Behind the Mic: The Making of a My Girl Life Podcast Episode
What really goes into creating a podcast as warm, thoughtful, and engaging as My Girl Life? To get a closer look, we reached out to Maddie—host, creator, and the vibrant personality many readers will remember from our “Eye Candy of the Month: Maddie” feature. (If you missed that spotlight, it’s the perfect place to learn more about her story.) Through her candid responses, she opened a window into her process, from the way she prepares for meaningful conversations to the small rituals that shape filming day. Her answers reveal just enough to spark curiosity… while leaving plenty for the story ahead. Below is the table of contents outlining the key elements this interview will cover:
- A Look at a Typical Filming Day
- Pre-Recording Rituals & Setup
- Style, Outfits & On-Camera Confidence
- Memorable Episodes & Moments
- Choosing Podcast Topics
- Maddie’s Advice for Aspiring Content Creators
What does your routine look like when you’re preparing to record an episode?
So if I’m doing an interview I research the guest as much as I can, some don’t have much public information so I’m going in a little blind. Some have some good public information I can read up on. Then I build an agenda with the questions I want to ask… I usually send the questions to my guests ahead of time so they know what’s coming and also identify any subjects they don’t want to discuss publicly which I always respect. However, I think the best conversations are the ones that are not planned and just happen in the natural flow of conversation.
How do you usually get ready before filming — do you have a go-to makeup routine or specific products you love to use on podcast days?
I have a pretty simple setup at my place…a computer, microphone, AirPods and a green screen. I have the green screen so I can superimpose my studio in the background.
I set everything up before I start to get ready so when I’m done I can just start right away with the episode. I have to get ready with full makeup and outfit. I allow about 2 hours for getting ready and usually get done in 90 minutes or so. I also like to have a White Claw while filming 🙂
Is there a particular look, outfit, or style you gravitate toward when filming, or does it depend on the mood or topic of the episode?
I go out for the night right after I get done with each episode so I’m fully dressed and ready to go out. I have a large wardrobe but I tend to wear a lot of the same outfits, in rotation of course, and try to utilize colors that work for me. I do have to be careful with the colors of my tops that I wear because not all colors work with the green screen and that really messes up the background for the video. I also release an audio only version for the podcast platforms but my YouTube channel gets the vast majority of viewership!
What’s been your favorite episode to film so far, and why?
I’d have to say my interview with Heidi Phox and her wife Nikki. They both were incredibly courageous in what they shared about their journey. Nikki did such a good job at expressing herself as well as Heidi. I think the most compelling part of the interview was when I asked Nikki a couple of very personal questions, it was obvious that Heidi and Nikki had not discussed those questions before because the look on Heidi’s face as Nikki was answering the questions was interesting to watch…you could tell Heidi was waiting to hear how Nikki answered! They both felt great about the interview and it made for a great episode.
How do you decide what topics to cover on My Girl Life Podcast — do they come from personal experience or listener requests?
So the interview topics depend on the guest but I do make a point to cover their background so people get to know them as a person a bit before talking about their crossdressing or transition. Then we usually cover dressing/transition journey’s, funny stories, challenges and what the future looks like. For my “Maddie’s Message” solo episodes I usually pick topics that come from personal experience either first hand or what has been shared with me. I also like to delve into the psychology of crossdressing as I find it fascinating and a challenge to fully understand. Lastly, my episodes with Kelli Perry called “Tuck ‘n Tell” is a casual format where we discuss what we’ve been up to the past few weeks.
What advice would you give to other TG/CD girls who are thinking about creating online content?
My advice would be to really think about your audience and what they would be compelled to spend 30-60 minutes of their time to listen, read or watch the content you produce. They should also spend time preparing for whatever it is that they are going to do…don’t just wing it. Pay attention to what content is getting a positive response and lean into that type of content and evaluate everything every so often for possible improvements or pivots. Lastly, be patient! It takes time to build an audience so I would recommend whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s something you love doing and would do it for free because it’s tough to make meaningful income being a content creator and you’ll get frustrated and probably quit if you’re not doing it because you love doing it!
Which part of Maddie’s behind-the-scenes routine surprised you the most? If you could ask Maddie one follow-up question for a future Q&A, what would it be? We’d love to know what you think! Email us at[email protected] or message us on our Facebook page. And be sure to check out more great tips and articles on our blog!