Major: Journalism
Year: Senior
Which song, album, or artist initiated your love of music?
Well, let me start by saying that I have always had a deep, fervent, and passionate affair with music. It's been entirely central to my life since I was a kid. Maybe it really began when I started practicing classical piano music at the age of five, or maybe even as far back as my mother singing "Hooked on a Feeling" as my lullaby -- that love was always there. But if I had to describe the very first time I fell in love -- maybe my first love with music -- in which I'm sitting in a dark black room under an Austin restaurant with my high school boyfriend feeling like a sore thumb in the crowd who has no idea what this crazy man who starts taking off his overalls is doing... well, that man made me cry and I was never the same again. "The Bad Stuff" by Danny Malone reinvented my relationship with music and cultivated a new interest in the deep emotional connections others had with their songs. And I never wanted to stop listening.
How did you first hear about or get involved with KVRX?
Discovering KVRX was somewhat a challenge for me, as when I transferred into UT, I was feeling lost and frustrated. I had just spent an entire year at another university and I was miserably lonely and greatly struggled there -- so my hope in finding something to belong to was the only motivating factor to try and connect with my community. But all of my searches and exploring through UT's organization opportunities were unsatisfactory. I found that most of UT's organizational curriculum was heavily academically focused and didn't really provide the reprieve I needed -- the need to have an outlet and a connection with something entirely different from my major. Finally, by coincidence, I happened upon a promotion for KVRX on Facebook where the first general meeting was going to be held, and the appeal of an unknown niche radio station pulled me straight to the historic Burdine hallways of campus. Thrown into an absolutely zealous experience witnessing the energy and connection the directors had with each other, I knew I had found my place. I had found myself at UT finally.
What is your first KVRX memory?
My first general meeting at Burdine was really my entry into KVRX. What really solidified my connection to the station, and therefore my interest in becoming a DJ was a happenstance meeting with a girl already a member -- DJ Knarly Carley, who happened to be someone I met four years prior once as a convention of state photography for competing high school students, where she was my model for the duration of my three days there. We met, we connected, we critiqued and then never saw each other again. Only to find our strange short friendship reimagined through KVRX several years later, as college students no less. Honestly, she's what made me realize I could make KVRX work for myself. Call me a little corny if you will, but coincidence or fate, I felt I was meant to be there.
Which shows have you had on KVRX?
Whisper of Words and Life Songs — Fall 2018 — Freeform
A freeform show all about "Penny For Your Thoughts" Mornings.
Play that Piano — Spring 2019 - Fall 2020 — Freeform
A freeform show all about anything and everything piano.
Disney Doozy — Spring 2021 — Specialty
A specialty CP show for the classic Disney fan.
Which KVRX staff positions have you held?
DJ — Fall 2018 - Fall 2019
CP — Spring 2020
Volunteer Intern — Fall 2020
Volunteer Director — Spring 2021
How has KVRX affected your interaction with music?
My relationship with music has been reinvented. I have more well-read knowledge of music and a deeper understanding of the production process as a result. I have dissociated away from streamline music and found I enjoy more of the background niche musical collection audience, especially in the Austin scene. I have loved more and connected more with the music I have podcasted and the songs I have been exposed to. I am constantly listening and constantly experiencing something new -- and it feels so personal and so intimate to me. Much more than how my exposure to music used to feel as just another passive listener in the crowd.
What’s up outside of KVRX?
Outside of KVRX I work at Uchiko, a well-established and awarded sushi restaurant here in Austin. Almost all of my free time is devoted to this very respected job.
What is your favorite part of KVRX?
I love having a sense of purpose and connection with like-minded individuals; exploring themselves and being part of a community. It's an experience and a teaching opportunity, I have learned so much more about music, audio, recording and radio than I ever expected. Going forward, I hope to cultivate an organization that provides an actively involved teaching experience for our members striving to a stronger community in the station and with the university.
What advice would you give to new dj’s?
Don't let your lack of knowledge in music, audio, and radio defer you away from KVRX. It can be daunting, to see the mass of music experience and perspective that is thrown among djs on a daily basis -- but allow that to be your opportunity. Engage with us! Reach out to us! I want to provide an environment of opportunity and connection that I have felt being a part of this station. Don't get so swelled in your academic life, provide yourself the option to do something more about discovery of self and others.