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What is your heritage?
My father is full Chinese and my mother is British. I have four older sisters.
How did that affect you growing up?
My dad has been in New Zealand since he was really young and is totally a Kiwi. I was aware when I went to primary school that there wasn’t much cultural diversity and that I wasn’t as white as everyone else. I wanted to be pasty white and have hairy legs (interviewer laughs) I know, everyone always laughs when I say that, but that is what I wanted. We don’t do much culturally in my family which I do think is a shame, it sometimes makes me feel like a bit of me is lost out there.
How about being the youngest?
I don’t know any other way. I only had hand me down clothes, and there was plenty of ‘you’ll grow into it.’ Although I think mum made an effort every now and then to get me something special and new. I remember when I was about 12 I harassed mum to get me a little green and white polka dot tee with a bow and a green banded skirt with sewn in bike pants for a tennis disco. That was very special, new and just for me. Growing up I felt that my mouth had to be my weapon, and I can pack a punch. My older sisters paved the way for some things but if they did anything wrong it would become a closed door to me. There is really nothing I could have done that hadn’t already been done by one of my sisters, piano, dancing, drama – I even did the same degree as one of my sisters, but she majored in PR and I majored in radio. But now we are all quite different and have gone into quite different fields.
What sparked your interest in the music industry?
It was kind of a series of events. I wasn’t that interested in music as a teenager but I worked with a friend who was really into Britpop. She lent me some cassettes and we went along to the Blur concert at the North Shore events centre, which just blew me away. Afterwards we clung together, hysterical and overwhelmed. Then I had a brief romance with someone who was also really into music, and he made me a mix tape and encouraged me to start seeking out more obscure stuff. In fact I got a tattoo of one of the songs on the mix tape, a song by the Manic Street Preachers) and Greg Haver heard about the tattoo in Japan and arranged for me to receive a personally signed copy of the 10th anniversary edition of ‘The Holy Bible’. Anyway, I guess it just went from there.
How did you get involved in the music industry?
I left high school part way through seventh form realising I couldn’t beat my sixth form marks and worked for year and half, not really knowing what I wanted to do. I seriously considered being a teacher, but eventually decided it would be cool to get in o the media. I did Bachelor of Communications at AUT and majored in radio. I thought this was a good idea, it meant that I could work in the media but still be associated with music. In my life, for a long time it was really all about the music; then I came to love radio and now I love TV. A guy I was seeing at the time encouraged me to get audition practice by accompanying him to the audition for M2 (TV2 music show) and luckily we both got the job.
So you never intended to be a VJ?
No, not at all. When I was 18/19 I used to think man It would be cool to be on MTV, but not seriously, I have never had the ‘ I want to be on TV’ attitude. I thought I would work in radio. Plus I am no good in auditions, I can’t audition to save myself actually.
How did you get the M2 job then?
Um, lack of any other talent? Nah, there were six of us who got the job, three were known and they wanted the other three to be unknown. The role I got they specifically wanted an unknown. I guess I got it because in music TV the host has to know a lot and be passionate about music, and I think that comes across if someone is really into it. Plus some people say I have a natural approach, but to be honest that is the only way I could do it, I can’t fake interest. I really like just chatting to people.
When did you start at C4?
I started on Valentines day 2005. In fact my first day at C4 was my first day live on air, which was very nerve-racking. I had not done TV for nearly two years, since I had worked on Squeeze, but that was all pre-recorded so it was full on. But didn’t take long to get back into it. The hardest part was co-hosting with Clarke (Gayford) because he had been co-hosting with Jackie (Brown) for two years and we didn’t know each other very well when I started there, we initially had to pretend we gelled, until we did, on and off screen.
What has been your C4 career highlight so far?
It may sound funny but in a way it was the wakeboarding camp I was sent to early on at C4. It was just the complete opposite of something I would normally do, and working at C4 I have had the opportunity to do things I would never have thought about trying. Musically it was interviewing Interpol, I was right in the middle of really loving them and I beat the lead singer at two games of pool which was really cool. But you get used to meeting people and after a while the wow factor isn’t the same, but I still get nervous. But they’re good nerves.
What is a typical day for you?
There’s no such thing. I’m pretty much at the office Monday to Friday but then there are field shoots on Sunday, live shows and promo and publicity stuff, so there are no typical days. It makes it really hard to know what I am doing one day to the next and I do get confused easily with my schedule, but I love the variety and it means I don’t get bored.
Who in the music band do you would be too awestruck to interview?
There are bands I know I would be like that with, but I haven’t met them yet. Although I was quite freaked out to talk with Sonic Youth just because they’ve been around for long time and are so respected, but that interview went really well. It is quite good being from New Zealand, because you can say to people ‘I’m sorry but you are probably going to be asked questions you have heard before, and we have to go over the basics’. Panic at the Disco were here recently and their interview went well because I explained why we had to go over ground they have gone over before.
What about the people you don’t want to interview again?
I am kind of scared of The Strokes now – I did an interview with them and they were horrible and rude. It got to the point where I felt they were acting like they were doing me a favour and felt like walking out. I still like their music and I saw them live which was awesome, but that interview has tainted them for me. I think they shouldn’t go around assuming everyone worships the ground they walk on.
Any embarrassing moments?
Plenty! People give you a very hard time if you get anything wrong – I remember at a Moby press conference once I got a video of his mixed up with a Fat Boy Slim vid, and that was embarrassing. You stuff up on air all the time, but sometimes it is just a slip of the tongue, its not that you don’t know your stuff. I remember once I said ‘coming up are Queens of the Stoneage and you might notice Dave Grohl on guitar’ when I knew he was on drums. The producer told me afterwards and I hadn’t even noticed.
How does the public react to mistakes?
It doesn’t take much to stumble in the eyes of music nerds and at first you’re devastated. But everyone makes mistakes and it is going to happen!
What about being in the public eye?
I don’t around searching for trouble and actually I’m really boring. I just don’t get up to things that are scandalous or say controversial things.
Is part of that due to the fact you are allergic to alcohol?
Music is a very alcohol heavy industry but I can’t really drink anything. It only takes half a glass of beer or wine and I get headaches, nausea and my skin goes all pink. They call that the Asian Flush, thanks Dad! It is like going straight to the hangover without all the fun bits. But again I’ve never known it any other way; at times you wish you could get smashed, but I get naturally high on other peoples moods.
You have participated in the Make Poverty History Campaign and the City Mission’s Winter Appeal – what does helping charity mean to you?
In both cases the charities approached us, which was great because I absolutely like to be involved. On one hand it’s a funny thing, because you’re saying ‘hey I’m important’ and I’m not that kind of person - but if people recognise me from my job and that can help in some way, great. The Make Poverty History is a campaign you can’t deny, its global – and they only wanted local faces on it, but at the end of the day it’s part of a bigger cause. For the Mission auction, they asked me what I would like to do with the winner. Everyone else was doing bungy jumps and stuff, but I said ‘I’ve never had a pedicure, so that might be nice.’ A guy won the auction, and we haven’t had our pedicure yet, but that should be coming up. And I also sponsor a child – I set it up so I don’t even notice payments going out after I get paid, but it makes feel really good. It’s helping.
How much planning do large events like the NZ Music awards, Big Day Out and Fashion Week mean for you?
The producers take care of a lot of the leg-work and we focus on the week to week. The producers do let the presenters have involvement in the creative side though, we don’t just roll up and then swan about. As a company C4 plan things months in advance, which has a lot to do with scheduling, our time and other shows. And even when those events come to an end we are already thinking about the same event next year, what went right, what went wrong and how can we improve on our latest effort.
Does everything go according to plan on the day?
Never! Well, mostly not. You have to be very flexible - we schedule and plan as best we can but you can over plan. In terms of interviews, anything you think you have covered can go wrong, but I guess that is part of why we have the job we do, to be able to fill the gaps.
You are really into gaming and gadgets – are you quite the tomboy?
A little bit. You know quite a bit about me - where do you find this stuff, on my website?
Amongst other things, we have good journalists at M2. But tell us about your website, www.picnicbythemotorway.com.
It was started years ago. M2 had quite a strong online community and we were encouraged to chat, have a forum and post a blog. You got to know people quite well, and after the show ended there was nowhere for them to go. A friend who is a website designer offered to keep it going and another friend does the maintenance on it, although I post the updates myself.
What are your plans for the immediate future?
I have signed on for another year with C4, which is great because everyone is really excited about what is happening there; it’s going really well, we have a tight team and recent changes refreshed the channel for viewers and staff.
What are your plans for the long term?
Well pretty much every job I’ve had since leaving AUT is in music, and that’s what I want. I think I could work in other areas in TV and Radio but would have to be music related, not like hosting a DIY show. Although having said that one day I might be grateful for that. I have been very lucky and things have fallen into my lap, presenting at Squeeze, then getting C4 stoked - so I hate to project, because no matter what I say it might not happen that way. Perhaps I could own production company.
Whats the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Nothing worth having is easy.
Whats the worst?
When you’re going through a break-up you get the worst advice from everyone, you know; rebounds are not fine and you should not drink yourself stupid. Every relationship is so unique that really advice shouldn’t be offered to someone going through a break up.
Whats on your ipod at the moment?
What would be on my iPod if I ever got round to recharging my batteries are Australian band Gyroscope, The Dares and I love Brendan Benson and the latest album from Snow Patrol. Oh, and the new Datsuns is very good.
What do you think of NZ music?
I do like it, but I do music reviews and if you don’t like something you have to be very diplomatic. Not because of repercussions, but in my position I’m probably going to interview the band I slate in a week, and sometimes they’re mates and don’t want to slam them publicly. But my opinions are always reflected in the star rating! It can be hard being a reviewer too, because you know that not everything can be my taste.
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