the guide Nevertheless, She Persists Q&A WITH “SHEROES” HOST CARMEL HOLT Carmel Holt, host of “Sheroes” Photo by Shervin Lainez If you’ve bounced around the radio dial in the Hudson was launching a podcast incubator program, and she What criteria do you have in mind when Valley/New York Metro region at all during the past wanted to know if we could meet to talk about it. Just selecting the music for the show? Obviously, the two decades, you likely know the voice of Carmel Holt. before our meeting, I heard back from my contact programming centers on women artists, but what After 15 years at Radio Woodstock (WDST), Holt in at Spotify: They were going to pass on “Sheroes.” I other defining qualities do you look for with the 2013 became a host, interviewer, and assistant music accepted Sonos’ offer to join the incubator and gave music you play? director at New York’s WFUV. In 2019, she left the latter my notice at WFUV. After I left WFUV, I had a coffee To showcase a diverse range of female-identifying station to develop “Sheroes,” a radio show focused on with my old WDST boss and mentor, Jimmy Buff, who voices, across genres, generations, cultures, races, and raising the voices of female artists that’s heard locally had recently taken the helm at Radio Kingston, and he nationalities. Inclusivity and diversity may be buzzwords on Radio Kingston and last month launched nationally asked if I wanted a show there. I immediately said yes right now, but it has always been my mission to embody as a weekly NPR broadcast. In celebration of the and that it would be a playlist version of my podcast. that ethos in my work as long as I have been on the syndication, Holt responded to the questions below by Then I created a sample hour to pitch, and other air. It’s also important to note that it is much harder for email. Sheroesradio.com. stations were interested: The first to sign on was KXT women to continue to get airplay as they age, so I also —Peter Aaron 91.7 in Dallas; from there, more stations signed on, and make a conscious effort to include new music being I now have 10 affiliates across the country carrying the made by heritage artists, not just the popular songs that What’s the story behind “Sheroes”? show, with more expressing interest. So it is really true: made them famous when they were young. “Sheroes” was originally conceived as a podcast. I was One door closes, another opens. working at WFUV and the topic of gender inequities in Who have been some of your own sheroes? radio programming (and in the music industry at large) Were there any particular experiences that inspired Number one: Joni Mitchell. She is a true artist, was really starting to heat up in a more public way the idea for the show? uncompromising, who was unafraid to take risks, evolve at our annual radio conferences. The idea of putting Yes, there were many. I am a woman who has been her sound, and stay true to her vision. She is, and together a female-focused show had been on my devoted to music my entire life. I was a musician first, always will be, an unequaled genius. Neko Case: her mind for a long time, and then it started to feel more before I got into radio. And in both cases, it has been singular voice, her wildness, her writing, her “I-don’t- urgent in 2018, when Neil Portnow, the president of really challenging and painful at times. I may have give-two-fucks attitude,” her feminism, her sharp wit the Recording Academy, said that “women who have even given up on pursuing my own music because of and sense of humor, her devotion to her animals and the creativity in their hearts and souls, who want to be how hard it was. But it didn’t get any easier. Radio and the natural world, her individuality. I could go on and musicians, who want to be engineers, producers, and the entire music business are male-dominated spaces. on. To me, she embodies the complex, magnificent, want to be part of the industry on the executive level” It is inherently hard to push forward and persevere, and multi-faceted world of being a woman. Neko is my need to “step up.” I loved WFUV and being in public and the odds are still stacked against women. And spirit animal. Also: Sharon Jones, Lizzo, Billie Holiday, radio in New York City had always been a dream of living in a misogynist society makes any pursuit the Breeders, and Bjork. There is no one like Bjork. Her mine, but I craved doing something of my own. I told difficult. The imbalance of power, both in professional work is astonishing, and unparalleled. A true artist. a friend who worked at Spotify, “What I really want to and personal relationships, and the all-too-frequent do is create a podcast about the experience of being abuse of that power, can have crippling effects on For that young girl somewhere who’s the same age a woman in music,” and he offered to help. WFUV had women’s and girls’ ability to pursue their dreams. I you were when you first discovered radio and music begun hosting a series of “In Conversation” taped am all too familiar with all of those phenomena, and and is hearing the show for the first time, what do events where I interviewed two of my own sheroes, I want to help change the narrative where I can. This most hope she takes away from “Sheroes”? Cat Power and Sharon Van Etten. The global brand is where I find myself providing a platform to have That this show is for her. That she can do whatever she manager of Sonos happened to be in the room for the these conversations; to share our experiences and is passionate about, and if that is music, then the world second of those interviews and asked me, “Have you stories; and hoping to build awareness, empathy, and is waiting to hear her voice. Just listen to these sheroes. ever thought about getting into podcasting?” Sonos meaningful change. If they can do it, so can you. 12/20 CHRONOGRAM THE GUIDE 61
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