Beneath the surface: the whale experiment

With a love for deep discussions and intentional conversations, Bryant Tan built a podcast channel discussing challenging topics of mental health and wellness. Let’s dive into his story to learn more.

Bryant Tan doesn’t rush into things – conversations, connections or even life itself. At 28, he works as a senior social media strategist at Singapore Press Holdings’s (SPH) radio division. Describing himself as laid back and yet driven, Bryant is just as content with a lowkey night as he is chasing new experiences. He values good conversations and learning from those around him, mindful about who he spends time with.

This mix of calm curiosity and purpose that has shaped him, led to the idea of The Whale Experiment, a podcast channel Bryant self-directs and produces. Its humble beginnings started on 28 January 2025.

The Whale Experiment

The podcast buckles down on mental health and wellbeing, tackling some of life’s toughest topics. Each episode dishes out real life stories from professionals or established speakers, who explore what it means to navigate mental health.

Some of his guests include Dr Ellen Langer, a renowned Harvard University psychology professor, Dr Annabelle Chow, a clinical psychologist and Simon Leow, founder of Social Enterprise Happiness Initiative SG. “Take these episodes like a thoughtful conversation with a friend. I built this space to share and learn stories, with the intention to help people feel and grow in their mental health journeys.”

“It’s therapy in a public form,” said Bryant. Tailored for gen Z’s and the generations before them, and Bryant wants listeners to come with an open mind.

“Take these episodes like a thoughtful conversation with a friend. I built this space to share and learn stories, with the intention to help people feel and grow in their mental health journeys.”

The Call

As Bryant shared about how the channel came about, he said that there wasn’t a dramatic moment that triggered the start of the podcast. Instead, it was conversations with friends that always ended with: “Oh, I wish more people would know about this…” that really sparked the start of the project.

Bryant established the podcast with the desire of making an impact. “It’s not about having the loudest voice in the room, but more about the voice that matters.”

When asked why he chose the podcast format, he explained that podcasting seemed like the most natural format in the ever-evolving social media space.

He explained, “Podcasting allows room for pauses, honesty to grow and conversations to unfold organically between the guests and I.” As he said this, he paused while looking around the room. “I really enjoy the intimacy that comes with it, which is hard to replicate elsewhere.”

To him, podcasting is a platform that has a low barrier to entry but high potential for impact. This will allow listeners to enjoy episodes at their own comfort, in day-to-day activities.

The First Dive

**The name of the podcast as inspired by this photo.**

The name of the podcast took a few casts to reel in. Bryant knew he wanted the concept of the ocean, and the action of diving beneath the surface. He was playing around with different cover ideas when he came across a digitally generated photo of himself as a kid riding an orca whale in a theme park.

“The name just clicked,” he shared about The Whale Experiment. To him, the whale symbolised death, diving beneath the surface to see what comes up.

“I really wanted the podcast to have big, deep conversations with no surface level talk.”

The word experiment was added later to signify the intentionality of the podcast – which was meant to be a creative experiment for himself, later turning into something a lot more meaningful.

The topic of each episode follows his curiosity, a quiet lightbulb moment where a thought turns into: “Oh, I want to talk about this...” From there, he selects the topics and guests he personally wants to understand better or to challenge his own assumptions. “I really wanted the podcast to have big, deep conversations with no surface level talk.”

“After nailing down a topic, I create the questions tailored to their expertise. In featuring a mix of professionals from different fields, I wish for the exploration to resonate with listeners old and new.”

The Ripple Effect

His own aspirations aside, for Bryant, the most meaningful part is hearing from listeners.

He received particularly touching feedback in March 2025, on an episode covering children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A parent shared how the advice from the psychologist gave her hope and reassurance after her child’s diagnosis and gave her more confidence about supporting her child.

“This kind of tangible impact is amazing to say the least,” Bryant said.

The episode made an impact on others but also on himself – listening to the diverse experiences and struggles shared. It expanded his empathy, boosted his confidence and allowed him to gain a better understanding of people in more ways he’d never seen before.

The Swim

When asked how he manages his time with a typical nine-to-five job, he chuckled and said, “I don’t... It’s crazy, I know.”

“It’s all about creating a routine that works, and the passion of gathering conversations is what keeps me going, it’s almost like I have to.” He added. Even after a full day of work, he feels energised knowing that people are listening in, and his podcast will go a long way to help someone out there. He takes on the responsibility to keep producing more episodes.

“It’s almost like I have to.”

Against the Current

It’s not a journey without setbacks. Bryant expresses facing burnout or challenges in getting guests. “I believe in when one door closes, another one opens, so I’ll stay patient and let the disappointment pass.”

Sometimes, he finds himself putting the podcast on the backburner of commitments.

“It’s really hard being a young adult in Singapore. The whole adulting thing…” He shared as he shook his head, before continuing, “Managing your social circles, taking care of your parents, managing your job, going to the gym… 24 hours is just not enough. But we need to make time for the things we love and want to do. There will always be moments of hesitation, remember to take the leap early before the bigger commitments take over.”

With so little time and many projects on the drawing board, Bryant’s ultimate dream is far in contrast to what he is doing now. One day, he would like to have his own café.

“There will always be moments of hesitation, remember to take the leap early before the bigger commitments take over.”

Towards Open Waters

Bryant aspires for the podcast to have an ever-growing community of listeners that are inspired to reflect on their own mental health, using the podcast to bridge and normalise conversations that break stigma and foster understanding.

If you too believe there’s still room to go deeper, join Bryant on The Whale Experiment, for the conversations should not just end here.

The Whale Experiment can also be found on Spotify, Apple Podcast, TikTok and YouTube. Happy listening!