What are some interesting/different questions for a radio interview?

When I was interviewed on a local radio program, the host asked me to write my own questions ahead of time. It worked out well for me and her.

It depends on who your interviewing. If you’re interviewing someone about a book, read the book first. Know something about the person you’re interviewing and then ask them questions about that.

Hi uberbatman

I think you need to go back to basics. What is the purpose of this interview? What are you trying to achieve? Yes, you want the interview to be a positive experience for the artist, but who is your audience and what do they want to hear? That should surely be your focus? What questions do your audience want to hear the answers to? Keep your purpose and audience in mind and you won’t go far wrong.

And then, as Rarebear suggested, who is the person you are interviewing? I am guessing you have done some serious research? That research may give you clues to things you could ask the artist about. Things that have happened in their past that might have influenced their work and the ideas they themselves are presenting. How they work? When they work? What interferes with their process?

Another suggestion I would make is think about the interviewers you admire. What is it you like about those interviewers? What captures your attention? The way your favourite interviewers work may give you some inspiration.

Hope this helps a little. Are you nervous? Hope you have fun with it.

@gailcalled I did email him and ask if there were any specific questions he’d like me to ask or topics to cover but id still like some other fun questions for him.

Ok so the person I am interviewing is I suppose considered a nerd rapper. I have been a fan of his for some time now and listened to his cd’s many times over so thats covered lol. As per the audience thing, i really dont have one lol. Honestly I think I have like 5 listeners if that lol. Yay college radio late night with no advertising. So really the interview is more about having fun and of course promoting their work.

As per interviewers I admire, I couldnt really give you any names but I enjoy very much when the interviewer will ask some off the wall question or something while being insightful isnt the sort of question you hear everyday or in any other interviews you read with them.

Am I nervous? Yea kinda, I suck at talking on the radio in the first place, I hate talking on the phone, and well im a complete mo mo when faced with anyone even semi famous for some reason lol. That said in talking with him over email he seems like a really cool guy so I think everything will go just fine.

im a mess…. lol

Five listeners is an audience :-) So who do you imagine those people are? Who do you want your audience to be even? You see that’s the key here, it isn’t about us as interviewers, its about the audience, what do they want to know.

Not sure what a nerd rapper is so I googled it. Are there any common themes that run through his work? Any political ideas or something like that? What does (if anything) he want his work to achieve? Why do you like his work? What is it that inspires you to listen? Is this (whatever inspires you) something he was aiming for? I was listening to something the other day, it was about lyrics and poetry and the idea that some musicians don’t like their lyrics to be considered as poetry. I have to admit I am not into rap or hip hop, but I have always understood this to be a sort of urban poetry? Do you think that’s true? Is that a road you could go down? What does he think the purpose of nerd rap is? What role does it play in society? I am just brainstorming here but perhaps you could do that too. Get a piece of paper, put his name in the middle and draw a mind map of all the ideas that come into your head as you ponder. Don’t work at it, just let your mind run free. Something might come up that inspires you and you can use it as a question.

I have to say for someone who hates talking on the radio or phone, kudos for doing it! Most people back away from things they find confronting.

Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes.

Thanks, that actually helped a lot. :)

I like @Mz_Lizzy‘s ideas. Good luck, uber!

“Where will you stand during the robot invasion?” When they stare blankly at you… continue with the second part of the question:

“With the robots, or with the humans?”

I like it. Has the nerdy side to it.

Well I am a nerd, it is how I operate. I want to hear the show though. :)

@mowens ill try and get my manager to record it for me. Then Ill try and figure out a way to upload it. Adversely and much more easily, you can just listen online :) There is a link in my profile.

@uberbatman: Do keep in mind that the interview is about the artist and not your comedic skills. Don’t sandbag him or her with an odd or unexpected question. Save the zombie or robot questions for another show.

@gailcalled I wouldnt consider it sandbaging him since he raps about such topics and is a comedic artist himself.