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Charmed

iHeart Australia

Hosted by Sam Todd, Charmed is a podcast about collecting, nostalgia, pop culture and the personal stories behind the things we treasure.

Warm, funny and a little bit obsessed, Charmed celebrates the emotional pull of the small stuff - the lucky charms, sentimental jewellery, childhood souvenirs, irrational purchases and tiny treasures that somehow become part of who we are.

Ever kept a concert ticket for years? Held onto a charm because it reminds you of someone? Refused to part with a childhood toy, a Disney pin, a friendship bracelet or a tiny piece of merch that means way more than it probably should?

That’s where Charmed begins: with Sam stepping inside the worlds of collecting, nostalgia and personal obsession to uncover the stories behind the things people keep close.

Each episode explores a different collecting world - from Disney and fashion archives to fandom, pop culture, toys and accessories - and Sam isn’t doing it alone. She’s joined by familiar faces from each of these worlds, unpacking the pieces they treasure most and the memories tucked inside them.

It’s whimsical, nostalgic in all the right ways, and made for anyone who knows the smallest things can hold the biggest stories.

Because sometimes we collect things. And sometimes, what we’re really collecting are memories.

Follow Sam at @samtodd

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  • 6 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 43 min
  • English

Episodes 6

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  • S1 · E5
    Monday · 51 min· Video

    Travel disaster stories, New York hotel scams & 8 countries together with Ali Smith

    What happens when two best friends travel to eight countries in two years, projectile vomit in an airport business lounge and somehow get blacklisted by a New York hotel? In this episode of Charmed, host Sam Todd sits down with her best friend and fellow content creator, Ali Smith, to unpack their most chaotic, hilarious, and heartwarming travel memories. Sam answers fan-submitted questions covering everything from her non-negotiable jet lag recovery hacks to her heavy packing rituals and her dream wish-list trip to China. Then, Sam and Ali break down their wild adventures - from getting stuck in an elevator with pop icon Neil Sedaka and missing an international flight home from Japan, to falling victim to NYC tourist traps and getting wrongly accused of smoking in a hotel room. Plus, they share the spiritual story behind their Tokyo Lucky Cat amulets and showcase their most sentimental travel mementos. Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Phoebe Edwards EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E4
    November 2 · 1 hr 8 min· Video

    Dream Academy’s Ezrela on K-Pop trainee life, bonding with KATSEYE & her sentimental keepsakes

    What happens when you drop everything overnight and get whisked away into the high-stakes world of global pop star training? In this episode of Charmed, host Sam Todd sits down with Ezrela for her first official big interview following her journey as the only Australian contestant on Dream Academy. Ezrela opens up about what really happens when you chase a dream on a global stage - from keeping her audition success a secret and uprooting her life with just one suitcase, to navigating 2 AM patio workouts in the dark, bunk-bed sisterhood, flying to Korea, recording at the HYBE building and the bittersweet reality of TV screen eliminations. They unpack the emotional weight of global fandoms, carrying cross-cultural representation for Australia and India, and why stepping away from the training system ultimately helped her find her true artistic identity. Plus, Ezrela reflects on reuniting with the KATSEYE girls in Australia, her lifelong love for Bollywood and Y2K nostalgia and how learning five languages helped her stay connected to everyone around her. Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Toby Biggins-Gilchrist EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E3
    October 26 · 50 min· Video

    The brutal truth about writing your first book with Martina Calvi

    What happens when our childhood obsessions become the map of who we are? In this episode of Charmed, host Sam Todd is joined by author and the internet's queen of memory collecting Martina Calvi, to chat about a lifelong love affair with junk journaling, ephemera and the tiny treasures that hold a whole story. Martina takes us behind the scenes of her creative life - from starting her first travel journal on an epic three-month European family trip at age eight, to building her stunning trilogy of books, including her latest release, The Art of Snail Mail. They dive deep into the emotional side of collecting: how handwriting and handmade letters act as the ultimate antidote to digital "slop", why perfectionism is the enemy of creativity, and why the scuffed, dirty little things we hold onto mean we are actually living. Plus, in a very special show-and-tell moment, Martina brings in a gorgeous handmade parcel filled with tactile treasures for Sam, and they tackle your listener questions on the brutal realities and unexpected costs of writing and publishing your first book. Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Phoebe Edwards EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E2
    October 19 · 41 min· Video

    Inside Art Simone’s world: Drag droppings, spooky dolls & The Bachelor

    What happens when the character you create becomes part of who you are? In this episode of Charmed, host Sam Todd is joined by Australian drag royalty, Art Simone, to chat about over 15 years of transformation, wigs, costumes, and the ridiculous little treasures collected along the way. Art takes us behind the scenes of RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under, revealing why she collects "drag droppings" (from main stage curtains to lost outfit pieces), the origin of Australia's famous styrofoam wigs, and her unexpected stint on The Bachelor. They also dive deep into the emotional side of collecting - reclaiming childhood joy through dolls, carrying sentimental touchstones on tour, and why the things that look like trash to others can mean everything to us. Plus, for Show Me Your Charm, Art brings in a very special (and slightly haunted) vintage 90s Barbie, while Sam reveals a custom, handmade Drag Race treasure of her own. Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Phoebe Edwards EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • S1 · E1
    October 12 · 50 min· Video

    Inside Chloe Hayden’s world: Titanic, Bratz & Heartbreak High

    What if growing up didn’t mean growing out of the things you love? For the very first episode of Charmed, Sam Todd is joined by actor, author and collector Chloe Hayden to talk about the tiny treasures, childhood obsessions and sentimental objects that become part of who we are. Chloe takes us inside her collections, from a lifelong Titanic obsession and hundreds of model horses to Bratz dolls, Pokémon cards and pieces she kept from Heartbreak High. She and Sam also get into the joy of collecting as an adult, why your treasures are meant to be enjoyed, and finding your way back to the things you once thought you had to grow out of. Then, for Show Me Your Charm, Chloe brings in an extraordinary Titanic keepsake with a story that perfectly sums up why the things we save can mean so much. Because maybe growing up isn’t about losing your childhood obsessions. Maybe it’s finally getting to love them without being embarrassed. Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Phoebe Edwards EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • October 5 · 1 min· Video

    This is Charmed...The stories behind the things we treasure

    Why do we keep the things we keep? Hosted by Sam Todd, Charmed is a new podcast about collecting, nostalgia, pop culture and the tiny treasures that end up meaning everything. From sentimental jewellery and childhood toys to concert tickets, Disney pins, lucky charms and the completely irrational purchases we’ll never part with, Sam is getting into the stories and memories behind the things we treasure. Because sometimes we collect things. And sometimes, what we’re really collecting are memories. Welcome to Charmed, with Sam Todd. Stories worn to tell, with Pandora. THE END BITS Follow Sam Todd on instagram/ TikTok @SamTodd HOSTED BY: Sam Todd PRODUCED BY: Sally Best DOP: Becky Lillyman VIDEO EDITOR: Phoebe Edwards EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Shauna Anderson We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
Showing 1–6 of 6 episodes