Drew Afualo Talks Moving Her Podcast to Spotify, Being The Rock's Biggest Fan, and Manifesting Taylor Swift

From making bigots cry on TikTok to becoming a red carpet correspondent at the 2023 Oscars, Drew Afualo has been booked and busy. Now, the social media personality is getting ready for her latest venture: launching her wildly popular podcast, The Comment Section, exclusively on Spotify on April 5. 

Listeners can now tune in weekly on the music streaming platform to Drew and a special guest as they go through the formidable comment section of their tagged videos on TikTok. Her first episode on Spotify kicks off with social media personality and former Teen Vogue cover star Bretman Rock. Other guest stars this season include singer Meghan Trainor, drag stars Shea Couleé and Monét X Change, model Tess Holliday, and more.

While you can expect a ton of laughs in each episode, Drew will also use her Spotify-exclusive podcast to shed light on important topics like trans visibility, body positivity, and the power of representation. The content creator champions women and several marginalized groups on TikTok, using her sharp humor to react to bigotry and misogynistic behavior, primarily from cis men. 

“I promised I would spread to every streaming platform so the terrible men never stop itching… and I always keep my promises,” Drew joked in her announcement on Instagram. Teen Vogue caught up with Drew in an exclusive interview to talk more on her move to Spotify, the importance of representation, and her dream podcast guests.

Teen Vogue: What was your first reaction when you found out The Comment Section was being moved exclusively to Spotify?

Drew Afualo: It's honestly a really surreal feeling. I think part of it [is] because I've only been doing the show for a year. It was less than a year when I signed with Spotify. So, just to have the recognition, being partnered with a platform as huge and impactful as Spotify in under a year, is just insane. It's such a crazy accomplishment… Spotify has been my main streaming platform for close to a decade… Now, to be partners with them and to be working on an exclusive podcast, is just an unreal feeling. It's such an honor.  

*__TV: __*That’s amazing. To see how fast the show has grown in under year, and to see how much it resonates with people, that must be a really exciting feeling for you, too. 

DA: Oh yeah, absolutely. The caliber of [podcast] shows that Spotify has is really high. The shows that they have exclusively are very top-tier and very successful. For them to see that growth and potential in my show, that we did from the ground up in such a short amount of time, it's incredible. 

*__TV: __*I was curious about where the idea for the podcast came from, because I know you also have a podcast with your sister, but The Comment Section is so different. How do you find inspiration when you're planning out your episodes and choosing who is going to be a guest on the show?

DA: The concept of The Comment Section was actually one that was brought to me by some of the Past Your Bedtime producers. They brought me a very bare bones idea of what they really wanted to do and what they saw doing well with me in particular… we really collaborated to grow it into what it is now. We do choose guests very carefully… I choose them, I approve them, then I handpick topics for each one. Each guest we have, I specifically pick [topics] for them that I feel falls within their wheelhouse. There's also a huge educational aspect to the show where we learn a lot about other marginalized communities that maybe people haven't been exposed to before, or they feel validated because they see representation. Representation is a huge part of my show as a whole, and it's always been very important to me that it remains [at the] forefront when it comes to guests. 

I care more about representation and integrity than I do about picking someone who's just huge and has a huge platform… [that's] the foundation of the show. That's what people love about it, because they can either see their faves or they can find new faves with my show.

*__TV: __*Is there a particular episode that's your favorite? A special conversation that you've had that really stuck out to you?

DA: Leo [González] is one of my favorites for sure. Leo is one of the funniest people I've ever met in my life… I really loved my episode with Trixie Mattel. I have admired Trixie for so long, [she] is so funny and unbelievably talented. My episode with her was so off-the-rails crazy. We didn't even talk about the topic once. Other episodes I love [are] with Jesse Sulli, a trans creator, [and] Antoni Bumba, another trans creator. I've had so many different creators on my show that have so many different life experiences, and I feel like it's made me a better host, a better creator, a better person overall. 

Everyone's favorite episode is the one with Brittany Broski because Brittany is another funny-ass bitch. Brittany is unbelievably funny, and I'm really lucky to call her one of my really good friends. It's so hard to choose. I definitely don't have a favorite. But I will say the first guest I have starting [with] the Spotify rollout, once [it] officially becomes exclusive on April 5th… that episode is also one of my favorites.

*__TV: __*Can you give us a sneak preview of what we can expect in this new episode, or any hints that you can share?

DA: I can tell you that it's with “the baddest” of all time… we're both island girls. And that's all I'll say about that.

*__TV: __*Speaking of new guests, is there a dream guest you want for the podcast?

DA: I would love to have The Rock on my show. I feel like I just do personal PR for him at this point. I would love to have him, just the representation alone [would be] so powerful. I admire him as someone who's one of the only representations [Pacific Islanders] have [in] mainstream media… I would love to have Zendaya, Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift. I know she doesn't really do interviews, but I've been manifesting her for a minute. 

**TV: **We've spoken in the past about how important representation is to you. When was the first time you felt represented in media? 

DA: As far as being a Samoan woman, I don't know if I've ever seen someone — well, actually that's not true. Obviously The Rock is big Samoan representation as a whole, but I think the first Samoan woman I ever saw in mainstream media was Parris Goebel. As such an incredibly talented choreographer, and as a Samoan woman, I remember seeing her walk at the VMAs or the MTV Movie Awards in an ofu [Samoan word for clothing]—

*__TV: __*Oh yeah, when she wore her puletasi [traditional Samoan dress]? 

DA: Yes, she wore a puletasi. I remember thinking, that's the first time I've ever seen that in mainstream media on a red carpet. I was blown away... I thought that was such a wonderful opportunity she took advantage of to really represent... I admire her greatly. She's another guest that I would love to have on my show. That [moment] stuck with me.

TV: It was cool to see you do the same at the premiere for Black Adam,** too.

DA: I was really grateful for that opportunity. I thought to myself: ‘This is my opportunity to represent in a way that I feel honors my culture and puts us on a platform.’ I had a Samoan tailor make my outfit completely from scratch, and she's incredible… We took full advantage of the opportunity because it was important to me, and I feel like it made a huge impact for our community. I was really honored and grateful that I got the chance to do that.  

*__TV: __*Can you share any projects you're working on and anything else that we can look forward to seeing from you in the near future?

DA: Yeah, absolutely! Obviously, [the podcast becoming a] Spotify exclusive starting April 5th, which is just a dream come true. I'm also currently writing a book under Questlove's imprint, which is very exciting. He started a publishing company, and I'm one of the few books that he chose, which is an honor because Quest is a literal genius. To be working under his team and with them, is just surreal, too, and such an incredible experience.