Hard Wig, Soft Life Podcast
Hard Wig, Soft Life is a space for the women who know what it’s like to carry a little too much but still show up anyway. It’s for the ones who’ve had to make life work—even when their hair wasn’t done, the money wasn’t right, and life felt like it was happening to them instead of for them.
I’m Melissa, and this podcast is a lot like a late-night phone call with your best friend—honest, unfiltered, and full of those “girl, same” moments. I’ll share the stories I’ve carried—navigating my 30s, surviving hard seasons, leaving toxic relationships, and learning (the messy way) how to build a life I love.
This isn’t about being perfect or pretending we’ve got it all figured out. It’s about creating space for softness—because if we’ve learned anything, it’s that life isn’t always easy, but we’re in this together.
Come hang out with me every other week as we laugh, cry, and figure out what it means to live life on our own terms—one episode, one wig, one moment of growth at a time.
Hard Wig, Soft Life Podcast
Yo, You Like Jay-Z Too? [A Conversation W/ Jada Urban]
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Sometimes the best conversations start with discovering you have the same favorite rapper! When I reconnected with Jada Urban in NYC after three years, we ended up bonding over everything from Jay-Z to growing up Afro-Latina in spaces where we were often the only ones who looked like us.
Jada's been behind the scenes on some of your favorite productions - from "Owning Manhattan" (where she watched people casually drop $7.7 million on apartments) to the Tony Awards. But what I love about her is that she shows up authentically in every space, no code-switching required.
In this candid girl talk, we dive into:
- What it's really like being the production assistant who speaks up about diversity on set
- The reality of working 12-hour days while being a mom to a three-year-old
- Our shared experiences growing up Afro-Latina and the identity confusion (like teachers asking me "how are you black AND Hispanic?")
- Why she prefers controlling the vision from behind the camera
- Her dream to work with Henry Louis Gates Jr. on PBS projects
- The art of advocating for yourself without burning bridges
- Music memories that shaped us (shoutout to Watch the Throne tour!)
- Secret talents that involve toes (yes, we went there)
This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like the only one in the room, anyone trying to balance career ambitions with motherhood, or anyone who refuses to dim their light to make others comfortable. Plus, we settle the age-old debate about whether KIX cereal still exists.
Two women just catching up and keeping it 100 about representation, motherhood, and making it in entertainment.
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