Celebrating International Women's Day on Capital XTRA: Behind The Microphone

8 March 2024, 09:00 | Updated: 8 March 2024, 11:20

For International Women's Day, we spotlight the women who make Capital XTRA, both on and off air.

On March 8 every year, the world celebrates International Women's Day, and over on Capital XTRA we have spent the week leading up to and the day giving our flowers to the females.

So far, Robert Bruce and Shayna Marie have challenged Capital XTRA DJs to mix as many songs from some of the biggest female artists in Hip-Hop & RnB in 10 mins every day at 9AM! Hip-Hop Fridays were also taken over by the Queens of Hip-Hop celebrating the crème de la crème of female rap!

At Capital XTRA, we have a huge range of female talent across on-air and off-air, from the worlds of producing, events, digital and commercial partnerships, where we gave them the task of giving their younger selves some advice about the radio and media industry as a whole.

1. Shayna Marie - Presenter

   

   Shayna Marie's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "Enjoy every second and don't worry too much because it won’t matter!"

2. Leah Davis - Presenter

   

   Leah's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "Girl, breathe, relax and rest! You are doing enough, and you don't need to overthink every single move you make.

   "It's not easy to 'find your voice' but once you do find it, use it. Also, trust your instincts because 9/10 that weird feeling you got turned out to be spot on!"

3. Jojo Silva - Presenter

   

   Jojo's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "Shoot your shot! I held myself back from pursuing opportunities because I feared rejection or didn’t think I ticked all the boxes on a spec; sometimes a rejection is redirection."

4. Kamilla Rose - Presenter

   

   Kamilla's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "I'd tell my younger self that stay open minded, try (and maybe fail) at as many different roles as possible until you find the one that fits. Also be confident in your craft and skills - you're way more talented than you think!"

5. Toni Phillips - Presenter

   

   Toni's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "I would tell younger me well done on listening to TLC and the Spice Girls cause they helped make you a badass and able to achieve great things in the media world…it is possible!"

6. Glory - Presenter

   

   Glory's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "What I would advise my younger self about being in the media industry is to not think you have to fit in a particular box to be seen. Your unique presence in the industry is enough."

7. Jourds - Presenter

   

   Jourds' advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "No matter how many times you hear no, keep pushing, breaking down doors and believing in yourself even if no one else will. Don't stop believing in yourself, as one day you're going to look back and smile because you never gave up."

8. Kennedy Taylor - Presenter

   

   Kennedy's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "I would let my younger self know to trust my gut! any instinct you have is usually right, remember that YOU are the brand and know your worth."

9. Lisa - Deputy Managing Editor – Capital XTRA & Head of Events - Global 

   

   Lisa's advice she'd tell her younger self:

   "Embrace learning and remember that every day you will learn something new. Try a range of things, which is then you will only discover what areas play into your passion and strengths. 

   "I didn’t know what industry I wanted to work in when I was younger but when the opportunity of doing work experience for a music/talent organisation I jumped at the chance and threw myself into learning and working hard at building a career in events & radio."

10. Hayley - Digital Managing Editor of Capital XTRA

    

    Hayley's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Showing up for yourself every day is the most important thing you can do. You have to keep pushing yourself and trust the process.

    "Also, it’s not about the destination, it’s always about the journey!"

11. Anna - Content Editor at Capital XTRA

    

    Anna's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Reach out to people who you think share similar experiences and backgrounds to you. The worst they will say is no so why not shoot your shot! Ignore those who might doubt you, and you can then prove them wrong later."

12. Kumba - Digital Content Producer at Capital XTRA

    

    Kumba's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Be authentically yourself and don’t let other people’s expectations dictate who you should be."

13. Rhiannon - Producer of Capital XTRA Breakfast

    

    Rhiannon's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "If you want something enough, don’t give up to make it happen. Determination and self-belief are key in this industry and so long as you believe in yourself, you’ll be able to overcome the challenges you face to get you where you want to be.

    "It will take a lot of hard work but when you can look back at how far you’ve come from the start of putting the hours in, it’s so satisfying and makes it all worth it."

14. Naomi - Assistant Producer

    

    Naomi's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Don’t let others uncertainty dim your light & keep that confident spirit! Trust in the process and put yourself forwards for everything, there’s a plethora of things to learn from and your creativity has no bounds! There’s space at the table for everybody and keep in mind you bring something unique and rare."

15. Hannah - Producer

    

    Hannah's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Be your number 1 supporter, make sure you ride for yourself! Once you see your own potential, everyone else will!"

16. Shivani - Specialist Show Producer

    

    Shivani's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "‘Be Confident’. The media industry is full of big personalities and as an introvert you can easily get masked by those who are the loudest in the room. Believe in yourself and your unique perspective.

    "It’s so important to know your worth and remind yourself of the accomplishments and value you bring to your work. Confidence is a journey - its normal to have moments of doubt. Stay patient with yourself and strive to cultivate confidence through practice, self-reflection, and dedication."

17. Jasmine - Specialist Show Producer

    

    Jasmine's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Be your authentic self and lead with power. Be at peace with who you are and evolve into the person you want to be. Feel no fear to fit in a box and be confident in the shoes you walk in (literally and metaphorically)."

18. Annette - Branded Content Producer

    

    Annette's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "My advice is to always be your own number one fan, advocate for yourself and don’t be afraid to speak up for what you deserve, whether it's salary, career opportunities, or recognition for your work."

19. Jade - Music Programmer

    

    Jade's advice she'd tell her younger self:

    "Don’t feel as if you need to change yourself to fit into an environment, you will always find your community within the workplace."

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