Olivia Go & Eva Rodriguez

How long have you been involved with WOZQ and how did you first hear about the station?

Olivia (“O”): I’ve been involved with WOZQ for two years! I first heard about the station at Smith College’s club fair. I spent my first year of college online and WOZQ was the first organization I joined. It’s been the best community ever!

Eva (“E”): I’ve also been involved with WOZQ for two years now! I first heard about it while I was looking into Smith’s extracurriculars as a prospective student. I had always been interested in doing college radio so this was the one club I was certain I’d join!

Tell us about the duties of your job and what part of it you love the most and what is most challenging. How do you split duties between the two of you?

O+E: As music directors our main job is finding new music for WOZQ DJs to play on their shows! That includes emailing promotional companies and smaller, up-and-coming artists. We also do a monthly newsletter telling DJs about upcoming concerts and what new music to look out for!

It’s really simple to share this job! We alternate who submits the NACC Top 30 chart every week, but we both are passionate about music and we both love to scour the station’s inbox for new and different songs!

What advice can you offer other MDs regarding the ways you encourage your DJs to play the new music the station receives from labels and promoters?

O: We like to promote new music through our monthly newsletter, but on a personal level, I find that word of mouth is incredibly effective! Chatting with other DJs about what current songs we like listening to sparks interesting conversation, builds community, and promotes listening to new music.

E: Ever since we became co-music directors Liv and I have been very attentive to our new releases playlist and add as many new songs as we can reasonably manage! I always hope that frequently refreshing our collection keeps DJs engaged and checking out new tunes as opposed to sticking to the same few albums every week. Also, I recently added a shelf within our station that contains physical copies of new releases for our DJs who prefer that format!

What ways does the station reach out to/interact with the community and work to grow your audience/footprint?

O: WOZQ puts on incredible student-run concerts and events throughout the year. For example, last semester we had the artist Kilo Kish on our new release playlist, and this past weekend we were able to bring Kilo Kish to Smith for our spring concert! These events create a tangible presence for WOZQ. It not only brings DJs together but the student body as a whole.

E: WOZQ loves to collaborate with other organizations at Smith, and with other radio stations in the area and sometimes even around the country! We love co-hosting events on-campus or nearby in the Pioneer Valley as it allows us to engage with our community through concerts, mixers, and written projects like articles and zines.

What was your favorite album of the past year or so and why? Is there a 2023 release on the horizon you are eagerly awaiting?

O: “Beatopia” by Beabadoobee is in my opinion this was the perfect summer album. It’s whimsical and light with really beautiful vocals and fun beats! I got to see her live this winter in Boston and it was so magical. The album I’m most excited for next is Sufjan Steven’s new album! I’m obsessed with Carrie and Lowell and can’t wait to see what he puts out next.

E: My favorite album these past couple months has been “DECIDE” by Djo. It’s super fun and groovy, it’s a little weird at times, and it has a pretty wide variety of vibes that I feel can apply to any mood, so ever since it came out it’s been added to my heavy rotation. The 2023 release I’m the most excited for is the upcoming Naked Giants album! They’re a band of incredible performers from Seattle—I’ve seen them live five times! — and they’re always evolving their sound in a way that keeps me eager for every new release from them.

Do you have a favorite artist or album you never get tired of listening to?

O: My favorite artist of all time is Elliott Smith. Western Mass legend! I love him so much, I got a tattoo in his honor. Right now my favorite album of his is Either/Or.

E: Okay, this is kind of cheating because he’s in so many bands, but I truly can never get tired of any of Mike Patton’s work. His vocals are out of this world and every single band and project he’s a part of brings something new to the table. He’s got heavy stuff, chill stuff, weird experimental stuff, there’s just something for everybody! I’ve easily spent hundreds of hours listening to his music, and none of it ever gets old to me. I am thrilled to finally be able to see him perform this year now that Mr. Bungle is touring in the US again!

Who is an artist or band totally outside the realm of the music you play on WOZQ that people might be surprised to know you love?

O: I’ve been really into experimental pop lately. There’s nothing like blasting Death Grips in your car at night. I also love 100 gecs and have been listening to their new album, 10,000 gecs, nonstop this year!

E: My WOZQ persona loves to show off the rock and metal that I usually enjoy, but one thing that always surprises people about me is that sometimes I have a bit of a soft spot for k-pop… I really like the group SHINee, I think they’re super silly and fun to listen to when I’m in the mood for something more lighthearted and poppy.

If you had the power to instantly change one thing going on in the world at the moment, what would it be?

O: I would give everyone in the world access to free healthcare.

E: I would solve the housing crisis. Everybody deserves a place to live!

What event or person in your life would you say has shaped you the most as a person?

O: My two roommates have been constant pillars of support in my college life and they inspire me to be better every day <3.

E: I hate to say it, but I think the pandemic has really shaped me as a person. My home state was quarantining for a long time while I was seventeen, so all that sudden free time really confronted me with all the things I hadn’t really thought about at that point. It was a very reflective period in which I thought a lot more deeply about my worldview, who I am as a person, what I want to do in life, all that good stuff. It was a scary and kind of existential time in the world and I’m definitely not the only person who changed a lot in the past few years as a result.

If you could choose, what time period in the past would you most want to travel back to visit and why?

O: I would go back to medieval times to watch a jousting tournament and drink mead.

E: It’s a basic answer for a gen z kid but I’d love to visit the 90’s… specifically because most of my favorite musicians were really going crazy back then and I’m SO envious of everybody that got to see them live at their prime!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in town (dine-in or take out) that you recommend people try?

O: Amanouz Cafe in Northampton MA has the best chicken kabab in the state!

E: I always go crazy for the sushi at Oriental Taste 🙂

What in your life brings you the most joy?

O: Dancing with my friends to a song we all know.

E: Going to concerts with my friends and family!

Lightning Round:

Dog or Cat? O: Dog; E: Cat;
Morning Person or Night Owl? O: Night Owl; E: Night owl;
City or Country? O: City; E: City;
Beach or Mountains? O: Beach; E: Mountains;
Watch TV or Read A Book? O: Read a book; E: Read a book;
Sunny or Rainy? O: Sunny; E: Rainy;
Restaurant or Home Cooking? O: Home cooking always; E: Restaurant;
Pants or Shorts? O: Pants; E: Pants;
Warm or Cold drinks? O: Cold; E: Warm;

Do you have any current favorite TV shows you’re enjoying/binging? How about a movie (new or old) that you’ve watched recently that you would recommend?

O: I’ve been watching Wife Swap and Nathan For You recently. I would highly recommend both.

E: I’ve been watching I Think You Should Leave, I usually watch it with my friends back home so it always makes me think of them 🙂 The most recent movie I’ve watched was Cocaine Bear… it was one of the stupidest movies I’ve ever seen so I would recommend it to anyone looking to fill 96 minutes with something ridiculous.

Finally, just for funsies, share with us your most detested pet peeve!

O: I hate it when people aren’t able to laugh at themselves. Big egos are dumb! Life is silly!!!

E: When people are unkind, completely unprovoked. We should be lifting each other up, not tearing each other down.