You’ve probably seen the clips on TikTok. Or maybe you caught a stray snippet on Instagram where a local creator is suddenly getting way too honest about their bank account or a public breakup. That’s usually the Behind the Likes podcast at work. It’s become this weirdly essential cultural touchstone in the Southeast Asian digital space, specifically Singapore. People tune in because it feels less like a polished media interview and more like you’re eavesdropping on a conversation at a crowded cafe in Holland Village. It’s messy. It’s raw. Honestly, it’s exactly what the local influencer scene needed to stop feeling so plastic.
Hosted by the trio of Sneaky Sushii (Jayden Ong), Nina Tan, and Maarten Boey, the show tackles the stuff most creators usually hide behind a curated aesthetic. They talk money. They talk about the psychological toll of being "cancelled." They talk about the sheer absurdity of the attention economy. It’s not just about the likes, despite the name. It’s about what happens when the camera turns off and the dopamine hit of a viral post fades away, leaving a regular person staring at a screen.
Why the Behind the Likes Podcast Hits Different
Most podcasts in Singapore tend to be a bit... safe. You get the corporate-friendly interviews or the overly scripted banter. Behind the Likes podcast flipped that. Jayden (Sneaky Sushii) brought his trademark cynicism and "no-filter" attitude from his YouTube commentary days, while Nina and Maarten provide the necessary counterbalance to keep things from spiraling into total chaos.
It works because they don't treat their guests like PR objects. When you have guests like Zermatt Neo or members of the Night Owl Cinematics alumni on the show, the questions aren't just "How did you get started?" They ask the awkward things. They dig into the "pretty privilege" of the industry and the reality of brand deals that go south.
Short sentences work here. The tension is real. You can hear the hesitation in a guest's voice when they realize they might have said too much. That’s the magic sauce.
The Dynamics of the Trio
Jayden is the provocateur. He’s the guy who asks the question everyone is thinking but is too polite to say out loud. Nina Tan brings a level of industry insider knowledge that’s invaluable; she’s been in the game long enough to know where the bodies are buried, so to speak. Maarten acts as the glue, often grounding the conversation when it gets a bit too meta or inside-baseball.
This specific chemistry is why the show didn't just fizzle out after a few episodes. It’s hard to fake that kind of rapport. If you’ve watched their episodes with guests like Nicole Liel or Benjamin Kheng, you’ll notice the hosts aren't afraid to disagree with each other. It’s not a circle-jerk of influencer validation. It’s an actual debate.
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The Financial Reality of Being "Famous"
One of the best things about the Behind the Likes podcast is the transparency regarding money. In Singapore, talking about your salary is still a bit of a taboo, but in the influencer world, it’s all smoke and mirrors. The podcast has featured guests who openly discuss the fluctuating nature of their income.
- Some months you’re making five figures from a single campaign.
- The next three months? Total silence.
- Then there's the "lifestyle creep" where creators feel forced to buy luxury items just to maintain an image for the brands they want to attract.
It’s a vicious cycle. Hearing it broken down on the show makes the "glamorous" life of a creator seem a lot more like a high-stakes gambling addiction. You’re constantly betting on your own relevance. One bad take or a shift in the algorithm, and the house wins.
Dealing with the "Cancel Culture" Bogeyman
Singaporean social media is small. Everyone knows everyone. This makes "cancelling" feel less like a global phenomenon and more like being exiled from your own neighborhood. The podcast frequently dives into this. They’ve had guests who have been through the ringer of public opinion.
Instead of just offering a platform for a "redemption tour," the hosts actually interrogate what happened. They look at the nuance. Is the public being too sensitive, or did the creator actually mess up? It’s a rare space where nuance is allowed to breathe. Honestly, it’s refreshing. We live in a world of 15-second soundbites, so having a two-hour deep dive into a controversy is probably the only way to actually understand the full context of these situations.
Breaking the Fourth Wall of Content Creation
We all know social media is a performance. But the Behind the Likes podcast is basically a commentary on that performance while it's happening. They talk about the burnout. They talk about the weird parasocial relationships where followers think they own a piece of the creator’s soul.
I remember an episode where they discussed the "performance of vulnerability." It’s that weird thing where creators realize that being sad or having a breakdown actually gets more engagement than being happy. So, they start subconsciously (or consciously) leaning into their trauma for views. It’s dark stuff. And the podcast doesn't shy away from that darkness.
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Why Gen Z and Millennials are Hooked
The audience isn't just other influencers. It’s mostly people who grew up on the internet and can smell BS from a mile away. They want the "meta-commentary." They want to know the "why" behind the "what."
- It humanizes people who often seem unreachable.
- It provides a "behind-the-scenes" look at a career path that many young people actually want.
- It serves as a cautionary tale about the mental health struggles inherent in the industry.
The show basically functions as a weekly town hall for the digital age in Singapore. It’s where the community’s "lore" is updated and debated.
The Evolution of the Show
The Behind the Likes podcast started as a relatively simple setup, but it’s grown into a multi-platform beast. The YouTube version is where the long-form fans live, but the TikTok cuts are what drive the virality. It’s a smart strategy. They take the most controversial or "spicy" 60 seconds and let it run wild on the FYP, which then funnels people back to the full-length episode.
But there’s a risk there, too. Sometimes the clips lack the context of the full conversation. The hosts have had to defend their guests (or themselves) when a snippet gets taken the wrong way. It’s the irony of a podcast about the "likes" being at the mercy of the very algorithms they critique.
Navigating the Future of the Scene
As we move deeper into 2026, the influencer landscape is shifting. AI influencers are a thing. The "de-influencing" trend is real. People are tired of being sold to. The Behind the Likes podcast is going to have to adapt to a world where "being an influencer" isn't the flex it used to be.
They’re already doing this by expanding their guest list beyond just YouTubers and Instagrammers. They’re bringing in entrepreneurs, musicians, and people who have a more traditional "job" but still have to navigate the digital world. This keeps the content from getting stale. It prevents the show from becoming an echo chamber for people who only care about their engagement rates.
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What You Can Learn from Listening
If you’re a regular person who just likes a good story, the show is entertaining. But if you’re actually trying to build something online, it’s basically a free masterclass in what not to do.
The biggest takeaway? Authenticity isn't a strategy; it's a liability that sometimes pays off. You can't fake the kind of honesty that people actually connect with. If you try to "curate" your vulnerability, people will eventually see through it. The guests who come off the best on the show are the ones who aren't afraid to look a little bit stupid or admit they don't have all the answers.
Actionable Insights for Digital Consumers
Stop taking everything at face value. When you see a "perfect" life on your feed, remember the conversations on this podcast.
- Audit your feed: If a creator makes you feel inadequate rather than inspired, hit the unfollow button. The podcast proves that even the "perfect" ones are often struggling behind the scenes.
- Support long-form content: Algorithms favor short, shallow clips. If you actually like a creator, listen to their full-length interviews. You’ll get a much better sense of who they are.
- Question the "Outrage": Next time a local creator is being dragged on Twitter or Reddit, go see if they’ve done a long-form interview. Usually, there’s a lot more to the story than a 280-character post can convey.
The Behind the Likes podcast isn't perfect. Sometimes the hosts talk over each other. Sometimes the jokes don't land. But it’s real. And in a world of AI-generated content and hyper-filtered photos, that’s more than enough.
To get the most out of the show, start with the episodes featuring guests you already dislike or feel indifferent toward. You’ll find that hearing someone talk for two hours in an unstructured environment makes it a lot harder to maintain a one-dimensional view of them. That’s the real power of the medium. It forces empathy, even when we don't want to give it.
Follow the show on YouTube or Spotify, but don't just watch the clips. Sit through the whole thing. Let the silences and the awkward laughs tell you what the "likes" never will.
Next Steps:
Go to the Behind the Likes YouTube channel and find the "Most Popular" videos. Watch the episode with someone you've only ever seen in 15-second clips. Notice the difference in how they carry themselves when they aren't performing for a brand. That's the version of the internet that actually matters.