On Air
Recently I was invited to Dr Phil Hammond’s Show on BBC Radio Bristol and as usual, it made me feel a little bit nostalgic. So I thought I’d tell you about my first experience of being on air two years ago on Bradley Stoke Radio and then give you a few insights from other radio stations I’ve had the pleasure of visiting.
Back in 2014, I had a strict schedule of open-mics I attended on a weekly basis in the hope of getting gigs with the venues. At one of those open-mics at the half empty bar I met the host of the event, who was a local aspiring musician and a huge charity supporter. He mentioned that soon he was going to play at a charity show organised by a local community radio station, Bradley Stoke Radio (BSR), and that if I popped in for a few hours he would try to introduce me to one of their presenters and so there might be an opportunity to get involved with the radio later on. As my previous article revealed, one can never expect much out of a promise randomly made during a discussion. However, that promise falls into the small but significant category of lucky ones where people actually mean what they say. So, I did actually meet the presenters of BSR, who also kept their word and invited me to my very first radio show a few weeks later.
For those of you who are not familiar with Bradley Stoke Radio, it’s a community radio station run only by volunteers, located north of Bristol. Apart from providing a voice for local residents and acting as a media platform for local community groups, it focuses on discovering new local talents, inviting them for interviews and broadcasting their live performances around the town.
So there I was, super excited, very nervous, praying that I wouldn’t say something stupid on air (which I definitely did), all ready to go out and showcase my music. I was a guest at Andy Ward’s music show, who’s better known as BSR’s Dad. I honestly felt like the happiest girl in the world that day. I was excited about everything from their cool colourful microphone sponges to their special BSR logos on the mugs. But most of all I was stunned by the volunteers who ran the station: I doubt I have ever met that many nice and positive people in one teeny-tiny room. I sang my four songs live, chatted to Andy about my music and my future career plans, and when everything was done, I headed home absolutely overwhelmed with joy.
I’ve met the BSR Team quite a few times since then and they’ve always been incredibly kind and supportive! I played at the events they organised and was a guest on their shows and, I even got a chance to be the host once! You meet a lot of people on your musical journey, some remain strangers but some become dear friends, and the BSR Team and I have definitely developed a great friendship.
Another radio station that’s been incredibly supportive of my career and keep welcoming me to its bright red studio is BBC Radio Bristol. Ever since Ali Vowels invited me to chat about my performance at Bristol Harbour Festival back in 2015, BBC Radio Bristol keeps an eye on my music activities and tries to support me as much as possible. Furthermore, I can’t help but be amazed at how a radio station as big as the BBC stays in touch with the local community. You’d think that getting on the BBC is quite a task, but in reality, it’s amazing how approachable they really are. So, if you have something interesting to share, I’d really encourage you to get in touch with them. Every time I get invited to the studio, I meet other guests who are scientists, community representatives, poets and even antique collectors. What a broad coverage of the most interesting things happening in the city!
I’ve been very lucky and made a few appearances on the show of Dr. Phil Hammond, who immediately became my role model as he successfully manages to combine his medical and comedian careers. I also had the pleasure of being interviewed by Martin Evans on his own show, and I have to say that he’s not just an amazing presenter and a former wrestler, but also one the nicest people you’ll meet in the industry.
Another show on BBC that I take special pride in having been a part of is BBC Introducing in the West. As you probably know, Richard Pitt and Sam Bonham work tirelessly supporting the most talented unsigned and undiscovered musicians. So, each time I get to be featured on the show I feel like it’s a huge personal victory. It’s no secret that the competition for BBC Introducing is tough, so the fact that the music I’ve uploaded on their website has been selected a few times really feels like a great achievement. Especially, because as true mentors of young up-and-coming talent, Rich and Sam are always brutally honest in their comments and make sure they tell you how it is, in order to help you grow and develop.
Overall, all stations I’ve ever been invited to have one thing in common: the amount of effort, professionalism and dedication to the job that people who work on air have is simply mind-blowing! I also had the pleasure of being a guest at other stations, such as Somer Valley FM with Phil Gibbons and Glastonbury FM with Ian Liversidge, and during my Glastonbury Festival debut I was invited to Worthy FM with Suzi Purdie. And I swear I’ll never stop being amazed at how they manage to come up with a sentence of exactly eight seconds to perfectly fill the gap and finish off their live shows and effortlessly switch to the next pre-scheduled thing. I’ve always found broadcasting fascinating, even long before my musical ambitions took over, so having a chance to explore this radio mystery is an experience I cherish with all my heart.
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