By Jocelle Koh

Asia’s first women’s music collective fluffle, founded by Asian Pop Weekly’s founder Jocelle Koh have unveiled their first long form project since launching in August 2024 – a podcast titled “the fluffle podcast” launching 7th March. The podcast is dedicated to unpacking stories from women in music across Asia, with the first episode featuring Singaporean personal trainer, influencer and singer-songwriter Tyen Rasif.

Hosted by industry executive and music journalist Jocelle Koh and supported by TuneCore Southeast Asia, the podcast represents Koh’s reflections on female friendships accumulated over a decade of experience in the Asian music industry. Of the inspiration behind the podcast, she shares:

“Across the last decade, I’ve experienced the Asian music industry in a myriad of roles and identities; from music journalist to industry executive, host, publicist and more. My greatest takeaway has been that roles and specialities pale in significance to the meaningful partnerships and friendships I’ve experienced during this time. ‘the fluffle podcast’ is a love letter to all the female friendships that have taught me to forge my own path and stand my ground. Our intention is to bring listeners right into the space that so many women in music have held for ME – where collaboration, creativity and comfort intersect, and hopefully encourage others to seek out the same within their own circles.” 

Focused on intentional conversations with women in music across Asia, the ten guests for the first season of the podcast were cherry-picked by Koh for the unique spaces they had carved for themselves within the music industry. Of the curation, she shares:

“All of the guests on this season have something special about them that I admire deeply. I wanted to curate a wide range of perspectives and representations, to remind our listeners that there is no one way to carve your niche in this space. I’m so honoured to have Tyen Rasif as the first guest on the pod, she is someone that continuously reminds her audiences that strength IS femininity while keeping an impeccable work ethic behind-the-scenes. I hope our conversation reminds our femmes that entrepreneurial qualities are nothing to shy away from; be you an artist, musician or creative.”

Tyen Rasif, a singer-songwriter/influencer/fitness professional who has been performing as an artist for over a decade expressed her thoughts on being a female artist in Singapore in 2025:

“It’s an exciting time to be a female artist pushing boundaries and blending cultures in music. Beyond creating songs, I see my work as a platform to share stories and take ownership of my narrative. This is about more than music—it’s about being bold, brave, and carving out space for others to do the same.”

As an expert in the media space, Rasif shared her perspective on how podcasts such as the fluffle podcast could be a potential gamechanger for artists and listeners alike in extending their ability to tell stories across different mediums.

“I think that there’s a growing demand for more authentic, unfiltered conversations and a podcast like fluffle can make a real difference by giving female artists a voice and open up discussions that might not always have a place in mainstream media. Music is powerful, but storytelling in this format allows audiences to connect with artists beyond their songs.”

The podcast will air once a month, featuring a different female artist or behind-the-scenes creative each time. Supported by TuneCore Southeast Asia, Cyrus Chen, Head of TuneCore SEA shares how the podcast fits into their efforts to champion women in music and independent artists in the region.

“While Southeast Asia’s music scene thrives, women are still required to overcome unique obstacles to claim space in the industry. At TuneCore, we see immense potential in collaborative, community-driven projects like ‘the fluffle podcast’ to uplift women, drive transparency, and provide education. By spotlighting stories and strategies from artists like Tyen Rasif, this platform doesn’t just celebrate women—it equips them with insights to navigate the industry and help shape its future. These initiatives strongly support our mission: to dismantle barriers for independent artists and ensure every femme voice in Asia can thrive unapologetically.”

“The fluffle podcast” goes live 8th March 2025 with first episode “Balancing entrepreneurship & artistry with Tyen Rasif”. Listen on streaming platforms Spotify, iTunes and follow for soundbites on fluffle’s Instagram and Tiktok.