A Look Into Emma Chamberlain’s Podcast

Graphic by Anneli Paulson

Emma Chamberlain’s podcast is slowly losing its grasp on Gen-Z. Emma is the un-coined creator of the long skirt and racerback pairing, making it a chic and sophisticated look with a pair of your grandmother's loafers, a chunky gold pair of hoops, and retro rectangular sunglasses.

As an avid lover of Emma's persona, the way she makes introversion normalized, and the flavors of Matcha from her brand Chamberlain Coffee, I was initially confused at the level of backlash and questions from fans on her podcast content.

Chamberlain's relatability comes from having a coffee obsession, finding comfort in her own company, and her love and dedication to thrifting, which formerly was displayed from the comfort of her YouTube channel.

But, with her last YouTube upload 5-months-ago, transitioning to a new platform truly shows her newfound dedication to her Spotify-exclusive podcast, Anything Goes. Candidly, I have gotten a t-shirt from her podcast and have frothed up over 15 cans of matcha in the past year - but that is just me.

Chamberlain's podcast aims to answer intense philosophical questions, with a few of her episodes questioning: “Does everything happen for a reason?” “Is happiness only real when shared?” and “What makes someone stylish?” In one of her more recent podcasts, she talks about her nicotine addiction and her efforts to quit.

One user on TikTok explained why Emma’s podcast is disingenuous and lacks research-related content due to Chamberlain not attending college. User “libby" said she believes it was because Emma was unaware of how untimely the issues she talked about were and are a part of “old news.” 

Several other Youtubers with a background in psychology have already done this. Users have already made podcasts that question philosophical questions and it makes Emma seem like an “echo chamber” with a lack of educational background and a surplus of opinions. 

This was the first time I was able to see a clear, logical reason as to why her podcast wasn’t “hitting” for many folks, including myself. Hopefully, in the future, more people can connect to her content, but for the time being- I am still going to enjoy my matcha and unapologetic nights with her podcast and some avocado toast.