What is your name and DJ name?
Aubrey Ann (do we do last names in Madrid?) and my DJ name is Annomaly.
What is the name of your show and when is it on?
Spinning Saturn, Fridays 3-6
Please describe your show. What is its format?
My show is rather all over the place musically. I touch on many genres from many places. Maybe not always within a single show, but over the course of a few months, you’ll hear a lot of different things. Sometimes I get on my soapbox and talk for a few minutes but mostly I play music. I have a few backburner dreams of structuring something else in, but for now it is what it is!
What drew you to participate in KMRD?
I’ve been a listener since the beginning but I never thought I would actually have a show. I’m just too shy and quiet, mostly. Becoming a mother during covid (and everything else that was going on politically and socially at that time) gave me a lot of feels and thoughts. I suddenly needed to become less shy and needed to get out of the house more than ever. I have always been told that I have a good speaking voice so I dipped my toes in by doing several PSAs for DJ Otto. It all moved forward pretty quickly after that.
What is the appeal of doing a radio show? How does it fit into the rest of your life?
I have always enjoyed music of various types. As a kid I was restricted to what was on the radio (always predetermined, commercial crap, but I loved it nonetheless). I slowly started borrowing from my older sister’s CD collection (to the horror of my parents!) and then in my mid-teens I got a good handle on the internet. That opened up the ability to listen to and download literally anything. My collection and tastes have only continued to grow. The appeal to having a free form radio show is that I get to share that vast (and always growing) collection with others! That’s the main appeal. I also love that it gives me a voice within my community. A way to share my thoughts and opinions without having to look anyone directly in the eyes while I do it. Haha. I also feel in a way that I am showing my daughter positive qualities; such as being responsibly committed to something on a weekly basis, having that commitment being voluntary, being a part of something bigger than oneself.
What difference has being a DJ made in your life?
Just like I had hoped, becoming a DJ has emboldened me to become more active in the community and more social in general. I’ve gained new friends, new musical tastes, new techniques for my shows. It’s really opened up the door for me to be able to talk to others by first starting with music and then sharing ideas and emotions through sharing music. I’ve made meaningful connections with others which I feel wouldn’t have happened were I not a direct part of KMRD. Sometimes the feeling of being connected comes without even being directly social with other DJs, many of us will play songs we heard someone else play earlier in the week. It feels like a friendly dance between DJs that you only get to be a part of if you’re in the unique position of being a free form DJ! Also, it’s just so cool to walk through town after a show and hear multiple people humming whatever earworm I just played!
What are your hopes for your show?
My hope for my show is that it continues to get better. As a very Saturn-ruled person (hence my show name) I put a lot of planning in to everything I do and nothing ever turns out as perfectly as I want. In the time I’ve been on KMRD so far I’ve toyed with various ways of coming up with and organizing my playlists. Sometimes I’m trying to tell a story or hold a theme. I often hope those convey as I intend them to. In the end, each show is really a snapshot in time of what is going on in my life and the lives of those around me-whether intentional or not. (Sometimes it is very serendipitous!) I think my playlists, transitions, and themes have gotten better with time, but I also think there is always room for improvement.
What are your hopes for the station?
I hope the station continues to…be! So many very different shows and DJs have come and gone… And even come back again! This always flowing, never stagnant lineup is so inspiring as a listener! All the different sounds and opinions feel like an essential service to our community as a whole and the individuals within it. Even if I stop being a DJ at KMRD I will always be a listener. I hope that the opportunity for listening always exists!