Today we’d like to introduce you to 9 To 5 Podcast (Vee And Kalais).
Hi 9 to 5 Podcast , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Kalais tapped into her musical talents in 2020 during covid. I, (Vee), her partner, decided to manage her. We engaged in a lot of online music events, competitions, and performances which connected us to some awesome people and encouraged us to start making content. In 2021, “I Give Up, by Kalais, ft. Bubba” went viral on TikTok with 4 million views in 1 week. The song was about depression and was meant to bring awareness to mental health, especially within the LGBT+ community. Unfortunately, TikTok did not think the song was appropriate and removed the video. This slowed things down for our content but did not destroy our vision. One day, on my (Vee) live stream, a few supporters suggested we should have a podcast. That’s how we got here today. It started out with just us and a friend recording a normal conversation we would usually have. The video gained a lot of attention on social media. We are still working on dropping an official episode on YouTube. We are hoping to have guests on our podcast to give the LGBT+ community a safe platform to share ideas, promote their talents and business, and to discuss real life topics within the community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The journey hasn’t been smooth, as mentioned before, TikTok banned the video that made us go viral. (The video was Kalais’ grandmother crying while listening to “I Give Up”, while embracing Bubba who is Kalais’ brother who is gay and personally struggles with depression). This slowed things down as we tried to get our music page back in good standing. When we decided to start the podcast it was hard to step out of our comfort zones and be open with our personal lives. For me, it was hard because I’m more of a private person. Kalais is very blunt and open but she wasn’t sure how much of her personal life to share as the world can be harsh. Our supporters helped us get through this as they were very real and transparent with their personal lives which encouraged us to share more. There’s also been a lot of technical difficulties as we are just 2 moms who weren’t very tech savvy! A lot of our supporters helped with this as well. A long the way, we have met some amazing people who were willing to help us with their own skills such as audio engineering, video editing, graphic design, etc..
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Kalais is a singer and songwriter from Dallas. Her lyrics and sound/voice are not like any other artist. She is most proud of being a mother and still being able to pursue her dreams (music). She is raw, real, non-judgmental, and relatable. All which sets her apart from others.
I (Vee) am a mother, insurance adjuster, content creator, small business owner, and manager and A&R for “Our Time Entertainment” Record label. I am known on social media for being the “full time funny guy”. I am most proud of over coming childhood trauma and experiences and thriving in motherhood while also balancing my professional career and personal dreams of giving the community a. platform to speak and connect and share some laughs! My ability to talk with any and everyone and my ability to relate to people is what sets me apart. I credit that ability to the US Navy where I traveled and engaged with people from different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds.
We are both the owners and co-hosts of “9 to 5 Podcast”. The name “9 to 5 Podcast” came from us being every day people who are working “9 to 5’s” and trying our best to balance life; relationships, careers, and still pursuing our dreams.
We are focused on interviewing people of the LGBT+ community who are every day people who inspire to be entrepreneurs (etc) and giving them a platform to accomplish their goals and connect with others. We want to give a voice to people who feel unheard and unseen.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
passion and authenticity
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@925crew?_t=ZT-8vdguOu8qs6&_r=1
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/925podcastgroup/?igsh=cWVsdndvZnpxZDVh&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@9-fivepodcast
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kalaismusic
