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Meet the DJs- Lexi O’Donnell, “Pulp”

WRFL would like you to meet one of our newer DJs. Her name is Lexi O’Donnell and she’s serving up some fresh squeezed punk tunes on her show Pulp.

You can start your early mornings with a glass of orange juice and Pulp airing on WRFL Thursdays from 2-5am.

How long have you been a WRFL DJ?

This is my first show! I am new to the scene.

Have you been a DJ anywhere else before?

Nope! I’ve worked in sound bites not in a radio context.

Do you have any frequent guests or co-hosts?

Late night one on one, just me and my laptop and some handpicked tunes.

Why did you join WRFL?

I’ve always loved music and been curious about discovering, not just new music, but smaller artists. I joined because I wanted to open myself up to new sounds and ideas of what music can be as well as finding these new sounds and sharing them on the air.

What do you play on your show?

I play anything from Egg punk to Doom metal to straight noise. Each show usually will focus on one genre or will focus on these genres in a specific place in the world. Sometimes, if I feel up to it, I’ll pick a genre and play some new and notable sounds.

Why do you play what you do on your show? What sparked that interest?

Throughout my life I always viewed music as very orderly and needing to be the stereotypical definition of “radio friendly”. Since I’ve delved into the punk scene, it is widely based on breaking the idea of what good music or a good sound is and what topics can be touched upon. As a rather chaotic genre, punk isn’t afraid to make fun of itself, other music directly, or flip off any group, person, or thing it feels needs to be called out. It’s a beautiful thing and it’s a pleasure to be able to broadcast smaller groups and have them heard.

Who are some of your favorite musical artists? I jump between artists and genres too often. I whip all of my streaming apps often and change up my rotation constantly. Currently, I’ve been listening to a healthy amount of Shellac, they’ve inspired me as my outro is their track “The End of Radio” . I also have had Molchat Doma, Spring Breeding, Guerilla Toss, Free Refills, and IDLES on repeat.

What’s your process for planning your show?

Usually I’m very VERY specific about my shows and the order I play my songs in. I’ll deep dive, mainly on YouTube and Bandcamp, for sounds I’m interested in and through that I’ll pick the focus of the show for that week. It can very from genre specific, to location specific, to just new sounds. But usually I’ll find an artist then through them find another and build a show based on the rabbit hole this made.

What do you do outside of WRFL?

Outside of WRFL, I am a Digital Media and Design student , focusing on graphic design, and I do collage art on my free time. I also do a fair amount of sewing/ clothing upcycling as well as trying to learn guitar and bass on the side.

Do you have a favorite memory of something that happened at WRFL, either during your show or at a WRFL event?

Through my early days at WRFL, I was paired with Matt Clark, of Aural Textures, for training. Through training with him I have gained so many friends, a love for so many different forms of music, and a deep appreciation for the medium of radio and what you can do on the air.

What other WRFL shows/DJs do you like listening to? Why?

Aural Textures, Avant-Garbagé, Russian Radio, 1969 in the sunshine. And of course Canned Sardines and Musically Inclined before and after Pulp.

Do you have a “Most Interesting Phone Call” story from your time as a DJ?

Recently I had my first ever phone call during my show and it was wonderfully uplifting. The man requested a song and I thanked him for listening and contributing, especially at such hours. He then told me “there’s always someone listening” and I love that slot. No matter what time it is, what you are putting out is being taken in by someone, so I try to make my show good for that one person.

Can you share a story of an interaction with a listener of your show?

I’ve had friends text me, my family (all the way in Baltimore) text me in real time saying they like a song and it just makes me happy to think people are up at ungodly hours listening to punk garbage instead of sleeping.

What do you want listeners to take away from your show?

I want my show to make people more interested in, not just punk and more niche sub-genres, but I’m digging around and discovering new sounds for themselves.

What do you hope for the future of your show?

I’m hoping I can convert Pulp into a genre show, but only time will tell!

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Radio is an important musical medium that I’m so glad I can contribute to and that I have the opportunity to contribute to.

Tune into Pulp with Lexi O’Donnell, Thursdays from 2-5am on WRFL.

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