27 12 months outdated Downtown Nation radio presenter Victoria Quinn has opened up about her childhood spent listening to nation music, saying that attending Garth Brooks’s live performance final 12 months was bittersweet resulting from her late father being an enormous fan.
The radio star reveals she hails from exterior Lisburn and grew up on a farm, which is the place her love for nation music started. “The nation roots are sturdy!
“I’ve needed to work in radio since I used to be about 16. I did work expertise at a station referred to as Metropolis Beat, which sadly doesn’t exist anymore. After that one week, I simply cherished the individuals, being surrounded by music, and day by day was so totally different.”
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From then on, Victoria constantly did work expertise.
“A lot of the presenters in Downtown Nation and Cool FM knew me earlier than I bought this job as I had been out and in, attempting to get a foot within the door. In 2019, I used to be in the suitable place on the proper time, a station referred to as Q Radio took me on as their late night time presenter. I used to be enjoying all of the love songs and requests,” she provides.
On the very begin of this 12 months, she moved over to breakfast on Downtown Nation and the weekends on Cool FM. “Cool FM has a youthful viewers so I’d play totally different music there – I’ve the perfect of each worlds!”
Nation roots
“I grew up in a giant nation music household, however I didn’t even realise it was nation music, it was simply what was all the time enjoying on the CD participant.
“My Mum and Dad cherished Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Religion Hill, all these actual iconic 90s and 2000s nation stars, however my mother and father listened to all several types of music as properly. Earlier than I niched into the nation radio station, I used to be presenting on the mainstream pop station, so I did have an curiosity in several types of music.
“As quickly as I sat right down to do the nation present, all that childhood data got here again, it was locked in there. I remembered lyrics to songs I hadn’t heard in 10 or 15 years.”
Victoria provides that her and her household used to go to Portugal each summer time on holidays.
“My Dad had the old fashioned iPod Nano, in all probability from 2006 or 2007. We not too long ago went again to Portugal and we nonetheless had the unique iPod so we charged it.
“It was a pure time capsule, with songs like Alan Jackson’s It’s 5 O’Clock Someplace and Eric Church’s Two Pink Strains . The playlist was nonetheless there!”
As for her favorite artists, Victoria says she has cherished Taylor Swift ever since her debut album earlier than she was large.
“I nonetheless love her now, her nation and her pop songs. Megan Moroney is one other artist I really like, she is sort of new on the scene and has simply launched her debut album. I believe we are going to see massive issues from her within the coming years.”
Working in radio
“Once I inform individuals I work in a rustic music station, they suppose it’s all ‘fiddle de dee’ music, however if you strip it again, nation music is about storytelling, at its core.
“There’s additionally loads of love songs. I believe loads of music these days is crossing between totally different genres, among the ‘nation’ songs I play sound virtually like pop.”
Victoria provides that the kind of music she performs will depend on her temper or what her listeners want.
“If I get a message from a listener who wants a wee enhance, or I’m feeling drained that morning, I’ll placed on one thing like Shania Twain’s Man! I Really feel Like A Girl . Our everyday playlist is normally very chill.
“In the meanwhile we’re enjoying loads of Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen, they’re very present. They’re additionally on the prime of the mainstream pop charts, so they’re being performed throughout the station. I believe due to music streaming providers, persons are being uncovered to totally different artists that they might by no means have turned to earlier than.”
Victoria says she loves her job a lot due to the music.
“When you find yourself going via the happiest of moments, you’ll be able to put in your cheerful tunes and actually take pleasure in it. In case you are not feeling nice or wish to really feel nostalgic, music can assist. Music is like scent in a manner – it will probably take you again to a second and make you’re feeling so strongly.”
Reminiscences
Victoria went to see Garth Brooks in live performance in Croke Park final 12 months together with her Mum and brother.
“It was actually particular, it had been over 20 years since he had carried out right here. My Mum stated the final time she went to see Garth Brooks was with my Dad years again, my Dad has since handed away.
“Nation music was such a giant a part of our lives rising up. It was very particular for the three of us to get to see him. The ambiance was superb as properly. Everybody was so excited!”
Tune into Victoria on Downtown Nation Radio each weekday from 7am-10am.
Learn this interview and extra on this month’s concern of RSVP Nation – on cabinets now.
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