Want to hear something special on the show? Fill in your request below; song, artist – and hidden gems welcome. We just can’t promise we’ll have it.
Simone… on the radio? Yup, welcome to my world.
I grew up on South Africa’s national youth station — Radio 5, or 5FM, depending on your era. My dad was a Radio Five-er, and the soundtrack of our lives played through those car speakers — from school runs to hockey games, train stations to Sunday drives the radio was on.
In high school, I was obsessed with music. New discoveries came through the radio or those treasured mixed CDs from girls with older siblings and LimeWire access. Being a radio host always felt like one of those distant, dreamy careers; a fantasy rather than a real possibility. But the signs were there. I chose Rhodes University over UCT because I would stay on campus and have better access to the student radio station. But I got swept up in politics and graphic design… and radio, and music, faded quietly into the background.
Until recently.
It’s 2025, and I have an opportunity to do things I want to do. Hosting a radio show? Still on the list.
So I applied to my local community station, Zone Radio. I pitched a concept, did the interview, trained in both radio and tech, and was offered the most iconic slot: Sundays from 3–6PM. That’s the golden hour. The Barney Simon hour. The Kid Fonque slot. I couldn’t say no. Not to my inner teenager, not to me.
The show has not even launched yet, and I am taking it step by step. First I need to get down the talking — mic technique, timing, breathing. Then comfortable with the song selection. That’s where the soul of the show lives. Here’s where I am currently at:
✨ 60s/70s psychedelia
🖤 90s grunge nostalgia
💫 Dream pop, shoegaze, alt-rock & hidden gems
No hip-hop, no cheesy pop (yet), just music with feeling. From Mazzy Star to Audioslave, The Doors to Portishead, it’s a show that lets the music do the talking. And I am having so much fun.
Be a part of the story! I want your requests, your nostalgia, your high school song obsessions. Send in a track via the form above, and maybe it’ll inspire a whole 6-song mix. Because it’s all about the music. If I have it, I’ll play it; if I don’t have it, I will let you know.
This is a journey, and like all the best ones, it’s more magical when shared. So please join me. Tune in every Sunday, 3–6PM, on Zone Radio. Untiss untiss.