Top New Talent Q&A: Paris Humphrey

Staff Writer

Paris Humphrey has been named in Radio Today’s Top New Talent to Watch in 2019.

Originally from South Australia, Paris kicked off her career in community radio and stand-up comedy, before eventually attending the Australian Radio School.

Paris has been in commercial radio for just over a year, a journey that began at Super Radio Network’s Onefm in Tamworth before she secured a move to Southern Cross Austereo’s Hit South Queensland through the mentorship of the Hubble program.

She was recognised at the 2018 ACRAs as the winner of the Best Newcomer On-Air (Country) and also has an enviable social media following, producing regular videos to a sizable audience.

Get to know a bit more about Paris below with our Top New Talent Q&A:


Who/what inspired you to choose a career in radio?

Radio has always been my dream. I remember being about 12 years old and thinking to myself ‘What’s a job I can do where I get to have fun and talk lots?’ I eventually found out there’s more to it than that but that realization didn’t come until after years of listening in and fangirling over announcers!

My first taste of on-air radio was when I did a freestyle rap to ‘Otis – the instrumental’ about why Smallzy should give me Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake tickets. I didn’t win the tickets but got a huge thrill out of it and knew for sure radio is where I wanted to be.

What radio shows do you first recall listening to as a kid?

Of course the CLASSIC Hamish & Andy but weirdly enough I was really invested in Lewis & Lowe when they had the brekky show on Nova 91.9 Adelaide. I used to have a huge commute to school in year 10,11,12 and so they got a lot of my listening time!

How did you end up in your current gig?

Before this I was in Tamworth and totally ready for the next step in my radio career, Hubble was a huge help to me however I also sent A LOT of emails that were ultimately ignored and quite a few terrible demos as well.

I basically took my role as ‘tolerable nuisance’ very seriously and kept knocking on the door until it opened! Then eventually I got the golden email offering me the gig, I was absolutely stoked and ran out to my old station’s car park to ring basically everyone I know and tell them about it haha..

What’s been your most memorable on-air moment so far?

Basically any prank I’ve ever managed to pull off, and giving away a car.. I CRIED!!!

What’s one skill that you’ve mastered, and what’s one skill that you’re currently working on?

Have you ever heard of ‘Master of none’, I’d say my number one talent is giving too much info about my personal life. I’m currently working on the fact that I give too much info about my personal life.

How do you prepare for your shift on-air?

I’m always thinking about what I can bring to air, whether it’s something in my everyday life, something I’ve heard about from a mate or an article I’ve seen online.

It’s a LOT of click-bait article consumption mixed with writing down anything potentially entertaining or relatable that’s happened to me.

How does the person you are on air differ from the person you are off air?

It doesn’t! However, I do find it hard to stay on topic while I’m off air haha!

What advice do you wish you could give yourself when you were just starting out?

Chill out a bit, radio is life but don’t let it be the death of you!

What’s your dream radio job?

I want to do radio and live somewhere that musicians visit on tour… A GIRL CAN DREAM OKAY!

If you weren’t working in radio, what would you be doing?

Crying myself to sleep at night I’d say.

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Recent comments (3)
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Admirer
21 Mar 2019 - 8:26 pm

Huge talent, huge heart. Glad to see this legend up there this year

shane lowe
27 Mar 2019 - 1:06 pm

I also loved Lewis and Lowe.
Thanks Paris!

Lowe
27 Mar 2019 - 1:08 pm

I also loved Lewis and Lowe.
Thanks Paris!!

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