Tilly Sharp is a third year student bringing us the best of the voices behind our student radio. Amongst an aspiring team of other voices, Tilly brings our University a station as good as any other and is helping, in doing so, to inspire future generations of students coming in and out of Liverpool Uni.
1) Firstly, tell us a little about yourself! Where do you come from? What do you study? Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
Hello! Well, I’m Tilly Sharp hailing from a remote little village in the Yorkshire Dales called Stainforth. Remote as in more sheep than people, no shops just a tiny pub, buy eggs from Dennis the local eggman…that sort of thing. I’m studying English and Philosophy which is grand and I don’t think any third year wishes to answer the dreaded 5 years’ time question. It’s just as hard answering it if you changed it to 5 months! But hopefully I’ll have travelled a lot and have some form of steady income coming from writing, producing or music PR… or just anything of that ilk.
2) What does your position in the Student Radio entail and what made you choose to commit to such a role? Is it something that you see yourself doing as a lifelong career?
I’m LSRadio’s Head of Interviews which means I research bands and events coming into the city and organize interviews with them for our interview team to then go on and carry out. It’s mostly music based but we want to start making it a bit more varied and have interviews with other societies, events happening around the city, it could be anything. Afterwards I edit them and put them up on our SoundCloud and get back to the PR or manager making sure they’re happy with everything. I’ve been part of the radio since I started Uni and I knew I wanted to be a part of the committee by the end of first year and was given the opportunity last year. It’s a great thing to get involved with as you can put as little or as much as you want into it; basically you get out what you put in. I now do a weekly show, manage the interviews and write reviews for the music team and that has helped me make some really valuable contacts and given me experience that is essential when applying to media related jobs. So yeah, the skills I’ve learned from the radio are definitely something I want to turn into a career.
3) Obviously the Radio promotes a certain amount of freedom of speech and therefore recognises the need for diversity and freedom of identity. What is your favourite element of being involved with the student Radio? Do you feel it promotes a healthy individual identity?
There’s so much freedom to do what you want with your shows, there are no restrictions really on what content you bring (But NO SWEARS). You could have a talk show or a music based show, review show or news; it’s really up to you. Shows are then scheduled according to where they would best fit into the day, so a morning show is more likely to have talk shows and late night shows are more likely to be music based with something like house so people can listen while they’re getting ready for a night out. So there’s definitely room for plenty of individuality, we welcome different tastes as it makes the station more diverse as a whole meaning there’s something for everyone to listen to. My favorite element would be the range of opportunities available to you, whilst being with LSRadio I have been to the Student Radio Association Conference held every year where industry professionals give seminars and advice on how to make it in the industry. As well as trips to Manchester for regional training days, covering Liverpool Sound City and interviewing some of my favorite bands; it’s all pretty decent!
4) Tell us a little more about what it does. What do you hope to bring to future generations of budding students through your role in the Radio?
The Radio does quite a lot; we’re pretty busy all the time covering the guild elections, festivals and events whilst creating a 5 day schedule of shows and posting reviews and interviews weekly. We’re constantly looking at what we’ve done and seeing how we can do even better next time and so improving the society for future students either to join or just enjoy our content.
5) What pearls of wisdom could you give to other students wanting to get involved?
Only to reiterate what has already been said:
You get out what you put in. The more time you give to LSRadio to make your content great and the more eager you are to take on opportunities and improve your skills the more chances you’ll get to get the bigger opportunities such as the sought after interviews. It works both ways too, some people are happy just doing their weekly or fortnightly shows and that’s okay too or not doing shows at all. Then there’s getting involved in other ways in things like tech or reviews; there’s space for everyone.
6) What are your plans after graduation? Do you feel your time at the Radio has and will help you in your choices post University?
There’s that dreaded question again. Right now plans are hazy, I’ve applied for a few production based jobs but I won’t name them for fear of jinxing said positions! Otherwise my options are very much open as I may go travelling; however whatever I end up settling on will definitely be influenced by my time at the Radio. It’s given me a clearer scope of what I want to go on and do and it’s let me try so many different things that I now know what I like doing and what I don’t like doing.
7) Finally, leave us with a lasting motto from Liverpool Student Radio!
Your Voice, we’re Listening.