Love-ly: Exploring Modern Relationships
Love-ly is a podcast that explores modern relationships through the lens of cultural traditions and contemporary dating. Host Mehak shares heartfelt stories about love, identity, and connection, focusing on first and second-generation immigrants balancing family expectations with dating apps and 'situationships.' Each episode features conversations that highlight the universal truth that everyone has a lovely story worth telling. New episodes are released every Friday.
Episodes
Sexually Liberated Doesn’t Mean Yes to Everything
At 18, Kayden Kross walked into a strip club to save a pony from a meat auction. Twenty years later, she’s behind the camera, making films about the part of sex nobody can see.
Mehak sits down with Kayden, an award-winning writer and director and the founder of the studio Deeper, in a week when the Cornell case has left many of us angry and wondering why so few people seem surprised. Kayden expla
Why Is Misogyny Still So Normal? (May 2025)
Content warning: this episode includes mentions of sexual assault.
In May 2025, Mehak sat down with Srijan Makkena, a psych student and content creator who’s been speaking out about the quiet (and not-so-quiet) ways misogyny shows up, especially in South Asian communities.
They talk about everything from family double standards and emotional repression to childhood trauma, healing, and what re
Unlearning the Love You Were Taught to Want
Heather Orr and her partner had spent six months asking each other whether their relationship was worth fighting for. She asked if they could start therapy. He said they were fine the way they were. That was her answer.
In this episode, Mehak sits down with Heather Orr, a lawyer, activist, and creator known online as @hope_peddler, to ask: how much of what we want in love is actually what we want
Botox, Boundaries, and Beauty Standards
Dr. Michael Brandt has spent his career studying faces. And he still says attraction has almost nothing to do with symmetry.
In this episode, Mehak sits down with Dr. Michael Brandt, facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Form Face and Body in Toronto, to talk about "iPhone face," the beauty standards social media has pushed us all toward, and why he'll turn down a procedure before he'll lo
Confidence, Chemistry And Calling Out the BS: Yasmin Elhady Returns to Love-ly (August 2025)
Yasmin Elhady's back, and she’s bringing the truth bombs!
In her return to Love-ly, attorney, comedian, and Muslim Matchmaker host Yasmin Elhady sits down with Mehak for a hilarious, heartfelt, and brutally honest conversation about modern love.
From dismantling silly dating “icks” to exposing overconfidence, Yasmin shares how self-trust, spirituality, and the “three A’s” attraction, admiratio
When Life Changes You, Stay Open to Love
What happens when life changes you, but you still want to stay open to love?
Mehak brings on Robin Ducharme, relationship educator, former matchmaker, and founder of Real Love Ready, who's spent years interviewing some of the biggest names in love about what it actually means to truly love someone.
Robin opens up about her most recent breakup, three months out from losing her mother, and how par
Have We Optimized Ourselves Out of Love?
Jeffre Behm went on a first date from a dating app, drove to a mini golf course, and spent the whole night realizing neither of them actually wanted to be there. He didn't know her well enough to suggest something they'd both enjoy, so they defaulted to what they thought a "date" was supposed to look like. It's the kind of story that sounds small until you realize how many of us are doing the exac
Don't Let Someone Else's Timeline Lower Your Standards
Summer's ending, everyone around you is coupling up, and suddenly "almost right" starts to feel right enough. Here's your reminder to get pickier, not less.
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) is joined by Evelyn Alvarez (@ripeness), a New York–based entrepreneur, doula, community leader, mother, and one of the tías on Project Pulso's matchmaking show, Tía's Choice. As the first-generation daughter o
The Blue Checkmark of Dating: Is Love Just Social Proof? with Alexa V.
Fresh off a wholesome, "emotionally regulated" Valentine’s Day with her friends, Mehak (@whathemehak) dives into a deep conversation about why romantic love has become a "performance of adulthood" and a "social status symbol" in 2026.
Joining the conversation is content creator Alexa V. (@lifewithlex444), who discusses her decision to opt out of intentional dating in 2026. She opens up about her
Parental Guilt, Digital Wellness, and Why AI Falls Short with Israa Nasir (November 2025)
In this episode of Love-ly, Mehak sits down with psychotherapist and @well.guide founder Israa Nasir to discuss life as a third-culture kid and why she doesn’t feel guilty about not having children, despite parental expectations.
Their conversation also turns to the future of digital mental health care, inspired by Israa’s essay, “Outsourcing Emotional Labor
Maybe We Just Forgot What to Look For
This week, no guest — just Mehak. After some health concerns forced her to slow down and put her phone down, she spent time reflecting on where she's headed — the woman she wants to become, the partner she wants to be, and the life she's trying to build.
Mehak revisits the conversations she's had this year that have reshaped how she thinks about dating: Clayton Echard on nuance and rushing to ju
The Professional Girlfriend: Inside OnlyFans
This week, Mehak sits down with Gracie Canaan—comedian, writer, actress, and OnlyFans creator—to go inside the world of digital intimacy from both sides of the screen. We love to judge the women who sell intimacy online, but who's really creating the demand? As one half of the six-part investigative podcast OnlyFantasy (made with journalist Leon Neyfakh), Gracie has spent a lot of time thinking ab
Pleasure in the Age of Aesthetic Capitalism with Danielle Bezalel (December 2025)
We're bringing back a previous conversation where Mehak sits down with sex educator and pleasure expert Danielle Bezalel—host of Sex Ed with DB.
Together, they unpack the motifs that shape our earliest understandings of intimacy: immigrant households where sex was whispered, cultures that mistake silence for safety, and school systems that replace curiosity with misinformation.
From D
Two Years on the Pole, Three Years Celibate
This week, Mehak sits down with her close friend Yana — Ukrainian artist and former midnight ballerina— to unpack the two and a half years she spent working at one of downtown Toronto's most iconic strip clubs, and everything that chapter taught her about men, money, and herself.
Yana sets the record straight on the women behind the stage, recounts the one boundary that was violated once and neve
It's About Your Patterns, Not Their Astrology with Jessica Lanyadoo
Jessica Lanyadoo was getting dressed for a solstice party when her spirit guides told her: don't wear pants, wear a skirt. That night she met the man she's now been with for 14 and a half years.
In this episode, Mehak sits down with Jessica Lanyadoo, humanistic astrologer, psychic medium, animal communicator, and host of Ghost of a Podcast, to talk about what astrology can (and can't) tell us abo
How to Make Opposites Last
Anna Gold and Tim Utting's love story began at a Halloween party in 1987: hours of conversation, one missed meeting, and a note that said: you have one more chance. He called. The rest is 39 years of history.
In this episode, Mehak sits down with Anna and Tim, IMAGO practitioners and co-founders of Replenish Relationships, to talk about what it really takes to communicate across differences. They
No Promposal, No Problem: Aidan Taylor on Dating Late & Owning It (April 2025)
Is it ever too late to start dating?
In an earlier conversation, Mehak sits down with Aidan Taylor (host of Banterly) to unpack what it really means to be a “late bloomer” in the chaotic world of modern dating. They talk about first dates, ghosting, gay bar drama (yes, including a bathroom incident), dating as a person of color in NYC, and what it's like to feel "behind" when everyone around you
Grab a Snack. It's Love Island Season.
It's Pride Month. Mikey is back. And this week, Mehak (@whathemehak) and Mikey are doing what they do best: spilling the tea.
They get into what Pride actually feels like when you're still coming out at work, a full Love Island debrief (TLDR: Sol is a witch, Sincere is a liar, and Zach is everything), and a recent podcast guest story that has to be heard to be believed.
Pull up a chair. Happy
What You Lose When You Always Leave
Josef Andrew Miklavc grew up everywhere and from nowhere — born in Mexico, raised across six countries before he was 14, the son of an Austrian father and an Indonesian mother, who never quite fit the passport he was handed. He built a corporate career in Australia, then walked away from it, and now spends his days chasing dry seasons between Vietnam and Thailand, building community in places he'l
Trad Wives and the Myth of Domestic Perfection with Jo Piazza (December 2025)
What is a trad wife, really? What are they selling—and what are we not seeing?
This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with bestselling author, journalist, and podcaster Jo Piazza, widely considered one of America’s sharpest observers of women, motherhood, and the influencer economy. Together, they unpack the increasingly visible and controversial world of “trad wives”—women who embrace and promote
Nobody Inconveniences Themselves Anymore
Almost 10 years together. One year married. In an era of "leave him," Danish and Junior are proof that something worthwhile is possible.
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) is joined by two of her closest friends, Danish and Junior, a married couple based in Toronto whose relationship spans nearly a decade, two continents, a music festival in Montreal, and one very persistent sister named Harriet.
Looksmaxxing Won't Make You Lovable with Fred Kutnick
We've spent years removing friction from everything. But desire doesn't thrive in a frictionless world. Chemistry, curiosity, and connection can't be optimized. So what happens when we try?
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) is joined by Fred Kutnick (@freddi_g_), a Brooklyn-based therapist specializing in DBT and mindfulness, whose practice focuses on men in their 20s and 30s navigating dating, ide
What We Weren’t Taught About Intimacy: Love, Boundaries & Letting Go
(February 2025)
What does real intimacy look like? And how often do we mistake control for care? Mehak (@whathemehak) gets personal about love, entitlement, and learning to walk away from relationships that don’t feel safe. She shares her own experiences with intimacy—both the kind that left her questioning herself and the kind that finally made her feel seen.
Then, she sits down with sexuality educator Justine
Clayton Echard: The Work In Progress (Part 2)
If Part 1 was about the battle Clayton fought in public, Part 2 is about the one he's still fighting inside.
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) continues her conversation with Clayton Echard (@claytonechard), and things get real fast. What does it actually look like to unlearn years of seeking validation, stop performing for the people around you, and start showing up as the person you actually are?
Clayton Echard: Before You Form An Opinion (Part 1)
If you know Clayton Echard, you probably have an opinion about him. Sit with that — because that's exactly what this episode is about.
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) is joined by Clayton Echard (@claytonechard), the Season 26 Bachelor, to hear the story you think you already know — straight from him.
Clayton has been at the center of one of the most public and painful legal battles in rece
Decentering Parents Without Guilt: Finding Confidence & Independence with Shazmeera Qadri (September 2025)
What does it take to walk away from cultural expectations and finally choose yourself?
Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with TikTok creator and confidence coach Shazmeera Qadri (@shazmeeraqadri). From growing up in a Pakistani immigrant household to navigating a toxic marriage and reclaiming her independence, Shazmeera shares how she rebuilt her life with courage and self-respect. She unpacks the g
No Foreplay, Just Comedy: Salma Hindy on Ayahuasca, Vaginismus, and Dating Younger
"No foreplay. We're literally just going straight in."
That's how comedian Salma Hindy describes her experience on @subwaytakes. And honestly? It's the perfect way to kick off this week's episode.
Salma grew up the daughter of an imam in Toronto, enforcing the rules harder than anyone. Then, somewhere between removing her hijab, quitting engineering, moving to New York, and being disowned by he
Why Narcissism Feels Like Love with Dr. Joy Berkheimer
What if the love you grew up with wasn't love at all — it was control?
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with Dr. Joy Berkheimer, licensed marriage and family therapist, for an honest and frankly, jaw-dropping conversation. Dr. Joy doesn't just talk about narcissism from behind a clipboard — she lived it. From growing up in a Caribbean-American household where perfectionism was surviv
Feed Drop: Decentering Men & Dating (Without Giving Up On Finding Love) w/ Allison Goldberg
This week's episode is a feed drop from Dateable: Your insider's look into modern dating and relationships!
Have you ever felt so burnt out on dating that you wanted to give up? This may sound counterintuitive, but Dateable hosts Yue and Julie are talking about how decentering men and dating could be the key to removing this dating exhaustion – and ultimately finding your person. They talk with
Do Whatever Your Wife Tells You: A Comedian Converts to Islam with Tommy Mellor
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with comedian Tommy Mellor (@tommymellor) for a conversation that's equal parts funny and surprisingly candid about love across cultures.
Tommy shares the story of how a one-kilometer Bumble radius led him to his now-wife, a Pakistani woman who initially agreed to the date, thinking a comedian might make for a good story to tell her friends. That story tu
Are You Even Your Type’s Type? with Dear Baji (@leveluponepercent)
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with Baji from Dear Baji (@leveluponepercent), a free Muslim matchmaking service, to ask the question nobody wants to answer honestly: are you even your type's type?
Baji breaks down what she actually sees running her matchmaking platform: people with lists of requirements who've never stopped to ask what they bring to the table or whether the perso
You're Not Unlucky in Love, You're Addicted to Intensity with Allie Zheng (@yourlocaltorontogirlie)
Mehak (@whathemehak) shares a Ramadan and dating update — including her hot take that divorce is actually chic — before sitting down with Toronto's own Allie Zheng (@itsyourlocaltorontogirlie) to talk all things love, heartbreak, and what it really means to be a lover girl.
Allie gets real about her dating patterns: falling too fast, chasing intensity, and taking shortcuts to intimacy — and wha
Feed Drop: These modern dating rules are keeping my friends single
This week, we're featuring an episode from Small Talk With Sheila. Imagine Bridget Jones had a self-help podcast, and you’re pretty close to the charming chaos that is Sheila’s world.
In this episode, Sheila gets candid about the dating rules that are keeping her friends single. From waiting to be pursued, to overanalyzing texts and emojis, to treating dating like a job interview, she breaks dow
How to Date Intentionally: Politics, Patterns, and Planning with Talia Koren
It's Lovely's first anniversary! 🎉 To celebrate, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with Talia Koren, creator of the Dating Intentionally podcast, to discuss what it really means to date with purpose.
Talia shares her unconventional dating journey—150 dates with 64 people in 10 months—and the surprising patterns she discovered by tracking every single one in her Notes app. From navigating politi
Are Women Outpacing Men? The Modern Dating Divide with Thomas Darya
What happens when a viral TikTok about Toronto’s "struggle" dating scene turns into a deep dive on the evolution of the modern man and woman?
In this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak (@whathemehak) brings actor Thomas Darya (@thomas_darya) into the studio to dissect the growing sentiment that women are rapidly outpacing men in both professional drive and personal growth. Thomas pulls from his e
Why Do We Watch Ourselves Live? with Julia Sunderland
Is your dating life a lived experience, or just a curated performance?
In this episode of Love-ly, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with somatic therapist and scholar Julia Sutherland (@JoyfullyJuliaa) to unpack the psychological toll of viewing ourselves from the "outside-in." Together, they unpack the concept of "self-objectification" and why women in particular tend to monitor their external ap
Feed Drop: How to Date NATO (Not Attached To Outcome) with Erika Ettin
This week, we're featuring an episode from Dating Intentionally, a podcast dedicated to making dating more enjoyable.
Dating coach Erika Ettin joins Talia Koren to break down the mindset shifts that make dating feel calmer, clearer, and more intentional. You’ll learn about dating NATO (not attached to outcome), avoiding pen-pal dynamics, reading texting patterns, and staying open without over-in
Friction-Maxxing & Finding Your 2026 Obsession
We’re officially in 2026, and the vibe is… intentional. After spending the holidays recovering from a flu-from-hell, Mehak (@whathemehak) is back in the studio for a solo deep dive into the trends and transitions defining the start of the year.
This episode covers everything from personal dating updates to the rise of "Friction-maxxing"—the radical art of choosing the inconvenient path for the sa
A Holiday Yap Session: Dating, Discernment, and Delusion
In this holiday special, Love-ly closes out 2025 with a cozy, unfiltered yap session between three friends. Host Mehak (@whathemehak) is joined by former guests Erik (@erikhruszowy) and Waleed (@wearswali) to reflect on the year and share holiday hot takes—keeping things funny, warm, and very real.
The conversation ranges from holiday dating do’s and don’ts to how a double Gucci belt nearly broug
Trad Wives and the Myth of Domestic Perfection with Jo Piazza
What is a trad wife, really? What are they selling—and what are we not seeing?
This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with bestselling author, journalist, and podcaster Jo Piazza, widely considered one of America’s sharpest observers of women, motherhood, and the influencer economy. Together, they unpack the increasingly visible and controversial world of “trad wives”—women who embrace and promote
Pleasure in the Age of Aesthetic Capitalism with Danielle Bezalel
This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with sex educator and pleasure expert Danielle Bezalel—host of Sex Ed with DB. Together, they unpack the motifs that shape our earliest understandings of intimacy: immigrant households where sex was whispered, cultures that mistake silence for safety, and school systems that replace curiosity with misinformation.
From Danielle’s Afghan Jewish upbringing to Me
Addiction and Sobriety: Healing, Relationships & Emotional Wellbeing with Kendall Bierman
How are substance addiction and love addiction connected?
In this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak welcomes licensed therapist Kendall Bierman, who shares her personal journey through anxiety, substance addiction, and the path to sobriety. She reflects on the influence of her family dynamics, competitive upbringing, and the turning points that led her to pursue a career in therapy.
The
Feed Drop: Keeping Pleasure Alive in Long-term Monogamy with Dr. Lexx Brown-James
This week on Love-ly, we’re sharing some sage wisdom from Sex Ed with DB — your go-to show for smart, science-backed sex education. Each episode delivers trusted insights from top experts on sex, sexuality, and pleasure.
In this episode, DB talks with Dr. Lexx about the many different kinds of pleasure — and how to keep pleasure centered in a long-term monogamous relationship. It’s not always ju
Parental Guilt, Digital Wellness, and Why AI Falls Short — with Israa Nasir
In this episode of Love-ly, Mehak sits down with psychotherapist and @well.guide founder Israa Nasir to discuss life as a third-culture kid and why she doesn’t feel guilty about not having children, despite parental expectations.
Their conversation also takes a turn into the future of digital mental health care, inspired by Israa’s essay, “Outsourcing Emotional Labor to ChatGPT,” and ho
Have We Lost the Plot on Human Connection? with Aubrey Aust (Hint of Trauma)
Why is building human connection so difficult in modern dating? This week on Lovely, Mehak talks to Aubrey Aust, researcher and podcast host of Hint of Trauma, to decode the complexities of modern relationships. They explore how cultural norms have warped our perceptions of love (and boyfriends) and dive deep into the cycles of hyper-independence versus people-pleasing.
This episode is a ma
Why I’m Not Rushing Love: The Power of the In-Between Era
In this week's episode, Mehak opens up about being in her “in-between era,” a space where she’s rediscovering herself. After a recent breakup, she reflects on emotional maturity, intuition, and the lessons that come with letting go. From unlearning survival habits to recognizing relationship patterns, Mehak shares what it means to stop romanticizing potential and start honoring her inner voice. Sh
How Men Heal: Masculinity and Emotional Growth with Samir Mourani (Gent's Talk)
In this episode of Love-ly, Mehak sits down with Samir Mourani, host of Gent's Talk, to explore masculinity, men’s mental health, and emotional healing. Samir shares his personal journey breaking the stigma around male vulnerability, how his divorce reshaped his views on manhood, and the role of self-awareness and male friendships in his growth. Together, they unpack how men heal—and how women can
Toronto Dating Chaos with Lara (Dumb Blonde Diary)
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What happens when TikTok’s Dumb Blonde Diary Lara Simonot brings her wildest dating stories to Love-ly? From Ukrainian roots to Toronto nightlife, Lara shares how she balances independence, mus
Decentering Parents Without Guilt: Finding Confidence & Independence with Shazmeera Qadri
Subscribe to Hyphenly, our new newsletter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes. https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
What does it take to walk away from cultural expectations and finally choose yourself? In this raw and empowering episode of Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with TikTok creator and confidence coac
The Upside of Conflict with Dr. Jen Fry
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Why do we shy away from conflict when it might actually bring us closer??
This week, Mehak (@whathemehak) sits down with conflict resolution expert Dr. Jen Fry (jenfryta
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Love, Breakups & Emotional Truths with Laura Caruso (June 2025)
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Love-ly host Mehak sits down with relationship therapist and content creator Laura Caruso in one of the show’s most memorable conversations; it’s so powerful, it’s being
The Secret to Lasting Friendships with Anna Goldfarb
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In this episode, host Mehak explores the complexities of adult friendships with journalist and author Anna Goldfarb, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Time, The Cut, an
Why Modern Dating Feels Broken (and How to Find Real Love in 2025)
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Dating in 2025 feels harder than ever; apps are exhausting, hookup culture dominates, and rejection is everywhere. In this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with her friend Eric, a former
Pedro Pascal, Hinge Nightmares And Why Choosing Yourself Is the Real Love Story
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What do Pedro Pascal, a bad Hinge date, and the rom-com Materialists have in common? They all expose the messy math of modern love. In this solo episode of Love-ly, Mehak spills on the good, the cr
Confidence, Chemistry And Calling Out the BS: Yasmin Elhady Returns to Love-ly
Feeling tired, moody, or breaking out for no reason? We thought it was just burnout—until we tried Function Health. Function tracks over 160 biomarkers, including hormones, stress, Vitamin D, and more, to help users understand what’s going on inside. Learn more at www.functionhealth.com/LOVELY.
She’s back and she’s bringing the truth bombs! In her return to Love-ly, attorney, comedian,
Izz on Faith, Dating And Defining Her Own Path
Feeling tired, moody, or breaking out for no reason? We thought it was just burnout—until we tried Function Health. Function tracks over 160 biomarkers, including hormones, stress, Vitamin D, and more, to help users understand what’s going on inside. Learn more at www.functionhealth.com/LOVELY.
This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with Izz, a Haitian-born, Montreal-based Muslim woman with
The Kind King Era: Unpacking Modern Masculinity in Dating with Kavitha Ajwani
Feeling tired, moody, or breaking out for no reason? We thought it was just burnout—until we tried Function Health. Function tracks over 160 biomarkers, including hormones, stress, Vitamin D, and more, to help users understand what’s going on inside. Learn more at www.functionhealth.com/LOVELY.
Why do so many emotionally available men still feel lost in the dating world? This week on Love-l
Breaking the Pleasure Taboo: How Audio Erotica is Reclaiming Desire
Feeling tired, moody, or breaking out for no reason? We thought it was just burnout—until we tried Function Health. Function tracks over 160 biomarkers, including hormones, stress, Vitamin D, and more, to help users understand what’s going on inside. Learn more at www.functionhealth.com/LOVELY.
Why is female pleasure still a whisper topic? This week on Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with Anna
Polyamory, Hierarchies & the Relationship Escalator: A Deep Dive with Leanne Yau
Feeling tired, moody, or breaking out for no reason? We thought it was just burnout—until we tried Function Health. Function tracks over 160 biomarkers, including hormones, stress, Vitamin D, and more, to help users understand what’s going on inside. Learn more at www.functionhealth.com/LOVELY.
In this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with Leanne Yau, British sex and relationship educat
Love-ly Letters: Burn Bright, Fade Fast
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This week’s Love-ly episode is a real one—like, voice-memo-real.
When listener and freelance podcast producer Teja Pallikonda reached out with a recent dating story, we knew we had to share it. It
Confessions, Confidence & Cringe Dates: A No Filter Chat with Uzi
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This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with the unapologetically charming Uzi for a wildly entertaining, refreshingly honest conversation about dating in the age of ghosti
Snapchat Isn’t a Love Language (and 9 More Summer Truths)
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Ready to romanticize your single summer without the drama? In this solo episode, Mehak drops 10 must-hear reminders for anyone navigating love, loneliness, and Love Islan
Should I Stay or Should I Go? Love, Breakups & Emotional Truths with Laura Caruso
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This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit Zocdoc.com/Lovely to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.
Th
Infidelity, Red Flags, and Dating App Survival Guide
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This o
Almost Relationships, Hinge Disasters, and Saying No Without Guilt
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On this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with TikTok creator and tech professional Jocelyn Chow for a refreshingly honest take on dating in NYC, from weird first date
Love, Trauma, and Sex: The Conversations We Are Not Having
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Subscribe to Hyphenly, our new newsletter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes. https://immigrantlys-newsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Why Is Misogyny Still So Normal?
This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit http://Zocdoc.com/Lovely to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.
This week on Love-ly, Mehak sits down with Srijan Makkena, a psych student and content creator who’s been speaking out about the quiet (and not-so-quiet) ways misogyny shows up, especially in South Asian communities. They ta
Do We Really Need to Live Together? A Relationship Hot Take You Didn't See Coming
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Can you have a healthy, long-term relationship without ever living together?
This week on
No Promposal, No Problem: Aidan Taylor on Dating Late & Owning It
This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit http://Zocdoc.com/Lovely to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today.
Is it ever too late to start dating? On this week’s episode of Love-ly, Mehak sits down with Aidan Taylor—host of Banterly—to unpack what it really means to be a “late bloomer” in the chaotic world of modern dating. From his f
Dr. Wendy Walsh on Coffee Dates, Chaos, and Choosing Better
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Ever dated someone and thought, “Wait… is this love, lust, or just emotionally expensive?” This week on Love-ly, host Mehak sits down with THE Dr. Wendy Walsh—America’s relationship expert, PhD in psychology, Time Magazine Per
Invisible Strings, Long Distance Flings & One Big Wedding in Spain
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What does it mean to truly live life on your own terms?
In this powerful episode of Love-ly, Mehak is joined by Natasha Chandel, comedian, TV writer, voice artist, and former host of the hit podcast “Kinda Dating,” for a cand
Solo, Spicy, and So Real: My Unfiltered Take on Love-ly
In this heartfelt solo episode, Mehak takes the mic to reflect on her transformative journey through the first seven episodes of Love-ly. From navigating the highs and lows of her 2025 dating adventures to unpacking powerful lessons on boundaries, vulnerability, and healing, this is an unfiltered, introspective ride.
Mehak shares what each guest and story taught her about love, self-worth, and th
Manifesting a Rancher: Cross-Cultural Dating, Traditions & Non-Negotiables
This week on Love-ly, Mehak gets candid about dating outside the box and her culture. After calling off a budding long-distance romance, she reflects on the deeper reason: she's done settling for anything (or anyone) that doesn't align. Enter comedian Mariza Brussolo, who joins Mehak for an honest, hilarious, and profoundly relatable convo about cross-cultural dating, growing up with traditional v
I Took a Stranger On a Weekend Trip—Biggest Dating Fail Ever!
Have you ever been on a date that went so sideways that you wished there was a commercial break? In this hilarious and heartfelt episode of Lovely, host Mehak dives deep into love, relationships, and the dating trenches with comedian Richard Sarvate. From navigating family expectations to figuring out if we date people or their careers, Richard brings humor and insight into modern romance—plus sha
Mixed Signals, Male Friendships & Dating Shenanigans: Mehak Asks, Shareef Spills
Mehak is back with another Love-ly deep dive, and this time, we’re getting into the male mind, well, at least one of them! Actor, comedian, and self-proclaimed TikTok hopeful Shareef Taher joins the conversation to break down dating from a guy’s perspective. Why do some men come in strong and then vanish? Can men and women really be just friends? And what’s the deal with the “I’m bad at texting” e
Under Lock & Key: Dating with Overprotective Parents
This week, our Love-ly host Mehak sits down with Genesis Sol, founder of the comedy variety show Witty Titties, to explore the impact of strict parenting, cultural identity, and growing up as a second-generation child of immigrants with a Venezuelan mother and Croatian father. Genesis shares hilarious and heartfelt stories of her mother’s overprotectiveness, how it shaped her social experiences, a
Dating In Your 20s Vs 30s: Lessons, Growth & Surprises
In this episode of Love-ly, host Mehak and her close friend Mikey explore the whirlwind of dating in the 20s versus 30s, where chaos meets clarity. They discuss personal growth, shifting priorities, and the journey from chasing red flags to embracing green ones.
Mikey opens up about coming out, navigating heartbreak, and the power of accountability in friendships, while Mehak shares her recent da
What We Weren’t Taught About Intimacy: Love, Boundaries & Letting Go
What does real intimacy look like? And how often do we mistake control for care? This week on Lovely, Mehak gets personal about love, entitlement, and learning to walk away from relationships that don’t feel safe. She shares her own experiences with intimacy—both the kind that left her questioning herself and the kind that finally made her feel seen.
Then, she sits down with sexuality educator Ju
Love-ly Beginnings: Matchmaking & Modern Romance
Welcome to the very first episode of Love-ly, your new favorite podcast about the messy, funny, and painfully honest world of love and dating. Hosted by Mehak, a 30-something techie by day, aspiring TikTok star by night, and forever navigating the trenches of modern romance in downtown Toronto—this isn’t your typical advice podcast. Instead, it’s a mix of personal stories, hilarious mishaps, and h
Introducing Love-ly
Welcome to Love-ly! Hosted by Mehak, this isn't your typical advice show—no perfect love stories or sugar-coated romance here. Instead, Mehak takes you on a hilarious, brutally honest, and sometimes painfully awkward journey through the highs, lows, and "what was I even thinking?" moments of modern dating.
From dodging her mom's "When are you getting married?" interrogation to unpacking the chaos
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