“ … so many people in New York devote their lives to creating art and entertaining others and don’t get proper payment for it. It’s so important to give back and directly support those who have such an impact on us!”
How Kaitlyn DeTrinis of “Mixed Signals” puts the money where the music is by supporting local artists.
RFB: Tell us a little bit about the path(s) that led to you doing your show and to Radio Free Brooklyn.
KDT: One of my biggest passions in life is music. I love digging deeper into it and learning the history that comes with it. Living in Brooklyn has opened my eyes to so many things and showed me how talented and diverse the scene is here. I wanted to contribute to this community in a way I wouldn’t be taking up space from those who deserve the spotlight.
RFB: How did you become interested in radio and why did you choose RFB?
KDT: I have always loved radio and thought about how cool it would be to have a show one day. Once I discovered RFB I knew it was the station for me. I love that it stood for local talent and diversity.
RFB: I love that you feature links to buy the music of all the artists you feature. That is such a cool way to give back! What made you decide to do that and is it working?
KDT: I really wanted to make sure I could support the artists I play in the best way possible. So many talented people, especially marginalized people in New York devote their lives to creating art and entertaining others and don’t get proper payment for it. It’s so important to give back and directly support those who have such an impact on us!
RFB: I also love that you’re a fellow Noo Yawk native, and that your focus is only on music from 2020 and 2021. Does the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have anything to do with that?
KDT: Hmmm… there was a lot of music released during the pandemic that I definitely wanted to highlight, and yes, I decided to pick that timeframe to highlight the talent that’s right here right now.
RFB: Ugh, COVID-19 is still hanging on—but that hasn’t stopped you from debuting a show! Tell us about the challenges and rewards of your process so far.
KDT: It’s all been great! I’ve learned so much about the music history of the city, the people that have built this community, and the artists that make it what it is. The hardest part can be just finding new artists and tracks. I never want to repeat a song and I try my best to have a diverse group of artists. That said, some weeks are easier than others.
RFB: What is the takeaway you hope people get from Mixed Signals?
KDT: Great question! I hope it opens people’s eyes to the marginalized talent that exists here in New York (and New Jersey, too, haha). I also hope it makes people think more ethically about the music they are consuming.
Tune in to Mixed Signals Thursdays at 11:00pm.
