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On ‘The Pre-Game with Kayla Nicole,’ Winter Blanco and Chy Fontenette Talk Staying Real in a Filtered World

November 4, 2025

On The Pre-Game with Kayla Nicole’s Halloween episode, Kayla welcomes the unfiltered and unstoppable duo from Behind the Likes, Winter Blanco and Chy Fontenette.

Between the costumes, the cocktails, and the laughs, the women keep it honest about what it means to show up as yourself in a world that rewards the curated version, and leaning into the courage to be uniquely you when everyone else is performing.

Go ‘Behind the Likes’ with Kayla Nicole on ‘The Pre-Game’

What happens when you live your life online

When Kayla asks what it’s like to balance humor, honesty, and public scrutiny, Blanco doesn’t hesitate. “Everything I say, I mean,” she says flatly. “Sometimes you say real things you really mean, and you have to deal with what everybody else has to say. But I’ve never apologized for anything I’ve ever said—because I’ve always meant it.”

Fontenette, on the other hand, brings a softer balance to their dynamic—the kind that reminds you that being vulnerable doesn’t mean being weak. She talks openly about navigating a public breakup and how hard it can be to stay composed while processing emotions in front of an audience. “I hate that I’m in that position,” she admits. “It’s such a vulnerable thing to have to experience, especially when you’re in a long relationship with someone.”

Kayla, who knows a thing or two about public breakups, didn’t hesitate to validate her experience. “You have every right to speak about your lived experience,” she says. “You don’t have to air anybody out, but talking about things you’ve learned from can help other women.”

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**Why Behind the Likes is more than content**

At its core, Behind the Likes is peeling back the digital veneer. It’s two women figuring out life, love, and self-worth in real time. “People are trying to follow a blueprint instead of being one,” Blanco says.

When you strip away the filters and ring lights, the influencer space can start to look like a mirror maze, with everyone reflecting someone else’s version of success. Blanco and Fontenette, meanwhile, aren’t interested in that game. Their chemistry comes from being polar opposites—Blanco’s fire to Fontenette’s calm—but their power lies in their shared refusal to fake it.

Blanco’s fiercely self-aware, too. “I’ve always meant what I said…That’s why I’ve never apologized for anything I’ve ever said,” she states. Her honesty kind of makes you rethink how you present yourself online and off.

The lesson under the laughter

In an era of aesthetics and algorithms, people yearn for what’s genuine. Blanco, however, isn’t the only one who brings along her brand of authenticity.

Fontenette’s transparency about heartbreak reminds listeners that healing doesn’t always happen in private. Sometimes, sharing your story mid-journey—not just when it’s neatly wrapped with a bow—helps someone else feel less alone. “You have to express how you feel in that moment,” she says, “because it’s hard. But it’s real.”

The messiness is what makes the journey meaningful. However, the takeaway is this: Claim your voice, even when it shakes. Whether you’re behind the mic, behind the camera, or simply behind the likes, the most powerful thing you can be is yourself.