Maggy Wang on Finding Her Voice

Like many of us, Maggy Wang grew up with radio. There is something so comforting in hearing familiar voices discussing trending topics, hosting segments on local interests, or making quips before cueing in popular tunes. “It was my first love,” she says, describing the joy she felt working in radio as a university student, after years of practising in front of a mirror.

Today, she is a host, podcaster, and content creator. Wang takes time out of her busy schedule to sit down with BAZAAR. Her demeanour is relaxed, despite her considerable to-do list. She is wearing the Vanguard Lady Crazy Hours Jisbar–available at Franck Muller by Cortina Watch, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

For the modern audience, Wang has brought the inquisitive spirit of radio and adapted it for her podcast, Head Over Heels. With this new form of media, however, she wants to go deeper. “I wanted to explore something more meaningful, especially in the conversations. The idea was to become ‘the voice I never had’,” she says. The podcast launched in 2020; episodes are hour-long segments touching on a range of different topics, from women-specific issues and mental health to career advice. She would have these discussions with subject matter experts; or sometimes, sit with her microphone to record reflections on her own experiences. Equal parts entertaining and enlightening, Head Over Heels has become one of Malaysia’s most popular podcasts.

There are only so many hours in a day and Wang feels that all that time should not be spent “swiping aimlessly” on short form content every single day. She embodies the philosophy of our Make Every Second Count campaign, in partnership with Franck Muller by Cortina Watch.

Wang gives BAZAAR an insight into how a Head Over Heels podcast episode comes together. “It begins with a brainstorming session. We’ll go back and forth with ideas, which can take up to weeks, but there are some ideas that can be finalised within a day because we know exactly what we want to do or who we want to speak to,” she begins. Then, the idea is fleshed out and an intense period of research ensues, followed by the writing of a rough script.

She caveats: “We make sure that every guest that we bring on is able to carry a conversation beyond the script. I would say that some of the best conversations we have had on the podcast are completely unscripted!”

The feeling of pride she feels after launching every episode makes the “sleepless nights of researching, studying, editing, and copywriting” worth it, especially as she is able to connect with her audience. “I have made it a point to be intentional and impactful with everything that I choose to do,” she says, emphasising the importance of fostering a healthy relationship with her listeners and building a community of like-minded individuals.

Building on the idea of spending time meaningfully, Wang has found ways to take the Head Over Heels podcast offline. She hosts in-person activations such as a girls’ trip to Vietnam to take on the Ha Giang Loop or the annual community-led Heelers House, where Wang meets with listeners to answer their questions, hear their stories, and facilitate interesting conversations.

“I was working towards the goal of being ‘the voice I never had’, and now that I have found it, there is no stopping me,” concludes Wang.

The Franck Muller watches featured are available at Franck Muller by Cortina Watch, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and online at www.cortinawatch.com.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR – SPECIAL PROJECT & DIGITAL NISA’ HALID, STYLING ZUE WEI LEONG, VIDEO & PHOTOGRAPHY JOE NG, WONG & DAVID ONG MAKE-UP ARTIST EZAD IBRAHIM HAIR BIBIAN LEONG ASSISTED BY NUR AFIQAH LOCATION HYATT REGENCY KUALA LUMPUR AT KL MIDTOWN