Radio DJ Spotlight: Toni Phillips

We had a chance over the Christmas holidays to have a chat with one of our favourite radio DJs, or just favourite people to be honest, Toni Phillips. A seasoned Capital Xtra and ex-KISS FM presenter, and a blogger over at Lost It Girl, Toni talks about the future of radio, how she’s been affected by COVID-19, her love for Frank Ocean and a podcast in her not too distant future (lookout 2021!). What’s more, she’s also written several articles for The C Word, including Coronacoaster, Things To Never Say To Single People, The Effect of a 24 hour Fast, 4 Hilarious Dating Tips To Try During Lockdown and Affirmations.

When did you first become a radio DJ? What made you want to look for a career in radio?

It’s easy to remember exactly when my first time on live radio was; sadly I remember because it was also one of the worst days in the history of the world. 9/11 had happened but we were just getting the images through so nobody really understood. I was still allowed to go on and do my showbiz report. Nowadays with mobile phones and social media we would have understood immediately what was happening and “showbiz” certainly wouldn’t have gone ahead. I sound really old now, so just to stress I was a teenager. My first role was doing the showbiz on a drive time show, it was a huge deal! I was now working on the radio station that used to wake me up for school! The presenters were celebrities to me!

What other women do you admire?

I admire so many women I wouldn’t know where to start. I’m obsessed with my mother and her IDGAF attitude mixed with businesswoman and humanitarian, all whilst saying fuck men and fuck rules whilst clutching a glass of booze - or maybe I mean Rihanna. They’re pretty much the same characters. Those two are a big obsession for me.

What’s your favourite kind of music to play on air but also to listen to yourself?

This will sound like I’m saying this incase the boss is reading, but truthfully I listen to exactly what we play on the radio station (Capital Xtra)! Perhaps not as much of the UK stuff we play, but some of it. Mostly I listen to Travis Scott, Drake and I love Post Malone. But my number one listen for about five years on Spotify has been Frank Ocean. All the old school we play now as classics I was playing when they first came out! Oh, I’m sounding old again!

Do you feel any pressures as a female radio DJ?

OMG yes! Not pressure at work on the radio, I don’t know I’m sure some have but for me I never felt I missed out on opportunities. One of my bosses at KISS told me I was the first girl to do the afternoon show full-time, I only did it for a few months before Capital stole me. I felt I was experiencing the opposite of being overlooked for opportunities because I’m a woman. I was in demand because I was a girl presenter. But when I’ve gone out to DJ at gigs, I have had so many issues with the resident DJs; they just don’t take you seriously, they think you’re there purely because of the outfit you’re wearing (that’s a big plus since I always show up looking awesome). Truthfully, I lost a lot of confidence with DJing out when I was younger because of that.

What’s your absolute favourite song?

Hate this question! Do I have to answer? I’ve got like 10 and they range from Britney Spears to the Stone Roses to George Michael. Can we skip?

If you had to invite 3 people dead or alive to a dinner party, who’d you invite?

Margaret Thatcher, Britney Spears and Anna Boleyn. But that’s all women, I’ll have a man to balance it out - Henry VIII.

Do you DJ anywhere other than Capital Xtra and how can we watch/see you?

I do some gigs, but work isn’t the same as it used to be. I would be out all the time at one point, but now people tend to prefer someone who went on Love Island to DJ for them. If anyone wants me though, I’m on insta!

How do you thin COVID-19 has affected the radio industry and also yourself and others this year?

I think radio has been absolutely fine! If you look at the Top 50 Spotify for the UK and the US, between Capital and Capital Xtra we play them all! Plus, by listening to the radio you get some human interaction in between. I stick to talking about the stuff we are all viewing online and trying to keep my chat to about the length of a single Snapchat, which is hard for me as you know I like to talk. I think listeners want someone on there talking about the same things they’re talking about on the group chat, but mostly keeping the music on. When I do it I imagine I’m on in the background of many a home office, so I don’t want to intrude too much, just pop in and have a quick word, you know?

Back to COVID, for me personally it’s been OK as I’ve kept working and was able to go into the studio. But there have been some weeks when I’ve really struggled. A lot went on in a short space of time and I worried. I was upset and had anxiety much like many others, I got pretty down a few times, but never when I was at work, it was always after I finished. Work kept me going, I just wanted to do a good job and cheer up anyone who also felt how I did.

That’s extremely admirable of you! What do you think the future holds for 2021?

Radio everyday because it’s my favourite thing ever, and we just got a new boss who I’m excited to work with. I know him from when I worked on Capital and he loves radio as much as I do, so I’m glad to work with him again and make sure I’m sounding great! I’m working on a podcast - it’s actually crazy not having a podcast already, but I’ve been working on it for a year and me and my friend just want to make sure it’s perfect and we are doing something different to what’s already out there. So that’s exciting. And I’m hoping to DJ the C Word launch party whenever that happens! We need a party! So can we make it happen?!

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I don’t know about you guys, but a C Word launch party with Toni as the DJ sounds just what the doctor ordered…