Throughout 2021, RA will host a series of interviews in partnership with Black Minds Matter UK, an organisation whose mission is to connect Black individuals and families with free mental health services by professional Black therapists.

The interviews, which will be published as written features and audio RA Exchanges, focus on Black creatives working in electronic music at all levels. These conversations will touch on issues surrounding mental health, in keeping with Black Minds Matter UK's mission to "make mental health topics more relevant and accessible for all Black people in the UK, removing the stigma and remodelling the services to be relevant for the Black community."

On this edition, Vanessa Maria chats with Henrie Kwushue, radio DJ (Kiss FM, No Signal, formerly Reprezent), presenter of Spotify’s Who We Be podcast, and founder of the production company HTK.

This is a full transcript of this week's edition of the RA Exchange, edited slightly for length and clarity.

Today we are joined by Henrie, who is one of the shining lights in music and entertainment. A bad b DJ, content creator, presenter, broadcaster and a real life fun babe. Born and raised in South London, some of you may know her from Spotify's Who We Be podcast, a leading voice of No Signal radio, or her weekend early breakfast show on Kiss FM. A true queen, a people's person, and multifaceted powerhouse, Henrie!

Hiya! Oh my gosh, I'm not a queen.

Yes, you are.

Not at all but you know what I do enjoy? Making people smile, and doing fun things, so all those things are true, yes.

What made you smile today?

My friends, oh my gosh, I love it when the group chat pops off. I was literally almost crying in the street with laughter because I just have the funniest friends, they're too jokes.

Was it anything to do with the bank holiday weekend? I know it's been a lot.

Oh 100 percent, we all went out and we went to go see REMA perform at a place called DLT, a brunch type of party thing, and one of my friends just got so waved. And she messaged us today like "Oh, did we see REMA perform?" And I'm like, "Yes, darling, we were right at the front." It was just so funny because I'm like, how are you going to forget? It was jokes.

Ah, so you have enjoyed, you have been gallivanting, you've been outside.

Doing the most.

Since this podcast is in collaboration with Black Minds Matter, how do you enjoy, and go outside, but still find rest and balance?

I don't think it's that easy. I won't even lie. I don't think it's that easy to find rest and balance. But I think that when my body tells me, do you know what I mean, like, "fam, you need to take some time off," then that's when I end up taking time off. Because I reckon for a lot of people, when you're in go mode, you just keep going, you know, until you start feeling like "oh my gosh, no, I can't, I can't keep doing this," so my body does end up telling me that, "no, Henrie, you're doing too much," and then yeah, man, I take a little break.

And you have been busy. You have excelled from, I think the first time—we've done an interview before. It was about two years ago on NTS.

Yeah, I remember.

I actually was covering Martha's show, who has helped to set up this interview, which is a full circle moment.

I love it.

And yeah, from taking over Radio 1 at Christmas, releasing a documentary series, setting up your own production company—which I want to get into later on—becoming a No Signal saviour during lockdown when we were all, you know, crying inside, securing a Spotify deal, presenting on Kiss FM, Adidas campaign, the list goes on.

God is good.

God is very, very good. You are busy. But of course, you can't always be busy, and you mentioned about taking time out. How do you then find the motivation to keep going, but also find that time to just reflect on how successful you have been?

I don't think of it like that. I mean, I know that they're really good things, but I think that if I start to dwell on them as being like "oh my gosh, what an achievement," I start to lose sight of what really matters, which is the work. I would do this for free. So for me it's not like "oh my gosh, look at what I'm doing, look at me," my time where I'm like, "alright, cool, finding that balance" is literally when I pray. Not that I'm humble all the time. Of course, I definitely slip up, but the humility of it makes me want to keep going, makes me feel like I never want to get too ahead of myself, or make myself feel like I'm anything, so that's where I find the balance to reflect. When you wake up in the morning and you genuinely just thank God for life, that you're alive, everything else after is a plus. Everything else after is literally another blessing just added to the day. So yeah, that's how I try to balance it all out, by just being as pragmatic as possible, you know what I mean, and just thanking God really, and just working from there.

How much of an impact has religion had on your journey?

Not so much religion, but faith, I reckon, has had a huge impact on my journey. I reckon when I even first started doing this kind of thing, I was like 23 when I properly first started, and I think for me that's even a bit late, compared to a lot of people who are doing it from early. I was presenting from early, but not in a way where I took life seriously whatsoever, or I ever thought it was ever going to be a thing, it was just something that I did. Two years after I graduated at 23 when I got my first radio show, I was like "right, let me start doing this for real, I don't think I want to do anything else." And I do just remember praying over it, just saying, "god man, take control," because I thought I had a plan for my own life. I thought I knew where I wanted my life to go, what I wanted to do. And it doesn't even look like what I'm doing today, which is incredible. What I'm doing today is way more than I ever even thought I wanted to do. So with faith, it was just like, "alright God, do you know what, let me just put this into your hands, see what you're gonna do, and then I'm ready to go with it." And so then we end up with things like Spotify, which was never in the plan, but here we are.

I recently read in a Glamour interview like you were talking about—congratulations, by the way.

Thank you! I still need to post about that, oh my gosh. Big up Joelah Noble and Snoochie [Shy], they're great.

You talked about not necessarily having to plan life because things just fall into place, and I think you mentioned that as you got older, you realised that actually, you know, having plans is good but what's better is just enjoying life.

Absolutely. Oh my gosh, there's something in the Bible, or I don't even know if it's from the Bible, but it says somewhere that like, a man plans and then God starts laughing, because you don't know what's gonna happen. Fam, in 2019, we all thought we were going to go into the new year doing the most, being the most, think about it! We really did. So you can't really be planning anything because your life can change in a second. Millionaires were made in lockdown, do you know what I mean, and I'm sure they never even thought that that was going to happen. So, I clocked from early. My life is the way it is now, and this is not what I thought I was going to be doing. I had to change. I had to not plan any more, I really just had to, whatever life brings, is either I say yes or I say no. I decide what I'm going to do in that moment, because life is for living. If I plan for the next five years, and then in those five years I don't achieve it, I've just set myself up for failure. Which is nuts when I don't have to! You don't have to stress. Unnecessary, bro. You can just live for today, and today is enough.

Be present and live in a moment. It's hard to do, I struggle with that so much.

It is hard, and do you know what? Even though I say don't plan, I think that it is good to think about what you would love to do one day. But I think, oh yeah, I would like to do this in the future. But to say, "you know what, next year man, I'm gonna be on TV." I would love to be on TV, but I'm not gonna say it's next year, because if next year comes and I'm not on television, I have set myself up to look silly. And for what? It doesn't have to happen. Everything literally happens in the time that it's meant to, so why rush it?

I'm a big believer in that. Everything happens for a reason. God's plan.

Amen.

And just relaxing in the moment, and just stepping into your purpose, a lot of people talk about that, and just being present. No Signal, that's one thing I think people found to be unexpected during lockdown. The rise and the importance of that community space, and I think people were really grateful to have that sense of community. Did you expect No Signal to rise?

I didn't expect it at all, just me personally, I don't know what anybody else in the team thinks, I haven't read their interviews yet. But for me personally, no, I really didn't. It was just something that I wanted to do because I love working with my friends. I love working with Jojo, David, Huda, Scully, RBC, all of them, I love working with them. I think they're so great, and being a part of the No Signal community makes me feel cool. I'm not gonna lie, I feel mad cool being around them as well. So for me it was like, let me work with Jojo. I know him, I've worked with him before, and it was just something to do during lockdown, I can't even lie. Because I wasn't doing anything, so it was the one thing that actually got me up to be presenting in a time I didn't think I was gonna be presenting. So let me put my all into it, let me just see what can happen. And then it blew up, so yeah, we kind of went from there!

Wizkid, Vybz [Kartel], that was a moment. I think the main thing was that sense of communion, as you said the community, and feeling like you weren't alone. Because that moment, you know, second lockdown, third lockdown or however many there were.

Trust me, the 35th lockdown.

It was hard, I think those moments were tough for everyone. But it's being together, and finding joy in those shared moments which is special.

100 percent, I definitely felt a sense of community in more ways than one. Of course being a part of No Signal, but then the wider community, who were always locked in every single week. They'll still say "oh my gosh, are you from No Signal?" and I'm like, "yeah, that's me." It is mad cute, so there's a sense of community in so many different ways. Shout out to Jojo, and to David, and to all the management team over at No Signal because they know what the young people need, they know what to give people—at any time, not even just in a time of lockdown. But even now, there's No Signal parties, there's No Signal everything, there's No Signal merch, it's nuts. They have their ear to the ground and they know what they're doing, so I love that for them.

Definitely, that Village Underground party.

It was so good! I turned up, I didn't know how many people were going to be there. I wasn't there when they were planning the party, I just said I was gonna come. And then I turned up and people are involved. On a Sunday, with work in the morning! You love to see it, I'm not even gonna lie.

On a Sunday! 100 percent. So what does community mean to you?

Community means just so many things. I think a community is a group of people with the same interests, the same ideas, the same moral values, and goals to an extent. They see a certain thing, and that's kind of what they're striving towards. With No Signal, they're as professional as they are, they're mad professional work ethic is through the roof, their vibes. And that to me, is like a commonality between every single one of us, like them guys are funny as well, they're too jokes, oh my gosh. You can be around them and just be laughing all day. And even for me, that brings a sense of community because I feel like I'm a part of the jokes and I understand.

It's all of that, I love that. And I know what you're saying as well, because it's like you're a family.

Yeah 100 percent. And everybody does what they need to do within a family.

What role are you?

I'm the one that doesn't turn up to Christmas dinner cause she's on a flight. Or, she's working through the bank holiday, so she doesn't turn up too many things.

The rich auntie.

Am I actually though? Do you know what? Nah, I'm just never there. You know them ones, that auntie that, you know that she's your aunt, but you don't see her because she's literally always doing double shifts. That is me. I'll drop my children off at yours so I can go to work.

You're smart. You're also from south London. How has south London shaped you as the person you are today?

Oh my gosh, I love being from south so much. And I didn't realise how much I love being from south until I got into uni.

Where did you go to uni?

I went to uni in Leeds, the University of Leeds as well so it was a culture shock in so many different ways. And it was when I was at uni that I even heard that I had an accent. I didn't know that I had an accent. And not even just any accent because there were people from London, but even they didn't sound like me. So I was like yeah, I know that something's different here.

I can relate to this.

And I don't even know, like the accent thing is such a big thing for me because when I was there, not that I was made to feel, but I did feel very out of place. Because again, not only was I from London but I'm from south and you can hear it in how I speak, it fully comes across. So maybe at the time I wanted to make myself seem a bit more prim and proper. Because, funnily enough, I went to school past Bromley, which is not in south. I mean, it is in south, but it's like the posher parts of south. And I would be the posh babe when I was there. So I didn't quite understand, you know, but being from south London meant I could have all of those elements. I can sound exactly how I am, but still be eloquent, I love it. Being from south gives you that kind of toughness.

You're ready for war.

Yeah, that you don't really get from many places at all. Not that I've ever had any fights or anything, but it does really give you that toughness. Because life is real, things are real. But I don't think I'd change it for the world. I love being from south London.

I really relate to what you're saying because I went to uni in Bristol, and the accent thing, I think no one clocks it, but it was a big thing.

It was a huge, huge deal. And I think it might be intimidating, or I think maybe at the time it was intimidating to some. But now I don't care, if you think I'm intimidating that's your problem, it's not mine.

We've talked a little bit about your identity from South London. How would you say your identity has impacted your journey through the music industry? You mentioned that you started late, at 23.

How has my identity impacted my journey? I think that it's impacted it a lot, because my journey literally is about my identity. Obviously, if you have any kind of front facing role, it is about who you are as a human being. So that already ties into the facts; my faith, the fact that I'm from South London, the kind of jokes that I make, the people that I hang around, everything comes into play when it comes to identity. And I think that on socials or whenever I meet people, those are the things that I want to make sure people take away. Number one is that I love God, and God is the reason why I'm here and how am I even doing any of the things that I'm doing in the first place. The fact that yes, I am from south London and I love it, and I will give it to you, cause I'm from south.

Tell them, tell them.

And yeah, the fact that I do just like living life and like, smiling and having a good time. So my identity, those are some of the biggest parts of my identity. Faith being the first one of all that I would like to continue to push, and therefore, it plays a huge part in my journey, because that's what people see.

That makes a lot of sense. And I think that's one of the first things that comes to mind when I think of you. Because when I need some inspiration, I know if I just click on your story…

Oh gosh, stop.

Yeah I'm like, yeah, that's what I need to know. And I think we all need that. And you bring us closer to God as well. It's really true. Spotify, Who We Be. Amazing. Congrats again.

Thank you.

Another season.

Yeah, we're on our second season now.

How does it feel?

It feels really good. I think this season is stupendous. We've had some incredible, some top level guests. This season now, we've gone ham.

Ian Wright, you know.

I know. Listen, we have done a lot. Who else have we had, we've had Aitch, we've had Beanie Man, we've had AJ Tracey, we've had Dexta Daps, we've had Busy Signal, we've had so many different people which is crazy. So yeah man, up and up, we pray, up and up.

What's been one of your favourite moments? Obviously no favourite guests, but you know, what's been a highlight throughout everything?

That's a really good question. Oh, that's really hard. I think having Beanie Man on was incredible. Because just hearing him speak, you just sit there and listen really. He could have spoken the whole time, none of us had to say anything. And the fact that obviously Beanie Man was someone that I listened to when I was a child, growing up. So to have someone that you listened to, and now you're talking to them? I didn't really think about it at the time, but thinking about it now, it's like, that is kind of crazy.

What did you take away from the Beanie Man talk? Because I feel like when you meet someone who had such a big impact in your life, you're like, "oh, the lessons here."

Times were different back then, do you know what I mean? I'm not even Caribbean, I'm not Jamaican—but of course I love the music. So to have the man there himself to tell you the history is incredible. And so the one thing I fully took away was that, fam, life was really different back then. He had a stammer...

No way!

Yeah, he had a stammer. And he even made it despite those odds. He said it was through the music and the fact that he was going out and going to see people play. Which isn't something that you can just do today, you can't just go out and see whoever you like if you're 12 years old, you know. So I love that, and for me it's like, I don't know, from going from an island to the world. And how influential Jamaica is, is incredible for me. I love hearing those kinds of stories and I can listen to them all day.

That's incredible, I'm gonna listen back to it and really take it in. I'm Jamaican, so my dad would always tell these stories. A lot of it comes from the tongue.

Yeah 100 percent, and you really love to see it. Obviously again, I'm not Jamaican am I, I'm not over 40 am I, so it's only so much, I can only put myself in their shoes and imagine what it was like to be performing to that many people. Even when you go on YouTube, there was a time I was just going on YouTube just looking at sound clashes and all the rest of it. I was like, this is so nuts that the community would fully come out for Beanie, like crazy, crazy, crazy stuff. And I don't know, again, because you're not in it, because you're not around it, because we're in a different age, maybe it's my ignorance that makes me feel like, "oh my gosh, but how?" But really and truly, scenes, absolute scenes, they come out in their hundreds! Scenes.

And it's mad because it's like, the word just spread like wildfire.

Yeah 100 percent, because listen, there's no Twitter. How are you gonna be telling people? How are people gonna know? But that's what makes that age for me probably one of the best eras in music, because really, if you're big it's authenticity through and through. You can't even fake it, you can't blag it, you can't do nothing. It's out and out about who you are and your talent and that's it.

It's like a true star. So Untold Stories, you talked about Beanie Man telling stories, and hearing those, and I think you mentioned that it had a big impact on you, which is really nice because obviously you've now set up your own production company and you have a YouTube series. Tell us about that.

So Untold Stories has kind of taken on a life of its own to be honest, because I've edited everything, everything's been cut together, and we're doing the rollout. But it just rolls out on its own, and I want it to be as organic as possible, where if people see it, people see it, you know what I mean? I don't want to shove it in people's faces. But Untold Stories is people telling different stories on six different topics, and it's a range of different stories as well, which is what I wanted to do. So I got the grant from Dazed and Converse to be able to put it all together, and yeah, it's rolling out. We've already put out, I think, maybe nine episodes by now if not more. But like I said, it just uploads by itself. Every single Tuesday it's just up there, and whoever it hits, it hits you know. I don't even post about it all the time but, it is like my little baby.

And some of them are quite emotional?

Yeah, I wasn't looking for heart-wrenching stories, but people were really willing to come forward with their stories which I was really appreciative of. I think it gives insight where you might not really see it, like even Harry [Pinero], he came through and he talked about being a dad for the first time. And, for me, I've never really heard men speak about being a dad for the first time, like what is it like for him? And then since his episode came out, you know, I've seen a lot of people saying "oh gosh, that's what life was like for me when I became a dad, but we just didn't really talk about it." And other stories like that as well, there's so many different things and topics that aren't really spoken about too much. Those are the ones that I wanted to hear.

And what was the process of creating that series and bringing young people together, because you did a massive call out?

Yes I did. I always wanted to do the project, but because we got a grant from Dazed and Converse, I thought a really good way to put it together would be to pay young people—and people that would probably be seen as like marginalised within the scene, give them a kind of foot forward into it. So we got a team of people together, and they did everything, that's why I said it's literally taken on a life of its own. I had the idea and I said, "alright cool, this is the idea guys, you guys put it together and then let's see what can happen." So all they ever had to do was just update me, "Henrie, this is the shooting time, Henrie this is what we're going to be doing." This is what's going to be happening in real life for them, so like, 100 percent, they did what they had to do. Obviously they'd be like, "yeah, Henrie, can you reach out to this brand and this brand?", but really and truly when it came to liaising with the talent that came through, everything—booking cabs, booking studios, booking equipment, getting the editor, they did everything top to bottom. So I’m very proud of them. They are very, very, very happy with what they've done.

It's incredible, and I'm excited to see the rest of the series because I know there's 16 episodes?

There's 19 I think, and that will take us up until the end of the year hopefully. So, I need to get back into the editing booth don't I!

What is important about bringing young talent in then, because I think what's so incredible is that obviously you're doing your thing, but you're also making sure that you're opening the doors, and keeping them open for the next generation.

I think that's cute of you to say, I don't even think about it like that, I really don't. God is good. I just know that it was quite a hard time for me when I was first starting out, and it used to be a thing where it's like, "Yeah, I know I can do the job," but they'd say, "yeah, but your CV doesn't say so," but I’d say, "well, if you give me the job, you'd be able to know that I can bloody do it!" I think that sometimes we live in a catch 22 when it comes to us, where it's like you need the experience for the job, but no one's going to give you the experience to do the job that you need experience for. I kind of wanted to get rid of that at least once in a lifetime. Let me just work off what you've already created. What you've already seen, not who you've worked for and everything else, because you could have worked for someone, and you might not have been that great an employee, but if you've done incredible work, we can work with incredible work, that's great.

What was early Henrie doing then, to get to where you are now?

Oh, she was so unserious. What was the early Henrie doing? That's such a good question. When I was in sixth form I studied media, and I was actually doing bits at Reprezent at that time. Not like serious stuff, but I was doing bits there. So my time with Reprezent Radio—which is a community station that I used to work at before I left for Kiss—I'd been in and around them for a good while, but I started my own proper show at 23. When I was in uni, I had a radio show on Leeds Student Radio.

Are there still episodes online?

Oh my gosh it's so embarrassing

No, the way your face is changing, there's definitely episodes about.

Somewhere, and it was called All Things Urban, and I hated the word urban, but it was the only way to describe having a Black show, and I was the only one I think at the time that was doing a Black show. So it was All Things Urban, so it could be everything encompassing. So I loved that. Then when I got out of uni, when I graduated, I started to work for SBTV—which not many people know about—working very closely with Jamal Edwards. He'd give me a shining reference, I hope!

Were you doing production stuff?

No, I was covering social media. I made a lot of errors, but he allowed me to, which was really cute. He was like, "just don't do that again next time." Then after SBTV I did work experience at Radio 1Xtra, and then did an internship at 1Xtra, and then the ball started rolling. By that time I was a big girl, at that point I was like 22, 23.

Were you on shows, what were you doing?

With the internship they'd place you on a couple of shows, that's where I met Trevor Nelson, he was incredible. Met Sian Anderson for the first time, Yasmin Evans, Mistajam, all of these people. It was so, so, so incredible to see, I'm not even gonna lie. They place you on different shows every day or every other week.

Like a pinch me moment when you're in the studio.

Yeah fam, I was literally staring at Sian Anderson like "I love you, I want to be friends with you."

And now you are!

Yeah I know, it is crazy. And that was all organic as well. Even though there's people where you're like, "oh my gosh, they're cool," I really don't believe in the idea of forcing a friendship that is not there. So Sian is great, because she's the one that came up to me, I didn't even go up to her to say nothing. She was like, "do you want to sit in on my show?" and I said "yes, I do!" And that's how it started.

And the magic was made. I love that, I agree as well, and I think it can be quite difficult in the industry. Especially when I started, to decipher between your friends, and then obviously once you get into the industry, you start making friends within the industry, and then the lines can be blurred. And it's difficult. I feel like I'm at a stage now where I know the difference, like who your friends are, and who's a work colleague. Because, you know, it's not like you go into an office, and then leave.

Yeah, 1,000 percent. It is different. We live in a different world where our office is the DJ booth, with alcohol. Am I doing the best job of it at the moment? I don't know. What I do want to do though, is keep myself to myself. I really, really, really do. I will be outside, and I know a lot of people, and I'm really friendly with a lot of people. I like a lot of people. But I do like to keep myself to myself. And that's what I want to keep doing. Yeah I'll go out and live my life, we'll see each other, we'll smile, have a great time, because like I said, I do like people, but yeah, keeping myself to myself is the move.

I don't know if you need alone time but I really do.

I think that there's something important about creating your own lane by keeping yourself to yourself. Do you know what I mean? Because you are you, you don't live your life for anybody else, no one else is going to live their life for you. So once you understand yourself, then that's how you can continue by God's grace and mercy to move through life.

Big facts. I'm gonna go to the cinema by myself soon, because I've never done that before and everyone keeps recommending it.

I have, but I did it when I was really young when it wasn't cool. And I had to leave because it was a really scary movie. I hated it so much.

Wrong, wrong, wrong choice. Listen, you've been mentioning leaving Reprezent for Kiss. Congratulations on landing that. I saw your little pink post, I thought it was beautiful, the makeup, everything was amazing.

Shout out Savy Jaida MUA, she did what she needed to do on that.

How have you been finding weekend shows? I think 6 AM to 8 AM?

It's so different. Not only because my times are different to what I did at Reprezent, but Kiss FM is a completely different station to what I've ever experienced before, but that's kind of what I wanted. I wanted something that was different. I wanted a little bit of a challenge. I wanted to know that I can do everything, and reach every type of audience. So that's kind of how that came about. I really love the idea that Kiss even wanted me in the first place, because that kind of shows that I'm not a one trick pony you know, I can introduce Ariana Grande. I can introduce Harry Styles. The fact that they wanted me to do that, shout out Rebecca, because, yeah, to see me and say "Do you know what, we know what you do. But we also think you can do this." It was just a huge testament to the station. Because I do remember saying a while ago, that these FM stations, that are the biggest broadcasters, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to hear a voice like mine on a show like that, which broadcasts to the whole nation. Why not? You shouldn't have to sound or look a certain way at all, because really, everybody represents somebody out there in this life. So the fact that they pay me to do that? God bless them. I do love that, and I want to be the best that I can possibly be.

You mentioned that there's a difference, what are the key differences between the drivetime shows and your new snow?

I was doing drivetime at Reprezent Radio. The music is different, because Kiss FM obviously, if you listen, it is definitely very mainstream. But they can play everything, so you still hear songs that you like, if you like that kind of music. So we can switch from Megan Thee Stallion to Tion Wayne, to Shane Codd in the space of an hour. But obviously at Reprezent there is no Shane Codd, it's very London based music, everything that's UK rap, R&B, hip-hop, everything in between. So that's the main difference. But then for me, I like a whole different type of music anyway, I have a very eclectic musical taste. So why would I ever want to box myself in? Why wouldn't I want to spread my wings, fly, and do something cool and different? And then we'll see where life takes us after that, you know?

Eclectic music, what does that mean? What can we find in your liked Spotify list?

Oh god. I like such random songs. For me it's not even like genres altogether, but it's like individual songs. So Taylor Swift had a song, it's about a boy, and she hates that man.

Ooh, this is not one of her first albums, no?

This is what I'm saying, I don't work by albums, or genres, it is one song.

Do you know that's like, [sings] "Drew looks..." If anyone knows that one, Drew or something, that is a big, big banger. But I think it's off her first album or project.

Let me see if I can find it, I’m typing in Taylor Swift.

A Taylor Swift fan!

[sings] "I knew you were trouble when you walked in." She came with that and she done the roads.

That is a tune.

The roads were done. The roads were finished. Are you kidding me? [sings] "And I'm lying on the cold, hard ground." Big tune. So we can go from there to N-Dubz, to Lil Wayne, to Central Cee, to Headie One, to Fredo, just so many different things. Maybe the only thing that I don't really mess with is country music, I haven't heard a country song that I like.

I'll put you on something. I've got one tune, I'm not a big country head but there's one.

Look, if it goes hard, it goes hard, like "Jolene."

Jolene!

Get out of here. Trying to steal someone's man. This is what I'm saying, if it tells a story, I'm with it fully.

Okay, I'm gonna play you a song, it's by Alison Krauss, I think that's it, "The Boy Who Wouldn't Hoe Corn." If anyone knows, it's a big tune, it's a storytime.

I'm ready.

What's one thing that you wish you knew about radio before you started?

That you don't have to be perfect. I really thought that you had to be perfect to be on radio. And even now on my show, I'm not perfect. But I think that I'm strongest in my imperfections. Even though I hate when I do it at the time, but I know that my imperfections make me me. So there's nothing I can do about that. God made me the way I am, so why would I be that upset? It'll be annoying in the moment, but I forget about it straight after. And then, you actually start to listen to daily radio, and you realise that everyone messes up all the time. So I think one of the things people kind of get into their heads is that you have to be perfect at speaking to be on radio, but you don't have to be perfect at all. And I think we need to stop pushing that narrative that you do have to be perfect. You just have to be yourself.

That is great advice. I wanted to ask, for people listening, for young up-and-coming talent, people who want to be DJs or presenters, what advice would you have? Be yourself, number one.

Pray, number two, pray should even be number one.

Pray is number one.

Prayer is definitely number one, but be authentically yourself. Whatever character God gave you, use it. I can't tell you what my USP is, or what my character is that people see, maybe it's like, smiley, fun? But whatever character that you have, or people know about you, oh my gosh, use it! Because you're gonna appeal to somebody, everybody appeals to somebody. And don't ever feel like you're not going to make it, because contrary to what people do believe, there is actually space for everybody. And we're seeing it now that there's space for everyone. Everyone that's presenting, is presenting. Everyone is doing it. So, there is space for everybody. Don't let anyone come and lie to you.

What are you working on currently? Can you tell us? Your eyes are squinting.

Okay, there is something that might be coming up, that's coming up towards the end of the year, radio wise, which is gonna be really fun. But otherwise, I don't have any personal projects that I'm working on, because Untold Stories is going to take me to the end of the year. And that gives me time to think of other things I want to do. So I'm not working on anything per se, as yet, just more Who We Be, more Kiss FM, and living life, I'm probably going to be outside.

No more planning, we outside.

Amen to that, boy.

And just to close, what would you tell your 16-year-old self?

What would I tell my 16 year old self? That's a really good question. Because so much has happened. It's been a decade. I would probably tell her that she's fine, just how she is. I probably would have told her to start praying a lot earlier on. And that anything that you see as a weakness, people don't care as much as you think they care. Nobody cares that much. I'm telling you. Once you actually get the job, nobody cares. You're there to do the job, get paid and go home. Nobody cares as much as you think they care. So if nobody cares about your imperfections, then why should you? Don't let the devil use you.

We have to close on that one. Don't let the devil use you, you heard it here first. Listen, thank you so much Henrie for joining us.

Thank you so much for having me.

It's been a pleasure.