This month, we go behind the mic with Jenny O'Connor, host of Off the Charts on WSDL
Your new show “Off the Charts” has a great vibe. How do you go about choosing tunes for the show?
I mostly pull songs from the Americana and College Radio Charts. A lot of my music taste just depends on the rhythm and the vocal tone of the artist. No matter the genre, if it’s a catchy song, has some funky or eclectic instrumental, or the artist has a great voice, I’ll probably like it, so I handle the show the same way.
Who are your favorite new artists?
Not new, but Role Model has been my favorite artist for years, and his latest album Kansas Anymore has been on repeat for over a year. I’ve been listening to sombr, The Wrecks, Renee Rapp and Lizzy McAlpine the most recently.
Tell us about your background. How did you become interested in radio?
I started school majoring in Computer Science and minoring in music production. I talked to a local radio station at a job fair my junior year in hopes of getting an IT job, but with my audio experience they offered me a reporting position. Thank goodness they did! I fell in love with it and (after a minor identity crisis) changed my major to communications, and am so happy I did.
You are a recent Salisbury University grad. Congratulations! Tell us about your experiences on campus at SU, and why you decided to stay here.
I adore Salisbury University. I met so many of my favorite people there, the campus was just the right size, and I had endless beach-trip opportunities. I originally had planned to only stay for the summer after graduating in 2024. Suddenly, life picked up and DPM offered me a job, I joined a local band and moved in with one of my bandmates. I grew up in Calvert County, so Salisbury always felt homey, and I wasn’t really in a rush to leave. So, I figured I’d stick around for a bit.
You mentioned that you are in a band. Please tell us about your musical inspirations and how you approach songwriting.
I wrote my first song in my diary when I was 9 but didn’t start writing all the time until I was in high school. I always loved dancing and singing around my house when I was younger, though my older brother wasn’t a big fan of my tone-deaf yelling.
When I was about 13, I really fell in love with Billy Joel and decided to teach myself some piano so I could write songs, and most of my extended family played guitar, ukelele, or banjo, so I learned guitar to fit in at the family gatherings. I started singing in high school after I auditioned for the musical and never stopped!
I always used songwriting as a sort of therapy. It helped me journal and sort out my thoughts. I still write that way most of the time for my solo projects but joining daybloom really opened new doors for writing. I was able to listen to an instrumental that the boys had created and feel what the music was trying to say (as ridiculous as it sounds). I get to make up more stories and it doesn’t have to be so serious or introspective, which can make it less draining and more entertaining.
Thanks, Jenny! Tune in to Jenny's show Off the Charts on Tuesdays at 2:00 PM on WSDL 90.7 FM