Music
A day in the life of… a Radio Presenter
As well as DJing at some of the world’s biggest clubs, Kiss FM presenter Charlie Hedges broadcasts to over 5 million people every week and is the youngest female breakfast presenter in the UK.
We spoke to Charlie to find out how she went from being a magazine intern to one of the most listened to women in radio.
So, tell us about your typical working day…
OK… so it starts when I wake up at 3:45am. I get ready and leave my house at 4am to go to the Kiss Breakfast Show. After the show finishes at 9am we normally record some TV links as the show is now aired Saturdays in vision on Kiss TV and 4 Music.
Then I normally head off to meetings to arrange new DJ gigs, do interviews that might need to be done for magazines and newspapers or online, such as you lovely guys, voiceover work if I need to record any voiceovers, then I normally race home, eat and work on new tracks I’m making. Also, social network and promote the tracks, such as the one I’ve just released with JB, then I might arrange my music for the night ahead if I’ve got a gig that evening somewhere. Then I do the same again the next day.
Weekends I have a show on Kiss 2-3am, which reflects my gigs that I play out in clubs, so it’s an electro house show. I’ve also got a show on Kiss Fresh – a new station to Kiss, which goes out Fridays from midnight… and I’m done.
What do you like most about the job?
The fact that every day is so different – I meet different people every day and I am also living my dream: I’ve always wanted to be a club DJ/producer and also tie it all together on radio, so I’m so grateful I get to do that every day.
How did you get started in the music industry and how did you get to where you are now?
I started by freelancing for a magazine at age 13. I saw an advert in a newspaper and I went for it and they offered me the chance to come and work with them and gain some experience. I then interviewed one of the DJs at Kiss at the time, managed to keep in touch with them and used to sit on their shows every now and again. A week before I started uni, Kiss offered me a job making tea on the breakfast show – so a runner really. I used to come in and do the breakfast show and then drive to uni every day for three years, until I finished my BA (Hons) in Journalism. I was then asked to stay there and worked my way up to be a presenter.
What’s been the highlight of your career?
DJing at some of the most amazing clubs in the world and now finally making my own music – it really is crazy.
In your opinion, what makes a good Radio Presenter?
Someone that’s real and isn’t any different when you see them out and about. Someone you would want to go to the pub with and someone who knows when to be serious but doesn’t take life too seriously – just making life and radio a bit more fun I guess.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in the music industry?
Don’t give up: bug people, email them, and even chase them on Twitter! Now you wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve managed to track down on Twitter to get their personal email addys! If you do it in the public eye on Twitter – in front of the world – you’re less likely to be ignored I think, hehe.
Are there any artists you’d particularly like to have on your show?
I’d love to interview Martin Garrix on my house show as well as Avicii and Swedish House Mafia collectively when they decide to get back together.
And finally, you’re also a club DJ, playing across the world – is that as glamorous as it sounds or do you just long for your bed at the end of the night?
It’s as glamorous as you want to make it. I love my job – literally live every day for it, so I make the most of every second I’m playing in a club and DJing takes you on a journey, it really does. Don’t get me wrong, some nights my bed feels even more beautiful than normal – haha – but never would I moan and never will I get tired of DJing – it’s my life
Thanks for having me guys x
Charlie Hedges debut single ‘Best Night OML’ Featuring JB is out now.
