DJ Spotlight: DJ Rhinestone
Name: Liv Collom
Year: 2nd
Major: Journalism
KCPR Schedule: Tuesdays from 12-3 pm
What is the name of your show?
Afternoon Delight with DJ Rhinestone
How did you select/create this name?
I chose the name DJ Rhinestone because I feel like I was born in the wrong generation. I absolutely love the look of the 2000s – where everything is encrusted in rhinestones and glitter – that’s kind of how I am. I’ve always had an obsession with the glitzy, the glam and the tacky. I just think there’s a whole lot of fun in that.
For someone who’s never listened to your show before, what would you tell them in order to entice them? Give me your pitch!
Afternoon Delight, within KCPR is more upbeat; you hear a bit more rock and punk with it. What I really like is that with each DJ, within any slot, they put their own spin on the given guideline.
So, for me, I love any kind of bratty punk, rock n’ roll – you’ll hear Sleater Kinney, Liz Phair. I also love the 2000s and 2010s bridge between punk and dance – CSS [and] Santigold – those kinds of artists come to mind. It’s anything glittery, fun, danceable. I just want you to have a good time when you’re listening to my show.
I know you yourself play/write music, and sing- tell me a bit about that? What is your style? Have you written anything fresh in quarantine times?
Yes! I’m in a band called Crush Material, and I do lead guitar and backing vocals. I did lead guitar and lead vocals in a band called Little Debbie and the Crusaders before that. For most of my formative years, music has been a huge part of my life.
I love performing shows and writing songs – just putting my experiences to paper has allowed me to be vulnerable. I feel like I have different personas: there’s my everyday, where I’m just myself, then there’s me when I’m on stage and then there’s me when I’m on air. It’s all different. It’s very multifaceted.
What is your favorite album released in 2020 & why?
My first is “SAWAYAMA” by Rina Sawayama. I just think she’s so cool and I love how she’s bringing this new metal sound and vibe back to the indie landscape. You see a lot of metal fashion reamerge – big ol’ corn shirts [and] jnco jeans. I love metal because it’s so over the top and insane to me, but she puts a personal spin on that. It’s a macho genre, but she challenges that by singing about her experiences and her struggles as a queer asain woman. She also has an amazing fashion sense.
The second is Shamir’s self-titled album. Shamir does such a good job of shifting from genre to genre. He’s like a chameleon. I don’t like to bog myself down, in terms of when I plan my show, to just one kind of genre – even though I have a sort-of vibe going. I think it’s really cool how he’s found ways to reinvent himself and do all of that.
Also, with that album – I felt like for most of 2020 I was in a rut emotionally and not a lot was giving me joy anymore. I felt empty and down – but that album awoke something in me which made me go ‘wow.’ That emotion of his music diffused into my head and woke me up. It’s insane.
If you could go on a socially distant date/outing with any artist, who would it be and what would you do?
Brittney Spears. I adore her. I’ve been a fan of hers since I was eight years old. I would just have a nice little time with her in the park. I would also want her to teach me some dance moves, as I’m really lacking.
Describe your show/music taste with a season/mood:
It’s the last day of school before summer break. You’re hanging with your girls in your car and you’re about to drive down the road to your house for a sleepover and you’re just rocking out with the windows down, full blast. It’s insane.
How has Covid-19 changed the way in which your show is run? Can you tell me a bit about your at-home set-up and any challenges you may be facing?
It definitely has changed a lot. Although we’re away from the station, it’s definitely hands on, as we’re learning all of this new programming and new software. It’s a brain stretch to do that and I definitely miss a lot of the old shows.
It’s challenging because I play a lot of 90s and early 2000s stuff. All that’s on CDs and I can’t really go into the station to access them. People still listen to my show remotely, which I’m super thankful for, but sometimes I really miss that connection. I miss people calling in on our phone line, talking to me and telling me what they want to hear and about their day.
One thing I like about radio so much is that it’s such an intimate form of media. I think a good DJ makes the listener feel like they are just having a conversation, talking to you. It’s very one-on-on, like having a real connection with your DJ. I feel like a lot of that connection has been taken away in some aspects. In retrospect, it has made us as DJs a lot closer, as we have been working through these hurdles together.
Do your career goals include radio and/or music?
Yes! I would love to work in radio, specifically public radio. I’ve always been motivated by the DIY mentality, working from the ground-up and doing it all yourselves. I’m very thankful to have gotten my feet wet at KCPR and try on a lot of different hats.
I’m a DJ but I’ve also written content for the website. I’ve done some audio engineering for live performances when that was a thing. I just want to do it all. I’m so passionate about radio and about music and getting to connect with listeners – helping them feel a little less alone.
