This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s senior fall editorial intern Lauren Sanchez. Find her on Instagram at @lauren.sanchezz. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
ASMR, short for autonomous sensory meridian response, has become almost synonymous with soothing relaxation, offering a much-needed escape from the stresses of daily life. Whether it’s calming the mind or melting away all kinds of tension, these sensory experiences have gained a loyal following for their ability to help people unwind. From the satisfying pops of slime poking, to the crunch-filled bites of Mukbang feasts or even a soothing hour-long loop of rain, the ASMR community shows no limits to creativity when it comes to creating stress relief and sensory experiences. Yet amid all the creative ASMR trends, one genre stands out for offering something a little more than just satisfying pops and crunches – introducing Boyfriend ASMR.
I first discovered Boyfriend ASMR through one of my favorite YouTubers, Brittany Broski, when she posted back-to-back videos exploring all the different scenarios and topics created by these voice actors. From reacting to dramatizing angsty arguments between the listener and the “boyfriend” to immersing viewers into playful roleplays as characters from TV shows and video games, the video – both hilarious and so unserious – left me incredibly curious about what this kind of ASMR is all about. And with some of these videos racking up anywhere from a few thousand views to over a million, it’s clear that plenty of people are just as intrigued as I am. So without further ado, let’s get into what Boyfriend ASMR entails!
What is Boyfriend ASMR?
Unlike other forms of ASMR, Boyfriend ASMR directly engages the listener by immersing them in a narrative created by the voice actor or in this case, the “boyfriend.” It’s almost reminiscent of an audiobook – but instead of having really in-depth plotlines and fleshed-out characters, these kinds of audios are focused on drawing you into whatever scenario they create. Think of it as you finally being the main character!
The overall common theme across all of them emphasizes some sort of connection and emotional intimacy, allowing whoever is listening to experience a deeper sense of companionship throughout the entire session. Because of this endless creative freedom, the audio scenarios can vary across various topics.
Had a rough day and need some comforting? There’s an audio designed just for that. Dealing with unbearable period cramps that make you feel as if your insides are about to explore? Someone will tailor an entire scenario to ease your discomfort and pain. Or if you’re like me and have trouble falling asleep most nights, you can listen to a really loving voice whisper sweet nothings to help you unwind. Seriously, there’s an ASMR audio for just about every situation, each featuring a caring and attentive “boyfriend” ready to comfort you.
Popular themes like comfort roleplay (as explained above) are some of the more popular tropes to grace the Boyfriend ASMR world. Others like whispered love confessions, protective partner scenarios where they evoke a sense of safety and security or even moments of celebration (like acing an exam or celebrating your birthday) can also be included as well!
From Sweet To Spicy!
A lot of these Boyfriend ASMRs can be really romantic and are specifically designed to put the listener at ease or provide support in various ways. But on the other side, Boyfriend ASMR can also include situations that do cross over the NSFW (Not Safe For Work) side and can be extremely spicy. So explore at your own risk!
While I won’t dive too deeply into the specific scenarios these voice actors and writers create, I will say that they do raise the bar when it comes to emotional and sexual intimacy. However, the goal of these audios isn’t just about female pleasure—they’re designed to give women a safe space to explore their desires and sexuality without the fear of getting hurt.
Boyfriend ASMR, regardless of its sexual or nonsexual manner, provides women the ability to safely experience intimacy without any precursors or the risk of having a “bad” experience. Especially because there are so many different options, not only can it help you discover your preferences for what you like and don’t like, but it can also serve as a guide for what you desire in future relationships, ultimately boosting your confidence along the way!
Is It Worth Trying?
Some critics of Boyfriend ASMR often talk about how this kind of thing can become problematic when it comes to parasocial relationships and the blurring of emotional boundaries that can lead to misunderstandings about real relationships. Others believe that this kind of ASMR is not needed and can sometimes come off as “cringey” or insincere. And while those criticisms are valid, I think they severely undermine just how much of a positive impact that Boyfriend ASMR can have towards relationship building, confidence boosting and fostering healthy communication techniques among people.
The entire concept of ASMR is to help provide people with stress relief and relaxation for all kinds of anxieties – and relationship/love anxiety is definitely a real thing! While Boyfriend ASMR may not be the most conventional way, it does provide a service to a community of individuals who need that comfort and support in their life. These generous and talented voice actors and writers help fill in those gaps in such a safe and respectful manner, and as long as boundaries are set between the listeners and creators, I genuinely don’t see the harm.
Especially as I listened to a lot of different kinds of scenarios for this piece, I definitely learned a lot about just how important communication is within a relationship and that setting up expectations for yourself and your future partner is essential to future relationship prosperity. And if this kind of medium works to help people learn the baselines of emotional intimacy and healthy communication, then I think Boyfriend ASMR is a great resource to explore.
What do you think about Boyfriend ASMR? Is this something you would be willing to try? Let us know in the comments below!
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