IN CONVERSATION WITH OLIVIA PONTON

interview by JANA LETONJA

Olivia Ponton is entering a new chapter of her career through Booked, Blonde & Busy, the newly reimagined version of her podcast that blends literary culture, internet identity, and personal reinvention into one evolving creative platform. After building a massive audience across TikTok and Instagram and collaborating with brands including Burberry, Ralph Lauren, Victoria’s Secret, and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, she is now using her love of reading as a way to foster more thoughtful conversations and genuine community. What began as a passion project centered around books has evolved into a wider cultural space where authors, creators, and “it-girls” connect through storytelling, curiosity, and shared emotional experiences. With the launch of Season 2, and a New York event bringing together BookTok personalities, writers, influencers, and celebrity guests, Olivia continues reshaping the public perception of who she is, balancing fashion, internet culture, and intellectual curiosity on her own terms.

Booked, Blonde & Busy feels like a very intentional evolution for you creatively. What inspired this new chapter of the podcast?

Booked, Blonde & Busy really came from wanting the podcast to feel more reflective of who I am right now both creatively and personally. Books are still absolutely the anchor of the show, but I’ve become really interested in exploring the culture and conversations that exist around them too. Beauty, fashion, identity, and femininity, all the things that shape how people connect to stories in such personal ways.

The title itself playfully reclaims certain stereotypes often attached to women online. Why was it important for you to lean into that conversation directly?

I think growing up online, people are very quick to put you into a box. There’s this assumption that if you’re feminine or into beauty and glam, you can’t also be thoughtful or intellectually curious. I wanted to lean into the “blonde” stereotype in a really playful way and kind of reframe it. You can love fashion, get dressed up, be obsessed with beauty and still want deeper conversations and meaningful connection. I don’t think women should have to choose one version of themselves.

Reading has clearly become a meaningful part of your life publicly and privately. What originally sparked your connection to books?

I’ve always loved storytelling but I think reading became really meaningful for me during periods where life felt really loud and overstimulating. Books gave me a place to slow down and reconnect with myself. There’s something really special about reading because everyone experiences the same story differently. I also love how books create emotional conversations that people might not otherwise have.

How has reading changed the way you understand yourself or move through the world?

Reading has made me a lot more reflective, curious, and honestly just more open to the world and other people. It’s one of those things that quietly shapes how you see everything. It puts you in different perspectives, emotions, and lives you wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to. It's also helped me understand myself in a really intuitive way. Sometimes you’ll read something and suddenly feel like, “Oh, that’s what I’ve been feeling,” even if you didn’t have the words for it before. I think that’s what I love most. It makes everything feel a little more understood.

The new season expands beyond traditional author interviews into broader cultural conversations. What kinds of dialogue are you most interested in creating now?

I’m most excited about the conversations that feel honest and a bit unfiltered, the kind that feel like you’re talking to your best friend. I want the podcast to feel like a space for guests to discuss the things they’re navigating in life, all through the lens of stories and books that resonate with them. I’m really excited about bringing on people from different industries who each connect to reading in really personal ways.

BookTok has transformed reading into a massive online cultural movement. Why do you think audiences are craving literary spaces right now?

I think people are craving depth again. Everything online moves so fast and there’s so much pressure to constantly consume content that feels surface level. Reading asks you to slow down and actually feel something. It creates community in a really different way too, people bond over books so emotionally. It’s become less about reading feeling academic and more about reading feeling personal and exciting again.

How do you balance internet culture’s fast-paced energy with the slower, more reflective experience of reading?

Honestly, reading is what helps balance me. My career and social media can feel very fast moving at times and books are one of the few things that fully pull me out of that mindset. Reading reminds me to slow down, be present, and fully engage.

You’ve built your platform within fashion and social media, spaces that can sometimes feel image-driven. Does the podcast allow people to see a different side of you?

Definitely. Social media naturally only captures curated moments and I think people sometimes assume they fully know you based on that. The podcast gives me space to be more thoughtful, conversational, and vulnerable in a way that short form content doesn’t really show. It’s probably the closest people get to hearing how I actually think and process things in real life.

Are there particular books or authors that have profoundly shaped your perspective Recently?

Candace Bushnell has been really inspiring to me lately, especially revisiting Sex and the City through a more modern lens. I also love authors who write women in really layered, emotionally honest ways. I love books that explore identity, relationships, ambition, and femininity because those are conversations I’m constantly having in my own life too.

Hosting the launch event in New York brings together creators, authors, and influencers in one space. What kind of atmosphere or feeling did you want the event to create?

NYC in the best way, lively, stylish, creative, and conversational. More than anything, the event is a celebration of people from different worlds coming together through storytelling. Books can feel very intimate, but they also build community and I wanted that feeling to carry through the space.

You’ve worked with major global brands while navigating intense visibility online. How has your relationship to public perception evolved over the years?

I think when you first grow online, it’s really easy to internalize people’s opinions because you’re constantly being perceived. Over time, I’ve learned that you can’t fully control how people interpret you, so I’ve become much more focused on whether my life actually feels authentic to me rather than trying to manage everyone else’s expectations.

What conversations do you feel young women still aren’t having openly enough online?

I think there’s still pressure online to present your life as perfectly figured out, especially for young women. I’d really love to see more honest, unfiltered conversations about not knowing, feeling lonely sometimes, big ambition mixed with self doubt and just how messy and layered being a woman can actually feel. There’s so much power in saying you’re still figuring it out, instead of performing like you already have everything together.

Looking ahead, how do you envision Booked, Blonde & Busy evolving creatively?

I want it to keep evolving into something more immersive and culturally expansive, while still staying rooted in storytelling. Creatively, I’d love to expand beyond just the podcast into more social segments, visual storytelling, and community driven moments. The goal is for it to feel bigger than just a podcast eventually, more like a creative world people actually want to be part of.

Beyond the podcast itself, what kinds of stories or spaces are you most interested in building in the future?

I’m really passionate about creating spaces that make people feel inspired, curious, and connected. Whether that’s through events, fashion, books, or creative projects. I think I’m most interested in storytelling that allows people to feel seen while also encouraging them to evolve.

TEAM CREDITS:

photography ABIGAIL PONTON