Kristin's Experience

Supporting living American artists has become a central piece of my college and personal experience. It began when I started working with my college radio station, WSOU, and while I wasn’t yet a fan of heavy metal music, I found it to be a place where I could express my interest in music. Now, two and a half years later I have a radio show that has allowed me to extend my interest in music and explore more of what it means to tangibly support living American artists. I have learned this through being a radio host on my indie and alternative show, called “Campus Buzz” and as the Promotions Director for the station. On my show, some of my programming includes breaking emerging artists’ music on the radio and promoting their brand. One example I am most fond of is a local artist named 54 Ultra who has an infectious stage presence with a 1970s aesthetic. I introduced his music on our new music segment, later I saw the artist in concert, and I had the opportunity to chat with him through a short interview. I asked questions that helped me better understand the artist and their music which made me feel more connected. The most impactful part was he told me someone had found his music through listening to my show. At that moment I realized the impact I could have on the artist’s music exposure while learning his deeper purpose and intention. It inspires me to know that I can give artists a platform to genuinely make an impact on someone’s life and career. Additionally in my role as Promotions Director, I get to work with bigger metal bands and artists to help promote their work and engage with the listener base that they are trying to target. In a small way, I get to give listeners a good experience interacting with our station, but I can also bring artists closer to the people that know them best. It brings me great joy that our listeners may inspire the artists the way they inspire me.