1.  Your job as a presenter on The Edge Nightshow is a dream job for many people.  How did you get into the radio industry and your current job?
I went to Radio School in Wellington 8years ago then I went did a Breakfast show & promos on More FM in Masterton for a couple of years but was obsessed with The Edge. They ran a Quit Your Day Job competition where 5 people competed for the Nightshow job & listeners voted, and I won!   It really did come down to luck in the end!

2. What are the essential skills you think a radio presenter should have?
Outgoing, have the ability to laugh at yourself, creative, adventurous pretty much love music and have fun making sure everything you do is going to entertain the people listening (haha that sounds kind of wanky but it’s what our boss tell us!!)

3.  We can imagine that there’s probably no such thing as an average day at the office for you!  Describe your typical day at work.
I start work at 2pm and research and write up ‘Pop Bitch’ which is the Entertainment news section for Fletch & Vaughan every hour.  I’m a girl, I love fashion, celebs & gossip, so that’s def one of the best parts of my job! Then it’s just recording bits to do on air, website stuff, checking websites for stuff to talk about on the Night show with Brad, and listening to new music.  I also organise ‘The Slab’ which is our NZ music feature – arranging for people to come in for interviews and finding the best kiwi songs to play for it!

4. What is your favourite part about your job?
I love Pop Bitch, its right up my alley. Entertainment news and celebrities have always fascinated me – how can Lindsay Lohan be as stupid as she is?? Seriously, stop drinking and snorting coke already!!  Brad and I are pretty lucky too with the people we’ve interviewed. My fave two interviews are Brian from the Backstreet Boys & Lady Gaga!

5. You get to travel around the country a lot, meeting lots of new people – what’s been your favourite trip you have done with The Edge?
Recently I went to Sydney to interview KeSha and watched her do a few songs which was pretty awesome. I was  surprised at how good she was live!
Last week we took J Williams to Nelson Girls College – he was ridiculously wicked live.  His dance moves are jaw dropping, like Chris Brown or Usher – but better! The girls were screaming so loud I actually lost my hearing!

6. You also get to meet and interview lots of celebs – who has been the most interesting celebrity you have met?
Lady Gaga was awesome; it was right at the start of her career when ‘Just Dance’ just came out so we were lucky to talk to her before she got the Gaga personality and I think we got to know some things about her that she probably wouldn’t say in an interview now.
Brian from the Backstreet Boys surprised me; I thought he’d be really serious but was the total opposite he even sang ‘Backstreet’s Back’ with us – career highlight!!!  My boyfriend got to interview Dave Grohl this year too so I filmed it – I was in awe. He’s surprisingly sexy in real life and lovely!!!!

7. What advice can you give to aspiring radio presenters?
Go hard and be yourself, definitely enrol in a radio course so you can learn all the basics. Get some work experience and make yourself stand out …. in a good way!

Sharyn Wakefield hosts The Edge Nightshow weeknights from 7pm –12am.  Check out www.theedge.co.nz  to find out more.

Article by Natalie Cosgrove

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