Latest news with #DrewAfualo
Buzz Feed
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Celebs Share Favorite Parts Of Their Culture
It's AAPI Month in the US! To celebrate, I sat down with a number of Pacific Islander celebs to chat about their careers and cultures for BuzzFeed's Voices of the Pacific series. In each interview, I asked them about their favorite part of their culture. And wow, did they have some beautiful responses: Simone Kessell (Māori) "I'll cry if I think about it. See, I'm getting teary. When you're honored with the haka, and when it's the ultimate respect to honor somebody or something with a waiata [song] and a haka, from welcoming them onto your marae [communal meeting grounds], from sports to somebody's tangi at their funeral, or wedding celebration. In the Māori culture [visibly tears up] see, look, I cry every time I think about the haka. It's so incredible, and it's so powerful, and it's so uplifting." Drew Afualo (Samoan) "Family is my favorite part. Family and humor are essential, integral parts to Samoan culture. I'm constantly telling people about Samoan people because there's so little exposure, especially in the entertainment world. Samoan culture is a culture rooted in service to your family, to your culture, to the lord, to your elders, to anyone, really. It's inherently selfless — selfless to a fault in a lot of ways. But we love to give with no expectation of anything in the thread line you can see in so many different aspects of our culture, whether it's food, in the way we serve, the way we eat together, the way that we spend all of our waking moments together. There has never been a moment in my life where I was not surrounded by family in some capacity; everything is rooted with family and love, and the same thing with humor. I learned how to be funny with my family. I learned how to take a joke with my family. I learned how to roast with my family. My favorite parts of Samoan culture are definitely family and humor because every Samoan I've ever met is the funniest motherfucker I've ever met my life. I've never met a funnier person in my life than Samoan people, so I have to attribute all of my humor and jokes to them. They've made me funny." Dinah Jane (Tongan) "My favorite part of our culture is the singing and the chanting. I was in Hawai'i in December, and I closed off my tour out there. The next day, I was able to go to PCC [Polynesian Cultural Center]. Anytime I hear Polynesians sing together in unison of any type of song without any instruments, it's so chilling to me, and it takes me back home. It makes me feel like I'm back on the islands. It makes me feel like I'm back where my grandparents were walking, where their footprints started. When I was there in Hawai'i, I remembered experiencing them singing to us, to this day, I still get chills about it because it was from the heart. The music is what really drives me and makes me cry. If they're singing so beautiful and it's a nice song, I feel like it's such a lullaby when our people sing. That's the type of lullaby I could sleep to, cry to, champion. I would love to listen to us singing before I go on stage because that's what will hype me up. There's just so much power and spirit. You just feel like your ancestors are in the room, singing with them and speaking. They were singing Māori, and I don't know much of the language, but I feel like that's what makes our people feel like one. If it's Tongan, if it's Fijian, if it's Samoan, whatever language it is, it still feels like home." Alex Tarrant (Māori, Samoan, and Niuean) "That's a tough question. I am three ethnicities. I am Māori, Samoan, and Niuean. With that being said, I love the mixture I can feel within myself. There's certain abilities that I know I get from each culture. But what I love the most about my culture is the sense of a strong community. And I mean it when I say: if one of us succeeds, I'm so proud of from New Zealand, it's interesting because I keep on coming back to this idea of when one of us wins, we all win. We're very much shoulder to shoulder, hand to hand, moving forward in this big idea of the film and television industry. The end of Moana 2 really struck us, just the idea of all of these islands coming together. We have a beautiful, amazing friend/mentor who says we're not divided by land; we're connected by water." Sasha Colby (Native Hawaiian) "Oh, I have so many favorite aspects. The food alone [laughs] that's definitely home base for me. But I love the music and the hula, the dancing. As a dancer, I love the idea that we came up with mythology to explain natural occurrences in nature, and then to remember it, we would write it into a poem, and then to remember it and pass it on, we would make it into a mele or a song. And to pass it along again and to reiterate it more into our culture, we would make a hula out of it. So, it was all these things that naturally combined. But that's what I really loved because I love learning about our history, through that flow." Uli Latukefu (Tongan) "This one might get me choked up a little bit. The singing for me [starts tearing up]. My grandmother was a preacher, and we spent a lot of time growing up in the church. There's something about when you go to church: you hear the voices in 1) in our own language, and 2) the harmonies and all that kind of thing. Just the thought of it moves me a lot. And it's not unique to Tonga, obviously, everywhere across the changed a lot [from] when our fathers and our grandparents first came over to America or Australia or New Zealand or wherever. That freedom of expression of our culture wasn't always embraced. It wasn't always understood. But that's very much changed now, where our kids are very proud of who they are and their cultural heritage, proud to represent Samoa, Tonga, wherever. And so, when I see that in our young kids, it makes me feel very warm inside. Māfana is how we would say it in Tongan. When I hear the kids singing like that, it really hits home." Rachel House (Māori) "It's our relationship with nature. It's the way we see nature. It's what I tried to really infuse The Mountain with, actually, as I want people to remember that we used to see — well, a lot of us still do — but that we used to see nature as family. So, if we can start thinking that way again, we might treat her better." Oscar Kightley (Samoan) "One of my favorite Samoan words is va, meaning the set of rules and protocols that dictates your social connection with other people, your relationships. I love that aspect of our culture, that the space between you and someone else is not just empty space — it's what actually connects you. Epeli Hauʻofa, a great Tongan academic and thinker, said something like, 'People look at the Pacific Ocean and see these little islands dotted around, and they think [it's] this vast empty space. We look at it and see, no, it's a sea of islands.' That is the landmass that connects us.I think my favorite part of our culture is concepts like that, that are important to us. I love that whole concept of interconnectedness. Pasifika is so many different groups, too, right? There's Micronesia, there's Polynesia, there's Melanesia. And we're connected to each other, whichever one of those nations you fit into. You can be in a room of Fijians and Solomon Islanders and Tongans, Niuean, Cook Island, Micronesian, and you will feel a common thread that I think links us all." And finally, Luciane Buchanan (Tongan) "I think about this all the time. I'm just like, 'I love being Tongan.' I love everything about it. I love our humor. I love the way that we love. We're also just so dramatic. I think my calling to be a storyteller definitely comes from the way that my aunties record stories over and over, and the way they would perform it. I've definitely inherited that. We have this concept called māfana, which is like the love, the warmth inside that we have and we love. And I think that's so special, and I try to capture that in anything I try to do that is specific to the Tongan way that my grandma showed love was keeping in touch with people. Sometimes, me and my cousin joke around. We're like, 'Could we actually do what she did?' Because now, we live in a time where we're like, 'Boundaries. [Laughs] I can't live like that. I can't open the door for everyone.' But she always made time, and she had this phone book. Do you remember you'd write everyone's landline numbers? Her phone book was so tattered because it was used so much that my auntie had to laminate the pages because it was so ruined. And me and my cousin say this now, we feel like we're exactly the same. We're constantly on FaceTime, and I live overseas. I'm constantly on the road, so I try to inherit that way of connecting with people. I think that's the way that she showed love. It's my favorite part of my culture that I want to continue to do." You can read the full Voices of the Pacific interviews here.
ABC News
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Why Samoan content creator Drew Afualo refuses to dim her light for algorithms or Hollywood
While Pacific voices are gaining traction online, they have long remained under-represented in mainstream media, according to content creator Drew Afualo, who says that absence isn't just noticeable — it's personal. With more than 9 million followers across a variety of social media platforms, Afualo — recognised as one of Forbes' Top Creators of 2023 and Time magazine's Next Generation Leaders — said it was powerful and necessary to embrace and speak out as a Polynesian woman. In 2024, Afualo published her debut book, LOUD: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve, which saw her become the first Samoan woman to make the New York Times best-seller list. "It's important that we show people who we are, that we present ourselves to the world; [that] we don't constantly stay in the shadows," she told ABC Pacific. "I think it's important that people see us, and I think that if you're a Polynesian woman or anyone at all that wants to make content, it should be at the forefront of all of your things. "It's imperative that they see us." From her social platforms to helming red carpet events, Drew Afualo became the first Samoan woman on the New York Times Bestseller list. ( Instagram: @drewafualo ) In a digital age, social media can provide a platform for marginalised voices to carve out their own paths. And for those who find success, it's profitable. Forbes published that Afualo earned an estimated $2.9 million in 2023 from a mix of brand deals and her podcasts. Social platforms have fast become a space where Pacific voices can thrive — voices which have long been missing from mainstream media. May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States, a time to celebrate what Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have played in the country's history. ( AP: Jessica Hill ) A 2021 study found Asians and Pacific Islanders battle "invisibility" in media, with the lack of Asian and Pacific Islander representation a problem in the mainstream film industry. Pacific Islanders and Asian Americans comprised less than 6 per cent of speaking roles and less than 4 per cent of leads and co-leads in Hollywood films between 2007-2019, according to the study. Actor and director Taika Waititi, a vocal proponent for representation in film, made a poignant speech at a Hollywood luncheon in 2023. "I don't want to see one token Polynesian character in your show. What I want to see is a fully Polynesian-controlled, Polynesian story that's written by and show run by [Polynesian people]," he said. While Afualo said there were not many Pacific faces in Hollywood, social platforms allowed people to create their narratives on their terms. Taika Waititi is known for calling on authentic representation in Hollywood. ( Supplied ) Afualo's advice to aspiring content creators But creating content on social media isn't for everyone, Afualo warned. "I always tell people that if you care at all about getting hate, don't do it. And I mean that very seriously," she said. "This is not the job for you and this is not the job for everyone. "It's rare to be in a position where you are constantly being looked at and perceived and, by proxy, either built up or torn down. "However, if it doesn't bother you that much … I would say to do it regardless. "If you have something important to say, something impactful to say. Do it." Afualo said she hoped her legacy was one of cultural visibility — that she wouldn't be the last and that her Samoan culture remained central. "I know that sometimes it feels like we have to kind of hide those pieces of us and kind of dim them down a little bit. Because Eurocentric beauty standards, Eurocentric behaviour is what's platformed. "It's what builds audiences, right? It's what catches fire in algorithms. "But I'm living proof that it doesn't have to be that way. "I would say shine as bright as you can, as bright as you can. That is the way we were meant to be."
Buzz Feed
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Drew Afualo Gave An Update On Her Mental Health
If you follow Drew Afualo on TikTok, you'll remember that she took a much-needed break from the app at the end of last year. To announce it, she posted an emotional five-minute video explaining the struggle of seeking validation from loved ones and the communities she works so hard to uplift. While Drew expressed her gratitude for the life she leads and the support she receives, it was time to step away for a minute and focus on herself. Well, I recently sat down with the content creator for BuzzFeed's Voices of the Pacific series and asked her how she's doing now. "I'm doing much, much better," Drew told BuzzFeed. "Thankfully, my break from TikTok was about six and a half, seven weeks, which was the perfect amount of detox time for me, especially around the holidays, too. My family and I love the holidays. That was the best time for me to take a break, really, because it got me offline and off my phone and really helped me feel a lot more present." Her break was successful as she feels "genuinely refreshed" now — so lovely to hear! As much I love watching her viral take-downs of misogynists, I'd obviously prefer she takes the time when she needs it. Health first, always! "I feel like myself again," she continued. "I feel a lot more connected to myself and a lot less connected to the internet. That was a huge reason why I took the break in the first place. I felt like the paradigm was shifting negatively, and so I needed to make sure I keep a finger on the pulse and make sure I take care of myself and my mental health." "I'm feeling a lot better, feeling ready and raring to go. My 2025 so far has been nutty. So, I'm right back to work, right back to being super, super busy. I'm a Virgo. I love being busy. But thankfully, now that I've taken my break, I am very much so excited every time I have to work and stuff, which is always, but no burnouts. That's what I'm trying to avoid." Drew also shared what she's got going on for the rest of the year, and I'm sooo looking forward to checking out these projects when they're announced. "I have so many irons and so many fires. I'm focusing on TV and film a lot in 2025, which is very exciting, too. Doing more acting, which I'm nervous about but excited. And continuing to put my people on, that's always on the agenda every year. Lots of huge things. My dream ultimately would be to just continue to spread into all traditional forms of media and really solidify myself as a person in entertainment. That would be my ultimate dream, really, and to just continue doing what I love, which is being silly for a living. I love it!" she concluded with a laugh. You can read Drew's full interview here. And you can read our Voices of the Pacific interviews here.
Buzz Feed
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Drew Afualo Opened Up About Her Choice Not To Have Kids
If you haven't read Drew Afualo's book, Loud: Accept Nothing Less Than the Life You Deserve, what are you waiting for? She dives into feminist philosophy, Samoan culture, genuinely inspiring motivation, and of course, stories from her own life. In one chapter, Drew shares an emotional account of a pregnancy scare that helped her realize she doesn't want kids. As a fellow Samoan woman who's also childfree while understanding the importance of family in our culture, I appreciated her open discussion of all this during a recent interview for BuzzFeed's Voices of the Pacific series. The 29-year-old told BuzzFeed, "That chapter was one of the hardest to write because it's obviously a very personal and intimate decision. But at the same time, with that experience in particular, it was really important to incorporate it into my book. I did struggle a little bit with being that vulnerable. Thankfully, I was gently encouraged by my team to include it because it is so important to see representation in many different ways, including women who live lives outside of what is expected. Patriarchal expectation put on us through cultural expectation is also extremely confusing and can be very suffocating in a lot of ways." Drew's advice to people who can have children and are on the fence is this: "If it's not a yes, it's a no, and that's OK." "Will your answer change? It's really specific to the person, but in my experience, I know what I want and what I don't. I don't know if that's shocking to hear from me," she said with her signature laugh. "I'm very confident in my decision-making. Any sort of hesitation that I had, I realized after the fact, was purely patriarchal enforcement. It was not because that's what I wanted; it was because I felt like that was expected of me as someone with a uterus. But also, Samoan culture, it's very family-oriented. Kids are a huge part of life. So, I really had to come to terms with that." Drew encouraged people who are struggling with this decision to "really unpack it." She continued, "Sit with it and come to terms with it, and understand that bringing life into the world is not the only way to find happiness. It's not the only way to find fulfillment, and it's not the path for everyone, and that's OK. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that." "And I really do feel like that was the last piece of my internalized misogyny that I had to rip out of myself, because even admitting it out loud, I still felt a lot of shame, which I shouldn't. Shame for what? For whom? There's no shame to be had; that is purely just misogynistic pressure being put on my shoulders as someone with a uterus, which is crazy to think about," she concluded. You can read Drew's full interview here. And you can read our Voices of the Pacific interviews here.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Spotify takes on YouTube by paying podcasters for video views
So far in 2025, Spotify has paid podcasters more than $100 million, a big payout for creators. Spotify first shared that figure with The New York Times Deal Book, which says the funds have two purposes: to give podcasters a new way to monetize content and to lure both creators and audiences away from YouTube, which dominates video podcasting. The company first announced its new Spotify Partner Program in November 2024, promising creators "audience-driven payouts" from ads and premium subscribers. At the same time, Spotify also revealed that some subscribers would be able to watch video content "uninterrupted by ads." Now, we know how much more some popular podcasters are earning. In a press release, Spotify said "total earnings for participating creators [increased] 23% month-over-month from January to February, and 29% month-over-month from February to March." "Ultimately, Spotify is committed to building a sustainable ecosystem where creators can thrive. This $100 million payout is just one step in that journey. We'll continue to invest in new tools, resources, and programs to support creators in all formats, and we're excited to see what the future holds for podcasting on Spotify," the company said in its press release. It makes sense that Spotify is paying up. Increasingly, people are more interested in watching their podcasts than they are in listening to them, which has a lot of users gravitating toward YouTube rather than Spotify. According to data from Edison Podcast Metrics, weekly podcast listeners are more likely to watch podcasts on YouTube (31 percent) than listen to them on Spotify (27 percent). The New York Times also reports that YouTube's podcasting audience (1 billion) dwarfs Spotify's (170 million). As podcasts shift to video, Spotify has somehow lost its grip on podcast listeners. However, it still hosts some of the most popular podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, What Now? With Trevor Noah, and The Comment Section with Drew Afualo.
