Introducing Eastside’s Newest Intern

Before I could pick up an instrument, I was in a children’s choir. For five years, I donned my scratchy collared shirt every Saturday and went to the Rocks to mouth songs I had never heard of. During every performance, I would try to pull mum’s focus by singing more enthusiastically than everyone else. Despite her growing and accurate suspicion that I was miming the words, Mum cried every time. 

Many years after my begrudging yet thankfully short-lived career as a chorister, I now study Media and Communications at USYD and continue to witness music’s ability to move people. Throughout my degree, I have made audio stories, podcasts and documentaries and enjoyed collating and curating sound and music to enhance the emotional scope of my storytelling.

However, these projects miss out on the communal nature of radio, as listeners can call into their favourite shows and offer their two cents. This relationship between host and listener encouraged me to intern at EastSide. I also admire community-based initiatives and believe that media outlets that bring attention to the arts scene on your doorstep are integral for community morale and greater recognition of the arts.

My current musical obsession is Sudan Archives. I was introduced to her music through the home-grown film Babyteeth. Shot in Sydney, this film mostly rides a wave of melancholy. Sudan’s song Come Meh Way offers a much-needed reprieve for audiences and typifies the mood-altering power of music.  

Another musical obsession of mine is FKA Twiggs. FKA is a genius with music spanning vulnerable hymns in Magdalene to the clubbiest of club beats in Caprisongs. This range, paired with her experimental and occasionally downright spooky visuals, means her tracks never miss.

While I love curating playlists for specific moods and events, nothing beats live music. Last month, I was lucky to see Erika de Casier for the second time in just as many years. I first fell in love with her 2019 album Essentials and have been an avid fan ever since. Her music, even live, makes you lean in and hold your breath, afraid to disrupt the R&B magic on stage.

At EastSide, I want to broaden my musical horizons and discover new artists and genres. I’m also excited to discover how community media outlets operate internally and to learn more about the day-to-day activities of radio producers, hosts and administrators.