Major and year?
Marketing Senior
Which song, album, or artist initiated your love of music?
The way that I interact with music has changed drastically over the years. I grew up listening to almost purely Christian contemporary (with a dash of country) because that's what my mom liked. When I was eleven, I knew that I wanted to learn to make music so I joined band and played alto sax as a sort of segue to pursue my lofty childhood dream as a famous pop star. Music programs in Texas are notorious for snuffing out any passion for your instrument or for music as a whole so it took me a while to appreciate it as a whole again. Last time I did a staff profile I said that it was The Beatles that was the artist that initiated my love of music. I think that's the easiest answer. My dad got really into them again when I was about fourteen so their music is like a core memory to me.
What really initiated my deep love of music was writing my own. I had written maybe two on piano during middle school/high school, but it wasn't until fall semester freshman year that I took the time to teach myself guitar. I had to really commit to it in a way that I never did with the sax. I don't think I really loved music until I found my own outlet with it
How did you first hear about or get involved with KVRX?
Freshman year, my high school best friend, Gwen, joined KANM, the student radio station at Texas A&M. At the time I was somewhat regretting not going to TAMU because I really missed her and saw her really enjoying herself in KANM, so I looked into what we had at UT.
The story I usually tell for how I got more involved is when our old Production Director Lydia Fortuna showed me the analog tape recording we have of Animal Collective from like 2004 or something. A really old tape. I just remember how we couldn't stop laughing at how bad the unedited audio sounded.
The other week I actually looked through the tapes again and found some more from other artists that I really like, such as Xiu Xiu, Sweet Trip, and Daniel Johnston. I actually showed one of our new DJs Sweet Trip's KVRX SXSW 2000 showcase tape and played the recording at a Deep Listening in our library.
It's really cool to be coming full circle, being able to share the things I love from the station with new people.
What is your first KVRX memory?
My first KVRX memory was the first general meeting that I went to in the spring of 2019. My first memory as a member was when I shadowed our old station manager's show as a freshman. Ariel's show was called French Kissin' and I remember her talking about she wanted to play French Cambodian psych music from the 60s on one of her future shows.
Which shows have you had on KVRX? Please list the title, semester, and whether it was freeform or specialty.
Rainy Morning — Spring 2019 — (freeform)
Dog Days — Summer 2019 — (freeform)
Mellow Yellow — Fall 2019 - Spring 2020 — (freeform)
Being Ugly And Tired Is A Full-Time Job — Spring 2020 - Present — (community programming - we talk about the glamorous lifestyle of perpetually Ugly and Tired college students)
City Slickin' n' Finger Pickin' — Fall 2021 — (specialty)
Which KVRX staff positions have you held?
Public Relations Intern — Fall 2019
Programming Director — Spring 2020
Public Relations Director — Summer 2020 - Spring 2021
Station Manager — Summer 2021 - Present
How has KVRX affected your interaction with music?
KVRX has given me a community around music. I have friends that I can make music with now. I get to listen to people grow and get more popular with every new song/ep/lp that they release.
What's up outside of KVRX?
Outside of KVRX, I write music (never to see the light of day because it's all too personal), go to concerts, attempt to learn how to take good photos, and fail at cooking the most basic meals.
What is your favorite part of KVRX?
I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's the people. I can't express how glad I am that we're back at the station. I've finally been able to become real friends with people I only knew virtually and I've been able to know people from sophomore year better. It's the best thing about the station.
To quote (former) Web Director Alexander Sothearo Houy, “the thing I love most about the station is that I never have to eat lunch alone.”
What advice would you give to new DJs?
Just talk to people. Come to the station. Come to socials. Intern for staff. You'll find yourself in the thick of it soon enough. It can take a little bit—it did for me—but if you try to get there, you will.