Jaden Amjadi

How long have you been involved with KRUI and how did you first hear about the station?

I’ve been involved with KRUI since my first semester at Iowa in 2018 and became music director shortly after. I have a friend who was music director a previous year and they helped me get acquainted with the workflow. The official music director at the time had a lot on their plate, so I started doing the job.

What advice can you offer other MDs as the best way to get their DJs to play the new music your station receives and how you get them to do that.

Music Directors should make it as easy as possible for their staff and DJs to familiarize themselves with the main rotation music. For me right now, that means spending a lot of time inputting artist/release info and notes into spreadsheets and updating our main rotation playlist each week.

What is the part of your job you love the most?

I love a lot of things. I love finding cool artists in my inbox that I may never have listened to otherwise and meeting with my cool staff. This position in college radio is such a unique privilege because we don’t have to cater to what will turn a profit or appeal to the widest listenership. We are an educational laboratory. If you listen to a couple of hours of KRUI’s main rotation, you’ll probably run into some abrasive or strange stuff, and that’s beautiful to me.

What has been your favorite album released so far in 2021?

My favorite albums of the year so far are probably split between Armand Hammer’s HARAM, black midi’s Cavalcade, and Cassandra Jenkins’ An Overview on Phenomenal Nature.

Do you have a favorite artist or album you never get tired of listening to?

David Berman’s projects Silver Jews and Purple Mountains are infinitely replayable.

Which artist/band has put on the best live show you’ve ever seen?

The best shows I’ve seen were probably Jeff Rosenstock or Modern Life is War.

Who is an artist or band totally outside the realm of the music you play on KRUI that people might be surprised to know you love?

If I like something I’ll play it on the radio. We tend to stay away from recent Billboard Hot 100 music on KRUI but I like to think I have a healthy relationship with pop music.

What are you most looking forward to doing again/or have already done that you hadn’t been able to do during the pandemic?

Going to shows again and having strangers puke up beers onto my legs! I’ve missed it!

If you could choose, what time period in the past would you most want to travel back to and visit?

There’s no time like the present!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Iowa City (dine-in or take out) that you recommend people try?

La Regia Taqueria is the best food in the area by far.

What in your life brings you the most joy?

My cat, Kirby.

Lightning Round:

Dog or Cat? Cat
Morning Person or Night Owl? Night owl
City or Country? Depends–right now, city
Beach or Mountains? Mountains
Watch TV or Read A Book? Read a book
Sunny or Rainy? Can’t enjoy one without the other!
Restaurant or Home Cooking? Home cooking, ideally
Pants or Shorts? Both have their appropriate usages
Warm or Cold drinks? Cold

Given all of our time now spent at home, do you have any current favorite shows you’re enjoying/binging? How about a movie (new or old) that you’ve watched recently that you loved?

Nathan For You is definitely a favorite for me right now. For a movie, I love Mulholland Drive.

Finally and most importantly: Socks and sandals together or Crocs… which would you be more embarrassed to be seen in public wearing?

Neither, no reason to be embarrassed by something like that.