The biz's brighest new talents tell their stories. This week it's the turn of Global programming apprentice D'Angelo Briscoe.
What made you want to work in music?
“Connection and happiness. Music has the ability to alter the way we feel, think and most importantly act. I started DJing when I was eight. The ability to make someone feel good satisfied me enough to pursue a dream in music. The power to reach millions of people with the same taste and bring them together is astonishing to me. I love radio because it’s a party with an audience you can’t see and working at Global helped me understand this. Capital produces amazing shows and fills out Wembley stadium with 80,000 people across all ages who enjoy the same music – that is amazing.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
“There are opportunities if you look for them. At the age of 16 I took a risk to leave my school and travel over two hours to go to the Global Academy to study radio. Global Academy is a school for 14–19-year-olds based in Hayes offering academic and vocational training for careers in the broadcast and digital media industry. I didn’t know what to expect, and over my two years as a student, I gained work experience at Capital Xtra, DJ-ed at a conference for ITV, interviewed artists, helped run an online station and gained experience using technical software such as Zetta, Adobe Audition and Pro Tools. Global Academy helped me secure an apprenticeship with Capital. So far, I’ve produced radio shows, used my DJ skills and spoken in front of MPs in Parliament, to name a few things.”
The best thing about radio is...
“Intimacy and change. Radio can sometimes be an escape zone for people. A radio presenter is a companion to the listener – that makes radio such a powerful platform. Radio isn’t just radio anymore, it’s more than that. As times change, radio has to adapt by pairing with other media like social media. It now has to innovate for a new audience by, for example, creating videos, memes and relatable content that can push the user to listen to the radio again and I think it’s only getting started.”
How would you like to influence the music business?
“Encouraging people to start while they’re young. More needs to be done to push young talented people into positions where they feel like they can make a change in the music industry.”
What’s your dream music business job?
“My next objective is to become a radio producer. Then, the final goal is to own a record label or a radio station.”
D’ANGELO’S RECOMMENDED TRACK: Ray Blk – My Hood
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