Beats 1 Presenter Rebecca Judd On The Women Pioneering Radio & Making Her Own Way

When celebrities hang out with Bustle writers, we want to give them the chance to leave their mark. Literally. So we hand them a pen, a piece of paper, a few questions, and ask them to get creative. This time, Apple Music’s Beats 1 presenter Rebecca Judd is leaving her mark in the Bustle Booth.

"Oh, there she go," Judd sings to the tune Earth, Wind and Fire’s September, her all-time favourite feel-good song. The Apple Music’s Beats 1 presenter is a true audiophile: she knows her James Bay from her James Blake, Giggs from Ghetts, and everything in between. Especially handy knowledge, given she now has her very own radio show, aptly titled The Rebecca Judd Show, which airs Monday to Thursday at 2 p.m. and is on-demand with an Apple Music subscription. "There will be loads of brand new tunes, laid back hilarious conversations with your favourite music artists and plenty of throwback tunes," she tells Bustle. “I could go from Selena Gomez, to Future, to Wham, to Whitney... Expect everything."

Finding her own voice and style has taken time, but Judd's always look to her broadcasting icons – Fearne Cotton, Julie Adenuga, Clara Amfo and Tiffany Calver – for inspiration. “There’s a change happening [in radio],” she reflects, citing difference between the radio twenty years ago – when the majority of presenters were male and white – to now. "Watching people like Julie has made me understand that it can be done – being a woman in radio – and that everyone's journey is different. Looking at their individual stories is motivational in itself."

Judd’s own journey started back in 2012. "Everyone around me was getting ready to go to uni, filling out UCAS applications and I was just sitting there: the only one not going to uni. My tutor suggested I apply to the BBC for work experience, which I did for three weeks. That's when I knew that I wanted to do this."

From there, she went to Break London radio station before landing a drivetime show on Westside radio. It 2018, after Julie Adenuga featured as a guest on Judd’s podcast with GRM Daily, Judd joined The Friday Show. "Then things started getting bigger, and I started doing The Beats 1 List, and the rest is history," she smiles. "Now I have my own show and it feels so good to say that! This is where the hard work begins."

With the first couple of weeks of The Rebecca Judd Show under her belt, she's confident she's onto a winning formula. "Monday’s all about feel good vibes, which could be any music from any era. Tuesdays are all the biggest hits, from all around the world. Wednesday is brand new music: every week I'll do a top three ascending artists, people who I think are going to do amazing stuff. And Thursday is a throwback show, with classic tunes, and an artist co-host for the final hour." Her dream show guest? “Rick Ross,” she replies immediately. "That would be mad. I met him when he was having a listening party for Port of Miami... That's a birthday I'll never forget.” And what about the artists she's keeping an ear out for? "Definitely Brent Fiyaz from California, he's incredible. Hamzaa, she's got one of my favourite voices... Jaz Karis, JGrrey, Capo Lee and Nick Hundreds."

Her enthusiasm is infectious, and yet she remains level-headed. When asked what advice she would give her younger self, she replies: "Keep working hard. Don't be afraid of doing work for free, because everything will pay off in the end. And don't forget enjoy the journey." Sage advice for all.

Get to know more of what makes Rebecca tick in her questionnaire below.