Kuda Serye is a podcast series hosted by Jazz Aberilla, a digital creator. She is an aspiring travel vlogger who amidst the pandemic got inspired to create content through this podcast.
The idea of Kuda Serye was inspired by her friend who joins her in “magkukudaan, kwentuhan, at tismisan” (Aberilla, 2020) anytime and anywhere. Every time they would chat, they would refer it to the Kuda Serye.
As of October 2 2020, Jazz has shared 20 episodes on the Kuda Serye Podcast talking about life, adulting, love life, career, casual tismis, and about anything under the sun. She is joined by some of her close friends and acquaintances who share their own thoughts on these insightful topics.
I really enjoyed listening to her podcasts because it brings an element of rawness to the table. There are some podcasts out there where you can sense the hosts and guest follow a specific structure, and each episode follows that, but this one, as they say, “hits different.”
You can tell that these are genuine kwento sessions amongst friends or amongst people that Jazz knows who go through similar situations. So far, she, along with her special guests share their sentiments on the ups and downs of a career path (episode 2), embracing the tita life as a millennial (episode 3), being single (episode 5), body positivity and self-love (episode 10) and many more.
These topics are so interesting to hear because they are so relevant and insightful to the millennials and Gen Z, who sometime see the world abstractly, or differently from principles set before us. More than this, these are typical thoughts and topics – at least in my own experience, that frequently run in my mind, or talk about with your friend group/s.
With the scares of COVID-19 taking over our lives and shifting the norms of society, for the most part, we are forced to stay at home and be amidst our own thoughts. I remember the first few months of quarantine when I wasn’t doing anything but eating, binge watching shows and movies, and being on my phone. Every post I saw on Facebook, or any line from a movie I was watching that was focused on careers or growth, sparked countless thoughts in my mind. Along with the way society was reacting to current events, I couldn’t help but feel scared and anxious for the world to come and how my future would look like. It drove me crazy. Also because I didn’t know who I could talk to about these things. As close as I am to my parents, they definitely have different views and opinions as me because their generation grew up in different settings. I was also shy to bring up these things to my friends because I wasn’t sure if they maybe felt the same way I did. So, I was left with just me, myself and I.
I feel like we have all gone through that phase in our lives where we feel our thoughts consume us and we just want to release. It can be through writing in a diary or journal, or even just talking to ourselves, lol it happens! I definitely went this this through quarantine.
At first it was scary to have these thoughts be in my mind but, after some months, I started to become okay with being vulnerable and “in” my own thoughts. I started raising some of my ideas with close friends and seeing where the conversations would go. More and more, the people I talked to started engaging in these topics like expectations vs. passions, being okay with being single, looking forward to life ahead in our twenties and so on. They started sharing their own ideas and thoughts, and as discussions would occur the more we would learn more about each other, the world, and most importantly about ourselves.
This is exactly what Kuda Serye is. A platform to engage in conversations that you wouldn’t normally think talk about but, is definitely needed to be said. What makes it even more special is that they do not sugarcoat anything. What you hear are real-life experiences and sentiments from real people in everyday society.
From the titles alone, your curiosity builds and you end up listening to an episode after episode without realising time passing by because you want to hear what it is they want to share on these things. Do they share the same beliefs as you do? Do they bring a new perspective to an ever-so deep and complicated thought? What new topics of discussion have they opened your eyes to?
In a way, Kuda Serye gives people reassurance that you are not alone in thinking about these topics or engaging in these conversations — you almost feel a part of the conversation too. They also show that people want to talk about these things, or that some are open to sharing their own thoughts on these topics.
After listening to a bunch of episodes, there is definitely a lot to learn about yourself and they ways you view life in general. Jazz herself, even shared on episode 10: Usapang Self-Love and Body Positivity: Paano Mas Mahalin ang Sarili:
“Ito yung sobrang nagusto ko sa Kuda Serye na, nakikipagkwentuhan lang ako, pero ako mismo natututo. Sa conversation, madami mong matutunan din. Na kahit ang tagal na natin mga magkaibigan – tagal ko naiging kaibigan mga guest, pero may bago parin na nabibigay – may bagong parin akong malalaman sa kanila. Ang ganda. Kaya sobrang na-enjoy itong Kuda Serye” (Aberilla, 2020).
Kuda Serye, encourages us to be open and engaging with the people we care about. To learn more each day and strengthen our mindsets on the chaotic world we live in. What we are experiencing today is definitely out of the ordinary but, through this Podcast Series, Jazz Aberilla and friends normalize our thoughts through this trying time.
This podcast series is definitely something you want to tune into if you are ever feeling lost with your thoughts, or wanting to learn something more about yourself, or even about the small thoughts on your mind. Whether the smallest of concerns or worries, they are worth talking about.
Let’s support Kuda Serye and tune in! Accessible on:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4948CZ6cEC8tin9reGFzgo?si=IwRwY9K4QtSYijQGm9ASwg
Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8yMGRhNjlhMC9wb2RjYXN0L3Jzcw==
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kuda-serye/id1516360486
Anchor: https://anchor.fm/jazzaberilla
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3iDktwY64u7u3oEImEUIGqQsIvkP5HrE
You can support Jazz Aberilla and Kuda Serye through: https://anchor.fm/jazzaberilla/support
Visual by: Chloe Gaw
Written by Samantha Anciano