Why did you get involved in WBOR?
Alex Mathieu: One of my good friends, Jennifer Goetz ’15, had a radio show with another student so I thought I would give it a try.
Why is your show called “That One Chick Radio?”
AM: Isn’t it obvious? It’s just me.
What kinds of music do you play?
AM: I try to do a theme every week. Last week was R&B-themed, this week will be ’80s-themed. It varies week to week.
How do you choose which songs to play for each theme?
AM: Just my own personal interest. I mean, I have a wide array of taste in music. I personally like the ’80s, so I play music from the ’80s and I also like R&B.
How do you want your listeners to feel while tuned into your show?
AM: I want them to feel happy that they’re listening to my songs and excited that they’re finding new music.
If you could choose one lyric to define your life, what would it be?
AM: It’s definitely going to be from a Fall Out Boy song. Probably, “Isn’t it messed up how I’m just dying to be him?” from “Sugar We’re Going Down.” A quintessential Fall Out Boy lyric.
What era would you travel back in time to for the best music?
AM: I don’t want to go any farther back than the ’90s. It was a good mix of grunge, super pop with boy and girl bands, weird urban funk, and hip-hop making this really weird shift to electric but still trying to maintain its ’80s groove.
What is your favorite throwback song?
AM: “Say My Name,” by Destiny’s Child.
If you could see any performer from any period of time, who would it be?
AM: It would probably be Michael Jackson circa the “Thriller” album.
What do you think are the most important parts of having WBOR on campus?
AM: I think it’s a great form of self-expression. I relate to music in different ways and it helps me sort through my feelings. It also introduces the local Brunswick community to different types of music, different styles, especially if mainstream pop isn’t doing it so much.
If you have one song that you know can always pump you up, what would it be and why?
AM: There is a song that always pumps me up, but it’s weird because I like rap and hip-hop to a certain extent but they’re not my niche. For some reason, Ludacris’ “Get Back” always gets me pumped for anything. I don’t know what it is about that song but for tests, workouts, exams, presentations, it’s Ludacris’ “Get Back.”
What are your favorite aspects of music?
AM: I listen to a lot of Japanese—Korean and bossa nova too—and I don’t necessarily understand all of what they’re saying but a good beat is important.
There was a reason why, when I was 13, I listened to a lot of Evanescence and Fall Out Boy: I was a little angsty kid. The lyrics mean a lot to me, but it’s how [the beat and the lyrics] work in relation to each other. If the beat is good, then yes I’ll like the song, but if the lyrics are really good and the beat is so-so, I’ll still groove to that song.
Are there any genres of music that you won’t listen to?
AM: I won’t lie. I refuse to listen to screamo. I would say that although I understand why some genres are just not for everyone, giving each genre a chance is not a bad idea as well. I wouldn’t say I enjoy country all that much, but there are some country songs that I like. I feel like there is a song for everyone in every genre. Maybe not in screamo for me, but that’s my personal preference.
What else are you involved with here at Bowdoin?
AM: I’m an R.A. on Residential Life, I’m on the Judicial Board and I co-direct an a cappella group.
Alex Mathieu ’15 hosts WBOR’s “That One Chick Radio” on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to noon.