Casi Joy has spent years lending her voice to Kansas City from the stage, singing the national anthem for Chiefs and Royals crowds. Now she is putting that voice behind a microphone in a different way, as the host of a new podcast called Kustom Conversations that has already pulled in a Chiefs Hall of Famer and a comedian with a side gig playing guitar for Jelly Roll.
From Stage Shows to Sit-Down Interviews
Kustom Conversations is available on iHeart, with episodes also promoted for YouTube and Apple Podcasts, according to the podcast's own iHeart page. The show's first episode centers on Kansas City native and comedian Chris Porter, who talks about returning home after a stint in Los Angeles and his work as a part-time guitar player for Jelly Roll, per the same iHeart listing. The second episode turns to former Chiefs defensive end Neil Smith, with an episode title tracing his path “From NOLA to NE to KC, And Everything In-Between.”
The third and most recent episode brings in Chiefs Hall of Fame running back Christian Okoye, with the episode description promising to cover his path “from his time in Nigeria, California, to Kansas City, MO,” touching on his Olympic background along the way, the iHeart page notes.
A Kansas City Voice With Deep Local Roots
Joy is no stranger to Kansas City's biggest stages. According to her own artist biography, she has been invited numerous times to sing the national anthem for the Chiefs, the American Royal and the Royals, and her site describes her as hailing from Kansas City and calls her a “beloved hometown figure,” before noting her move to Nashville. Her separate electronic press kit adds that the Chiefs invited her to perform the anthem at the team's Super Bowl parade, and that she has racked up more than 50 million video views.
Joy's broader music career has unfolded largely in public view. She earned a four-chair turn on NBC's The Voice in 2017 after performing “Blue,” ultimately advancing to the live finals on Team Blake, according to her bio and a 2021 interview with The Country Note. That same interview notes her debut EP, The Bright Side, reached No. 19 on the iTunes Country Charts in 2019, and that she is originally from Smithville, Missouri, just outside Kansas City, having lived in Nashville for nearly six years at the time she spoke with the outlet.
Why Kansas City Still Gets the Shows
Even while building a career out of Nashville, Joy has kept her hometown close to her tour schedule. “We always try to make sure we're booking shows in Kansas City, because that's where it all started for me,” she told The Pitch KC in an earlier interview. That same hometown loyalty now appears to be extending into her new role behind the podcast mic, with Kustom Conversations built around guests tied to Kansas City's sports and entertainment scene, from Porter's comedy circuit ties to Smith and Okoye's Chiefs legacies.
As Kustom Conversations continues, the show adds a new chapter to Joy's résumé, one that pairs her singing career with a format built on conversation rather than performance. For now, the podcast's publicly documented run includes Porter, Smith and Okoye, giving Kansas City listeners a fresh way to hear from some of the city's most recognizable sports and entertainment figures, as reported by Axios.
