In this episode of Cocktales with Brandi we’re raising a glass to the wild ride that is your late 20s and the first sips of your 30s. I’m joined by my girl Haley Reading who’s wrapping up her 20s while I just closed out my rookie year in the 30s club. We’re talking lessons we didn’t ask for, the things we thought we’d have figured out by now (spoiler alert: we don’t), and those moments that still make us cringe.

In honor of my 31st birthday, this conversation took a real and reflective turn. We laughed, we sipped, and we both opened up about things we’ve been holding close. It’s raw, it’s honest, and it reminded us just how much power there is in saying the quiet things out loud. You don’t have to be in your 20s or 30s to sip on this cocktale. If you’ve ever been in a season of growing through what you’re going through, this one’s for you.

In this episode of Cocktales with Brandi, I’m taking a step back and letting 5 wise women pour. I had the absolute joy of sitting at the feet of my favorite aunties - my mom and her lifelong sister friends, affectionately known as the Foxxee Possee! Trust me, they are not letting any grass grow under their feet, individually or collectively. If you've ever wanted to be a fly on the wall for the real facts of true friendship and sisterhood, this is your moment.

We're shaking and stirring up the complexities of modern friendships because let’s be honest, keeping a solid circle in 2025 is hard work. From non-confrontational culture to ghosting as a friendship exit strategy, we’re breaking down what it truly takes to build and maintain meaningful connections. Whether you're holding on to lifelong bonds, trying to make new friends as an adult, or wondering if that ghosted friend is even worth texting back, pull up a chair.

Rhythm and Booze: A Toast to Black Music is exactly what it sounds like...a smooth pour of nostalgia, soul, and celebration, served straight up. In honor of Black Music Month, I’m joined by Grammy-nominated artist and certified vibe curator Darnell Miller, who’s just as much a music connoisseur as he is a creative. Together, we’re raising our glasses to the sounds that raised us and you too.

From cookout classics to the soundtrack of our listeners’ lives, we’re mixing Black music history with personal memories, unexpected laughs, and a little of my off-key singing. In Songs That Raised Us, we revisit the tracks that shaped our coming-of-age, and in Respect on Their Name, we spotlight the overlooked brilliance of Black artists whose influence runs deep.

This episode is less Q&A and more full-body groove! Pour something good, turn the volume up, and dance along with us. Because when the rhythm hits just right, you don’t just hear it... you feel it.

Here’s the perfect pour to go with this episode—our Rhythm and Booze playlist, curated to match every beat, memory, and moment we talked through. Hit play, pour up, and let the music move you long after the episode ends.