Bruna Giampietro and Emily are the Co-DJ’s of Man Eater, a radio show on WTBU. WTBU is BU’s own radio station, where students can intern and DJ on their own, or other radio shows. You can listen to WTBU at 89.3 FM, 640 AM, and also here! I talked to Bruna and Emily about Man Eater, the most badass radio show out there focused on female empowerment.
PHOTO VIA @brunadamore on Instagram
How did you come up with the name “Man Eater?”
Emily:
“Bruna and I both knew that we wanted a radio show together and I pitched her the idea of a feminist show that highlighted female artists and women’s issues. We spent a day or two throwing names around and when Bruna suggested “Man Eater,” (taken from the Hall & Oates song). We both loved it and the name just stuck. We definitely wanted something provocative and eye-catching so when Bruna threw it out there I immediately loved it.”
Do you play only female artists, or do you include male artists as well?
Emily:
“We definitely try to focus on female artists, but we don’t exclusively play just women. We have had shows where the entire playlist has been strictly women but for most shows we play a few male artists here or there. We also had one show that focused on male artists that support women so we played a whole variety of male artists that week.”
Did you have any specific inspiration for this show, or did you come up with the idea on your own?
Bruna:
“Emily and I are incredibly passionate about women’s rights. Our big feminist hearts were in need of an outlet to explore and discuss issues related to women and female empowerment. A radio show was the perfect merge between our love for music and our love for advocacy.”
Emily:
“We wanted to create something that would be unique and stand out from other programming on WTBU. I’m a women’s studies minor and spend most of my time thinking and talking about women’s issues so when I was brainstorming ideas the concept for Man Eater was the first thing that popped into my head. The show has been a great outlet for us to combine two things we both love (music & feminism) and talk about what we’re passionate about.”
Intersectionality is something that you’re very passionate about, how do you incorporate that into your radio show?
Emily:
“Bruna is Brazilian, and one of our other DJ’s is Haitian, so I think those are two really great perspectives other than my own to have on the show that diversify what we talk about. We also try to discuss a range of issues that impact different groups of women. Race is a prominent topic of discussion on the show. We also constantly acknowledge that we are a small sample of women and can’t speak for all females.”
Bruna:
“Intersectionality is a topic that comes up at every show whether it be intentional or not because all 4 DJs come from different backgrounds. My co-DJ Emily is white and Jewish, our baby freshmen DJs, Erin and Archelle, are black, and I am a Latina immigrant. Our diverse perspectives, experiences and opinions on different topics always spark conversation.”
What are some specific topics that you’ve brought up in between songs? Do you have a theme for every week?
Bruna:
“Every week, we come up with different themes and topics to discuss so we stay focused and have the chance to challenge ourselves and fully explore that subject. For example, last week we had a Valentine’s Day themed playlist centered around not only romantic, but self love. When it came to the main discussions, in light of current events, we talked about Florida’s tragic school shooting and the evident and urgent need for gun control because every issue is a woman’s issue. We also touched upon the rise of consumer feminism that brands feminism as “trendy” instead of urging people to act on it.”
Emily:
“We discuss a variety of topics but I think some of my favorite discussions so far have been hook-up culture (is it liberation or exploitation?) and eliminating the stigma on menstruation. Some weeks we abandon a theme and just play songs that we are listening to at the time but every week we always try to switch it up.”
Do you see yourself continuing this radio show for the rest of your time at BU, and would you like to expand on it past college?
Bruna:
“Oh absolutely!!! “Man Eater” has become one of my most prized possessions. It’s my baby and my proud creation. I feel empowered every time we have the show because I get to share my passions and frustrations with people that truly appreciate the being a part of the journey for progress. I don’t know if I will have the opportunity to continue with radio past college but I definitely want to stay involved in the fight for women’s rights through mass media mediums so I can keep the conversation going.”
Emily:
“I definitely want to continue the show for the rest of my time at BU. We consider the show our baby and we have put a lot of work into building it into what it is today. I don’t see myself venturing into radio beyond college but I want to continue advocating for women in any way that I can. Ideally I see myself working for a progressive women’s organization or for female politicians.”
What are some of your favorite songs to play on the radio?
Emily:
“We love playing pump-up, fun songs that we can dance to in the studio. It’s fun because when the mics are off and just the music is playing on air we turn it up to full volume in the studio and have a dance party. Last semester when our show was from six to eight AM on Sunday mornings, we would be screaming and dancing in the studio at six in the morning and it was a great time. Some favorites have been “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn, and anything by Lady Gaga.”
PHOTO VIA @emrroe on Instagram
Tune into Man Eater every Thursday morning from 8-10 AM for good tunes, and some early morning empowerment!
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