The Radio Host | Gergana Vidimova
It’s ten to eight on a Saturday evening. Gergana “Erry” Vidimova enters one of the tallest buildings in the center of Sofia and takes the elevator to the nineteenth floor, where the radio Zorana recording office is located. She makes herself a cup of tea, sits behind the microphone, and connects to the radio’s frequency.
“Vocal warm-ups are good, but I don’t really need to do them,” she says with a smile. Gergana has been performing since kindergarten; currently, she studies pop and jazz singing at the National Academy and says she likes to talk quite a lot, so her voice is usually warmed up. However, she claims that having a cup of tea nearby is essential.
When Erry was presented with the opportunity to work on the radio, she ran with it and was hired with ease. “I’ve been part of a Folklore ensemble for over a decade, and Bulgarian music is a passion of mine. I am confident and charismatic, so I knew right away I would be a great fit for the job.”
Gergana says the most challenging idea she had to get used to was giving up her Friday and Saturday nights to essentially sit alone in a room with nothing but a screen and a microphone. “I search the database list for songs ahead of time. When I go on the air I just make a short transitional announcement and play a track I choose. Most nights, there’s really nothing more to it,” she says.
However, as Erry developed her skills, she started interacting more with people. She was permitted to take calls and have guests over for interviews: musicians, producers, generally people working in the Bulgarian Folklore industry. She says the better you get at the job, the more fun you have. Confidence builds up fast and more opportunities become available.
She adds that employment in radio and television are two very different experiences. The radio is a more protected environment that enables young people to establish their presence in the media, without drawing unwanted attention.
It is not a technically complicated job. It is the need for artistic expression that might present a challenge for some people. When that microphone is on and broadcasting live Gergana’s voice changes. Her tone becomes softer, the rate and rhythm of her speech change, she articulates very clearly without hesitation. “First, it must be perfected; eventually, it becomes subconscious,” she says.
Gergana has some experience, though. She has been hosting the radio show “Hop Trop” twice a week for over three years now. “When I started, I was captivated by the idea of my voice hovering over the city, appearing here and there in cars, or shops. It is like I am traveling, connecting with people in a whole new way,” Erry says.
Gergana has found her dream job, but she is still looking for challenges. Despite the nice 19th floor view and the easy, satisfying job, she wants to explore what the world has to offer beyond that small office. She would recommend working for a radio station to anyone who is looking for a sure start in the world of show business.
###
Neda Stoilova is a sophomore at the American University in Bulgaria, majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications and Political Science. She wants to investigate how technology has changed human communication and behavior, as well as spread awareness about the seriousness of the issues caused by rapid technological development.
