figure in the entertainment industry. Her portrayal of the fierce and fabulous Angela in the hit movie Why Did I Get Married? is nothing short of iconic.
Beyond her role in the Tyler Perry film, Smith has established herself as a versatile actress with a range of impressive credits to her name. She has consistently delivered powerful performances in both film and television, showcasing her ability to embody complex characters and bring their stories to life.
Off-screen, Smith is equally captivating. She is known for her candid and outspoken nature, never shying away from speaking her truth. Her authenticity and willingness to address important issues have made her a role model for many.
Lucky for us, she brings that authentic energy no matter the occasion. Tasha had us saying “Amen” and “Amen again” while listening to a resurfaced interview with Donni Wiggins on theFully Transparent podcast. There, she talked about starring in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, working with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and being a powerhouse.
One commenter shared, “Tasha Smith needs to have her own talk show and or motivational conferences!” and we couldn’t agree more. Keep reading for some gems that stuck with us!
Tasha Smith On Self-Worth and Resilience:
“Don’t let any man burn you out or make you feel bad about yourself. Don’t take 'no' from anybody. Period. I mean it, honey. When things go wrong, don’t stay down for too long. Let the comeback be quick and big, honey. Big. We’re resilient. We are.”
On Understanding Your Value:
“You have to understand your value. Sometimes, when things don’t go right in relationships, we, as women, tend to blame ourselves. But why does that have to be the case? I remember talking to a woman who said her guy cheated on her. I told her, ‘He didn’t think he was good enough for you.’ She looked at me confused, and I said it again, ‘He cheated because he didn’t think he was good enough for you.’ That behavior has nothing to do with you—it’s about him trying to feel better about himself.”
On The Power of Boundaries:
“If we understood our value, we’d have more boundaries, and we wouldn’t accept so much. You know what I mean? Because, honestly, we create bad behavior by what we allow. Women ask, ‘Why does he keep doing that?’ Well, because you keep letting him. The apologies are working, and those apologies come with more demonic ones.”
On Breaking the Cycle of “Sorry”:
“Once you get delivered from one 'sorry,' if you keep the door open, more will come in—stronger and harder to overcome. Before you know it, you’re stuck in that 'sorry' space. If you truly understood your value, you’d be quicker to walk away.”
On Moving Forward with Self-Respect:
“For me, at this point in my life, I’m not spinning the block anymore. You can’t just keep spinning the block. You have to have self-respect, boundaries, and a sense of your own worth. If you don’t value yourself, trust and believe a man won’t value you either.”
Watch the podcast interview in full below:
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Featured image by Paras Griffin/Getty Images