DA BADDEST has entered the chat. And honestly, he needs no introduction but in case you’ve been living under a ROCK…

Our guest on the pod is singer, songwriter, actor, athlete, activist, occasional scientist on the mf side, star of Crystal of the Day, coconut connoisseur, and cultural icon himself… Bretman Rock.

Bretman been our most requested guest since we started this podcast. In this episode, Bretman gets real with us about childhood trauma, growth, healing, and the moments that shaped who he is today. He also spills some tea on the best and worst celebrities he’s ever met, and of course, we put him through all the classic Sweet or Savory questions. Including the ultimate one… can you be friends with your ex?

Podcast uploaded straight from our hotel room bed in Waikiki 🌺

We’re in Hawai‘i getting ready for the Our Little Christmas tour (Blue Note Hawaii on 12/4, Blue Note Napa on 12/11, and Dynasty Typewriter on 12/14), Huge thank you to Hawaiian Airlines for taking such good care of us for tour!

In this episode, we reminisce about the times we’ve seen our moms experience rage (kinda), share some unhinged childhood stories, and AJ opens up about his most embarrassing fan interactions.

Tune in!

The studio FLOODED… and survived! This week, we’re back in our space after AJ’s heroic battle with a hairline crack, one confused True Value employee, and a tube of black caulk he very confidently asked for out loud. From there, the chaos only escalates.

Alyssa recaps Girls’ Night™️, where her PR shelf was raided with Olympic-level enthusiasm, while AJ explains how he accidentally gave away ✨seven✨ LabuBoos because the kids at Cousinsgiving kept winning (and because he has a soft heart and no self-control).

We also break down everything that goes into self-producing a tour — the hotels, flights, commissions, merch, the budget stress, and why we do it anyway. And yes… we hint at some big Rafael family updates we can’t share yet.

We wrap with excited updates about the new Christmas music we recorded this week (hello, Troy Laureta magic), and a reminder to grab tickets for Hawaii, Napa, and LA before the shows hit next week.

It’s messy, it’s honest, and it’s very us.
Stay sweet… or savory.

This week, AJ, Alyssa, and Justine recap our wild night at the Dancing With The Stars taping — and yes, it was Prince Night. 💜

We’re not in our usual studio (it semi-flooded from the rain 😭), but we still dive into the behind-the-scenes moments the cameras don’t show, what it’s really like sitting right behind the judges, and the hilarious shock of suddenly being on TV.

Spoiler warning: we do talk about the dances and results!

A quick, chaotic sibling breakdown of an unforgettable night in the ballroom. ✨

This week, we’re joined by the incredible Macy Schmidt — Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and Tony-nominated music director, orchestrator, and founder of The Broadway Sinfonietta, an all-women and majority women-of-color orchestra transforming the sound of Broadway and beyond.

Macy shares how her dream began with a fireworks show at Disney World, the challenges of breaking into a historically male-dominated field, and the journey of building a business that uplifts and empowers women in music. We talk about her biggest career highlights, how leading massive productions all started with a cold-pitch email, and her surprising take on the question: can you be friends with your ex?

http://instagram.com/macyjschmidt

http://instagram.com/thesinfonietta

Filipino balladeer Christian Bautista joins Alyssa & AJ to talk about OPM, Josh Groban, musicals, and learning to find peace in the hustle — plus a hilarious PB&J challenge you don’t want to miss.

In this episode, we sit down with OPM legend Christian Bautista — the voice behind “The Way You Look at Me” — for a heartwarming and hilarious conversation about his 20+ years in music, growing up in church choirs, his viral “Josh Groban” moment, and the power of faith and family through it all. We talk about how Filipino TV shaped a generation of singers (including us!), his dream role in Moulin Rouge, why he’s learned not to “break every door” in life, and yes — whether he’s Team Sweet or Team Savory when it comes to peanut butter.
It’s part nostalgia trip, part life lesson, and all-around Sweet or Savory goodness.

This week on Sweet or Savory, we’re joined by our good friend Albert Posis — Filipino R&B singer, songwriter, and OG YouTube artist — fresh off the release of his brand new album! We dive into the old school YouTube days, the pressure (and guilt) of disappointing your parents while chasing a creative dream, and yes… the art of making the perfect peanut butter and ube sandwich. It’s a nostalgic, funny, and heartfelt convo about music, family, and finding your flavor.

In this quick catch-up episode, we’re talking all things Christmas (yes, already!)—from our new holiday music to what’s coming next. AJ shares details about performing at a charity basketball game and Alyssa laces up for her first-ever game 🏀. Plus, we take a moment to celebrate Filipino American History Month, reflecting on what it means to represent our community through music, storytelling, and everything in between.

Catch our Christmas tour: http://ajrafaelmusic.com

This week we’re catching up with our good friend Alex Aiono! We talk about his new music, the old YouTube days when he seemed to go viral every other week, and what it was like to step away from music to focus on acting and self-growth.

Alex gets real about creativity, taking breaks, and what it’s like being friends with your ex (yes, we go there 👀). It’s a nostalgic, funny, and honest conversation between friends who’ve grown up online—filled with reflection, laughter, and heart.

Grab a snack (sweet or savory) and join us for an episode that feels like a late-night catch-up with old friends.

Our sister Justine Rafael joins us this week for one of our most unhinged and family-filled episodes yet 😅 We catch up on life—starting with our mom’s new beach house 🏖️ (yes, we’re already planning family karaoke nights there). Then we dive into stories about our stepbrothers and stepdad, share hilarious sibling memories, and somehow end up dissecting The Summer I Turned Pretty finale like it’s a college thesis 🌊

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Rafael family convo without a little chaos—so we round it out with unfiltered thoughts on the new Taylor Swift album 🎶 and some truly random “unhinged questions” for Justine that had us crying laughing. Equal parts nostalgia, pop culture, and sibling therapy—you don’t wanna miss this one ❤️