REXBURG—A friendship built on spontaneous adventures and late-night conversations has become a podcast centered on connection, laughter and faith.
Paige Hale and Paige Freston, students at BYU-Idaho, host the “On the Same Paige” podcast where they invite friends to share opinions, personal experiences and perspectives on the gospel of Jesus Christ.
For Hale, the podcast reflects something the friends already enjoy doing — bringing people together.
“We just love creating an environment for people just to come, feel loved and feel seen,” Hale said.
The two met through mutual friends at a Super Bowl party. Their friendship grew through encounters on campus, audio messages and a spontaneous trip to Montana. After becoming roommates, they began discussing the possibility of starting a podcast.
The idea grew out of conversations at home, where they used a karaoke microphone to recap dates and other experiences with their roommates. A podcast practicum class helped them learn more about creating a show, and they eventually purchased inexpensive microphones and lighting equipment to get started.
The podcast’s name plays on their shared first name and the conversations they have with guests. Episodes often begin with hot takes about topics such as food or dating before moving into discussions about faith.
One guest’s opinion that ice cream was overrated, for example, became an opportunity to transition talking about food to discussing feasting on the words of Christ.
Although much of the conversation happens naturally, the hosts aim to keep their episodes uplifting and family friendly. They talk with guests beforehand about expectations while leaving room for spontaneous reactions.
Their friendship also helps them recognize when to change topics, share the microphone or invite a guest into a deeper conversation.
Freston said she hopes those conversations reach listeners when they need them.
“Our hope is always that whoever is listening hears the message that they need to hear,” Freston said.
The hosts said listeners have reached out to identify specific moments that resonated with them. Those responses have reinforced their desire to create meaningful conversations rather than focus solely on audience growth.
“We want to create a place so people can feel loved and they can feel important,” Hale said.
Looking ahead, the duo hopes to collaborate with more friends and local businesses and is considering ways to celebrate the podcast’s first anniversary in January.
Hale is also competing in Top Host, a nationwide competition for aspiring podcast hosts. She said the opportunity encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone and ask for support. Readers can vote for Hale once a day through her Top Host voting page.
Listeners can also find “On the Same Paige” on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and follow the podcast on Instagram.