A particularly literary bunch of DJs from WRGW District Radio, the George Washington University’s student-run radio station, are taking time from our live broadcasts (everyday 8am-2 am) to bring you the latest updates in music news, concert reviews, interviews, editorials, and more!
Staff Writers
Emma Westcott – Music Blog Editor, Music Staff Writer
Emma is originally from Elmira, New York. She is in the business school with a minor in music and is graduating in 2023! Some of her favorite artists are Fleetwood Mac, Harry Styles, David Bowie, Phoebe Bridgers, Elton John, and Pink Floyd. Emma loves to collect records (currently has about 65) and her favorite place in the world is Syracuse Vintage Vinyl in upstate New York! Emma writes a column entitled “Playlists from the Subconscious” and describes it as such: “my column is where I write about the specific and and random feelings or moods that songs bring to me. I always hear a song and immediately put it to a movie scene in my head or to a certain situation, so my column is basically my way of using flowery words to show everyone else the playlists I make!” Read everything Emma has written for WRGW here.
Jess Makler – Website Designer, Music Staff Writer, WRGW Production Director
Jess (BA ’22) is a Journalism major with a self-made concentration in audio design and music technology. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts like All Songs Considered and Sound Opinions- she never listens to the same song twice! Her favorite artists are surf rock band BRONCHO and girl rock groups like Tacocat and Ex Hex. Follow her on spotify! https://open.spotify.com/user/jessirwin422?si=2pevHHlwQ-m57mJjnEpxvQ Read everything Jess has written for WRGW here.
Claire Lanthier – Music Staff Writer, WRGW Music Director
Claire is an International Affairs and American Studies major graduating in 2023, but spends more of her time making niche playlists and watching comfort movies than anything else. Claire has too many favorite artists to count, such as Beach House, Twin Peaks, Cocteau Twins, Fleetwood Mac, Elliott Smith, and Angel Olsen. She loves listening to everything: from 1970s folk singers to Riot Grrrl from the 90s to today’s RnB. Claire edits all of the submissions to the blog, and also writes a column entitled “No-Skip Saturday” which she describes here: “No Skip Saturday covers albums that are perfect for listening to all-the-way-through, no skips needed! I’ve never been a big album person, but I have some that I think that everyone should listen to, usually because they are narrative albums that tell a great story.” Read everything she’s written for WRGW here.
Bryn Taylor – Music Staff Writer
Bryn Taylor (class of 2024), is a sophomore in the School of Media and Public Affairs. When she’s not drowning in homework, Bryn enjoys spending her time hanging out in the WRGW studio. She loves running her radio show, LoFiFinds, listening to good music (mainly funk and indie pop), and discovering new bands/artists. The column I write is titled Frission and discuss 3 songs per week, discussing their music elements that make them such captivating and physically provoking pieces. Read everything’s she’s written for WRGW here.
Ayesha Khan – Music Staff Writer
Ayesha is a member of the Class of 2022, majoring in IA and minoring in GIS. She is originally from Chicago. When asked about music, she said “I got into music when I was 10 and heard my brothers’ listening to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (not the most age appropriate, but oh well :)” Read everything she has written here.
Katherine Andrews – Music Staff Writer
Katherine is a junior (2022) in American Studies and History here at GW. Her favorite artists change pretty regularly, but go-to listening includes Arca, Blood Orange, Broadcast, Laraaji, Neil Young, and Yo La Tengo. She says “If I could listen to one single piece of music for the rest of my life, it would be ‘Einstein on the Beach.’ It’s completely wild, but so much fun.” Katherine has a column here at WRGW, entitled Keeping Score. Katherine describes it here: “Keeping Score pairs movies with albums for recommended viewing and listening. Like a fine wine with a well aged cheese.” Read everything she’s written for WRGW here.
Oliver Kogod – Music Staff Writer
From Oliver: “To answer the easy questions… I am a senior majoring in American Studies. I’m from San Francisco, CA. Bands I love include Fugazi, Gang of Four, Polvo, Turnstile, and Unwound. Other than that, all I would say is when it feels like your life revolves around one thing, it’s fun to reflect and write about it. For me that thing in life is music. Listening, creating, sharing, performing, dancing… all those things appeal to me, so that’s what I try to do.” And when asked about his column, he summed it up by saying, “Random thoughts from OK.” Read everything he’s written for WRGW here.
Ruby Gordon – Music Staff Writer
Ruby is an indecisive International Affairs major reluctantly graduating in 2023. She is a rowdy consumer of as much music as possible. When not organizing songs into super-long hyper-niche playlists, Ruby is whipping a little boat across the Potomac with the GW Sailing Team. Some favorite artists include Courtney Barnett, Big Thief, Kacey Musgraves, Mac Miller, and Faye Webster. When asked about her column, Ruby simply said, “Draped in Introspection is a column structured around a playlist of songs and my thoughts on them.” Read everything she’s written here.
Grace Olivieri – Music Staff Writer
Grace is a junior studying business with a concentration in marketing strategy and analytics. Her hometown is Scituate, Massachusetts. Her favorite artists are Harry Styles, Kasey Musgraves, The 1975, Halsey, Olivia Rodrigo, Troye Sivan, YUNGBLUD, Taylor Swift, Doja Cat, Mac Miller, Ariana Grande, One Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, and more! Whether it is playing her guitar or listening to music on Spotify, Grace is passionate about music as a form of creative expression. This semester, she is the co-host of an astrology-themed music show on WRGW Radio called “The Zodiac Killahs.” Each week she and her show partner play music inspired by one of the zodiac signs. Tune in to WRGW on Wednesdays from 10 AM to 11 AM to hear it! Read everything she’s written here.
Abby Rose is a Junior from Westchester, NY, majoring in Sociology and minoring in Journalism and Exercise Science. When she’s not listening to music, cooking up a Trader Joe’s-inspired meal or checking out a local coffee shop, she’s running with the GWU Club Cross Country team! As for music, some of her favorite artists are the Omar Apollo, Steve Lacy, Wallows, The Lumineers, Kings of Leon, and many more, and she tends to gravitate towards alternative and indie music, yet has an ear for all different genres. Abby Rose will be writing in the “Your Next Favorite Artist” column, where she will introduce an artist, explain what they are about, their appeal, how their music makes her feel and what songs of theirs are her favorite. Essentially, she will be finding her readers their next new artist obsession, and linking a playlist to make it easy. Read everything she’s written for WRGW here.
Max Cohen is a freshman in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (class of 2025) originally from Suffern, NY. Some of his favorite artists are Prince Daddy and The Hyena, Of Montreal, The Beach Boys, Retirement Party, David Bowie, Run The Jewels, and Weezer. He loves Arizona tea, Hawaiian shirts, bad free verse poetry, D&D, and colorful vinyl. His favorite place is the Lakes of the Clouds AMC hut between Mount Washington and Mount Monroe in New Hampshire. On the blog, he contributes concert reviews and rants about his musical fixation of the hour. He co-hosts “DIYNot”, a late-night radio show that spotlights independent artists in the emo scene. Come kick it on WRGW, Fridays from 11 PM – 12 PM. Read everything he’s written for WRGW here.