Interview: Sonic Alien 4ZZZ

Olive McCagh
May 1
12 min read

Interviewed by Olive McCagh

There are many heartbeats behind the current Magandjin music scene, and Jordan Royal, or more famously known under her radio show Sonic Alien, is one of them. If you have ever dialled your radio into 102.1FM, you would know her voice, as she dominates the airwaves with her passion for local music. Born out of pure love and an unknowing search for community, Sonic Alien has become one of the most accomplished modern shows on Queensland’s longest-running community radio station, 4ZZZ. Over the last two years, she has platformed up-and-coming local acts, underground national treasures and spoken with some of the world’s hottest acts: Pixies, Fontaines D.C, Amyl and The Sniffers, Big Thief, to name a few. Jordan is one of the hardest-working industry workers, and at only twenty years old has made a name for herself and inspired her peers, both older and younger. I got to chat to her ahead of the Second Birthday show of Sonic Alien, hosted at The Brightside with Girl and Girl, The Empty Threats, Horse and Mr Finn taking the stage alongside local bands’ DJ sets.

You're about to celebrate the second birthday of your radio show, ‘Sonic Alien’, on 4ZZZ. What do you remember about your first show on air?

I was terrified out of my mind. I couldn't sleep the whole night before because I was kind of young. I had spent a lot of time doing the pre-recorded show and was super perfectionistic about everything that I did. The pre-record would always take me four hours because I'd sit there and go, “No, I pronounce that word wrong, cut, do it again”. So, I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to back-announce the same thing and make it perfect. I remember that I was super nervous and I hadn't done many fill-ins. The second that I got in there, I wanted to be off air. I was crying; it was not the best time, but I came to love doing that time slot. So, it ended up being fine in the end, but I remember being absolutely terrified out of my mind.

Do you get nervous at all now?

No. I think sometimes it can ebb and flow. For some reason, you're super nervous before a show for no reason. Then other times you might have a huge interview on, and you're like, “Oh, it's not, it's not that deep. Like, man, whatever.” I don't really get that nervous anymore. Now that I'm 6 AM, I find I'm not even awake. I don't have enough energy to have any emotion, so maybe that's the hack.

When you start curating your playlists each week for the show, where do you look for new music?

I think I do it in a weird way. I really like looking at gig posters. If a band that I like in Sydney is going to Melbourne, who do they choose to support them on their lineup? I think that bands, obviously, touring and being in the scene, might know of other bands that you haven't necessarily heard of before. Also, I guess the way that tours work is if you want to get support slots, you find even smaller bands that you can platform through looking at supports.

Also, just asking bands in interviews, “Hey, who are you liking in your local scene at the moment? Who do you want to shout out or platform?” Because obviously, they would have so much more knowledge of their scene than I could have. They have a lot of stories and insight. So, I like asking bands and then also looking at tour posters.

Also, I like looking at what other shows play on 4ZZZ. It’s super helpful because we have a bunch of announcers who have different music tastes and knowledge of different parts of the music scene. So, looking at like Goo’s playlists or Brighten the Corners, Unnecessary Knowledge, Femme Fatale, I also do that sometimes to look for other bands that I might be missing.

What in a song or an artist sticks out to you and piques your curiosity? Is there anything you can think of in particular?

The way that I got into music was through wanting to know the stories behind things. Why people write things the way that they write them, or why a song is the way that it is based on what a musician was going through at that point in their life. What they were listening to at that point in their life, what they were really getting into. I was obsessed with going down rabbit holes of “Oh, this artist likes this band, so let me go down a rabbit hole of this band and this band and this band.” So, asking artists and knowing the stories behind musicians, why they wrote something that way or what was going on in their life at that time, really sticks out to me because I'm also someone who will make up a whole story or narrative around a song, and it's completely not about that at all. Then you hear the actual story and you're like, “wow”. You can get involved in the world of an artist or the world of a song, and I really like understanding that side of music.

Even shouting out Loose Content, they have a song called ‘Newsreader’. When we were talking about it, they were talking about how it stemmed from them growing up in Lismore, Northern Rivers area, how they had a huge involvement in climate change and environmentalism living in that area and how that fed into their music. I was like, “This is so interesting”, and I think it makes you appreciate their songwriting or their music on a different level. It makes it stay in your brain. I just really enjoy that.

I guess that's the best part about speaking to artists. What you can do on your show is hear those stories. They're not really sitting there in music.

Exactly. You can pick up and expose them, and in real time be like, “Oh, that's a really cool point. Can you actually go deeper into that?” It's not a press release or something that you're reading. It's like, “I have you in front of me, and you're allowing me to ask you questions about sometimes deeply personal work.”

Listen to Sonic Alien on 4ZZZ Here

How many years have you been at 4ZZZ?

I've been at 4ZZZ for three years.

What keeps you motivated to keep coming back to the station and volunteering your hours in community radio?

It sounds so corny, but I couldn't imagine not going into that station every week. I can't imagine even now what my life would be like if I didn't have that station; maybe it's an unhealthy relationship [laughs]. But what would I even be doing? I wouldn't have this. I wouldn't have done the degree that I did. I wouldn't feel as confident in my voice or my opinions. Or feel as welcome to own my voice, what I want to say and what I want to speak about. The station truly sees people and recognizes them for what they want to do, what they want to be, and will support them and give them a platform to understand themselves and their community better. In high school, I never found my people. I didn't like the concept of having to be a part of something bigger; it just never sat with me. Then, when I went into 4ZZZ, there were so many different people from so many different backgrounds. Everyone is so nice, everyone's so accommodating. And you can be friends with so many different people, learn so much about all these different aspects of the music scene, history, politics or anything. I was like, “I never want to leave this place.” Ian (Programming Coordinator of 4ZZZ) had to literally ban me from coming into the station when I was in high school. He was like, “You need to focus on your studies, and you're coming in here too much.” So, he banned me from coming in. I couldn't imagine what I would be doing right now without 4ZZZ; it's such a beautiful place. So, I just want to always be there.

You're always there.

I am always there.

What does the Brisbane, sorry to use this word again, Music community mean to you? What's your favourite thing about being part of it?

I didn't like Brisbane when I was younger. I did not see myself staying here; I wanted to move. I was like, “I hate Brisbane, there's nothing here.” And then, going into 4ZZZ, it's such a community, there are such amazing, kind people who share your taste in music, or you feel like you can connect with. People you can truly have a friendship with, go to gigs, support other bands that are also your friends and bring them onto your radio show and uplift their music. Let them tell their stories. I think it's like a beautiful thing. Comparing it to other music scenes in Australia, I've heard that other cities are more cliquey or it's not as easy to find your way. I found that in Brisbane, everyone seems to love going to everyone else's shows and supporting everyone else and playing their music and shouting them out, whether it's on social media or wherever. I think it's just a really nice space to be in. I feel really privileged that 4ZZZ is such a big part of the music scene that everyone's shows feel like they're in tandem with it. It's such an honour to be a part of it.

I never felt like I'd found my people when I was younger, and I definitely feel like I've found a lot of my people now. It's super comforting too, you feel so safe and so loved and supported.

If you’re ever having a bad time, you can go to a gig, and you'll see literally fifty of your friends, and they'll all just be hanging out and having a good time watching the music. I don't think that I ever actually have organised a time to see a lot of my friends, and it'll just be like, “oh, they'll be at this gig. I'll see them there.” And it's the most beautiful, fun time.

It's great. I feel lucky, and I'm always thinking about how this feels like a very specific moment of time in my life where I can go out and see my friends play or turn on the radio and hear my friends. No one ever really has that experience. It's so unique to Brisbane.

You’ve put together a massive lineup at The Brightside for the second birthday. You’ve got Girl and Girl, The Empty Threats, Horse and Mr Finn on the lineup as well as DJ sets from other local acts. Can you tell me why you love these artists that you have put on?

Girl On Girl, I have so many fond memories of seeing them with my friends. They were one of the first local bands that 4ZZZ ever introduced me to. I remember interviewing them and being starstruck because I love their music so much. When I first started coming into the station, too, it was rinsed on air. So, I have so much connection to when I first came into the station, hearing them and their music soundtracking me starting at the station. It's crazy to me that they're headlining. I'm also really excited to see them again and jump around.

The Empty Threats is really similar; I've never actually seen them live. Every single time that I've bought a ticket, I've gotten really sick. So, I've never seen them live. They were also one of the first bands I was introduced to through the station because they just released their debut album, ‘Monster Truck Mondays’. I walked down from high school and got changed in the 4ZZZ bathrooms, and I was working a merch desk in the car park after school, watching The Empty Threats right in front of me in the car park, going insane – Wait, I guess I have seen them live [laughs]. I just love them. I remember Stu; they emailed me and were like, “Hey, would you ever want to do an interview?” And I was crying in my car when I got the email. I love them so much.

Horse are just great. They're one of the bands that popped up seemingly out of nowhere to me. I saw them at Bigsound last year. I was like, “You guys are awesome.” I texted them after seeing them and asked if they wanted to come into the station and do an interview.

Mr. Finn were my first ever interview, actually. I remember them walking into the studio and sitting down, and I am a really socially anxious gal. I was trying to be normal, and I didn't know how to work the panel; it was echoing. And now we're friends, and Aysha has a show on 4ZZZ called ‘Femme Fatale’. I feel like a lot of the music scene has grown together in a way, not grown up together - I feel like we're all already grown-ups - but come into ourselves together.

Special Features, Blue Diner and Tomorrow's Forecast are all friends. They're all amazing people. I'm really excited to see Tomorrow’s Forecast, specifically their DJ set. I have bought a hat from Depop that says, “Dibs on the DJ,” and I'm going to wear it during their set. I'm very excited.

I want to talk about the Brightside because it's an iconic Brisbane music venue. What's your favourite memory at the Brightside?

I think actually seeing Girl and Girl with you. Maybe it was the first gig that we ever went to together. I think The Brightside is good because you could go into the smokers and chill and sit out there and catch up with all your friends, then go back in and see this amazing band. I’m always so hot and bothered and sweaty after being in The Brightside, so it’s good to debrief, go outside, chill out, and then go back in, jump around and have the best time. Also, whenever there's an indoor and outdoor gig, it's the most jolting vibe when you walk outside, and you're like, “What is going on outside?”

Why should people come to the Sonic Alien Second Birthday? Convince my readers.

The amazing lineup. I was so stoked with how that ended up being put together. I want there to be a community around my radio show, and for people to feel like they can tune in and discover music and support local bands, support Australian bands. So, if you're coming to the gig, you're supporting local music and Australian music, you're being a part of 4ZZZ, and you're being a part of your community.

Also, all profits that we get are being donated to Beyond DV. They are a Brisbane-based not-for-profit that provides many services, such as legal housing, education for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence. That's really close to my heart, and I think it's really important. There's been a lot of discussion around the laws surrounding that recently. I feel very privileged that I'm in a position where I can do something to meaningfully support a charity like that. A lot of people don't have a lot of disposable income at the moment. So being able to like support local music at the same time as supporting a charity and supporting bands is something that I'm happy that I was able to do by putting on a show. You get two things for the price of one.

I tend to have huge ideas, and then I'm like, “Oh no, I actually have to like put this into action.” So, I'm making over one hundred birthday hats because, for the first birthday party, we had them. I was saying to Zac Carr, who helped me book this huge show, shout out to Zac. I remember saying to him last year, “I don't know if this is a good idea. I feel like it might be a bit random and people would hate this.” And he was like, “Nah, do it.” And people literally showed up so early to get a birthday hat, and people walked into The Bearded Lady back room before it was even open to like, try to steal a birthday hat. So, we are making those and doing a pass the parcel with local band merch.

There's going to be a Sonic Alien specialty cocktail that you can have as well, and there's going to be exclusive merch! Funny, gimmicky little merch that people can buy for super cheap because I do not want any left over.

You have become a super important and hard-working member of the Brisbane music scene, really out of pure love and passion. You've opened the doors for so many people, constantly advocating for young women and non-binary people to be at the forefront, platforming their voices. Do you have any advice for young people who want to start working in the music industry and are trying to figure out how to get their foot in the door?

Be so unapologetic in everything that you do and take up space. Something that I learned quickly is that if you want to do something, just do it. Don't wait for anyone to give you permission to do anything. I think people actually really respect people who do stuff like that, take up your space, know your worth, and know that if you work hard, things will come to you. I struggled with this a lot when I was younger. I was like, “How do you even get your foot in the door?” I think literally, you don't, you can just make an Instagram page and start promoting bands, you can go to local gigs. There truly isn't a barrier at all. Especially being a young woman and a young queer woman in largely male-dominated spaces, it's important to know your worth. Stand up for yourself, take up space and support people like yourself in your community because it really helps visibility. It helps people feel supported, and it helps the community thrive. Also, if anyone wants to come into 4ZZZ, it is a place where people can just walk in and volunteer. If you want to have a show, do announcing, or if you want to do anything to do with music or anything else at the station, you can always volunteer and come in. There is no barrier.

The Sonic Alien 2nd Birthday Show is May 9th at The Brightside

Tickets available now.