If you were a coming-of-age teenager in the '90s, you were the last generation to experience life without WiFi and social media. We tuned into commercial radio to hear music, and we set our boomboxes to record in hopes of catching a song you could add to a mixtape.
There was always that friend who had the best mixtapes and introduced you to something cool that wasn’t on the radio. My best friend’s cool, older sister was that person to me, and I still have her mixtape that exposed me to my first Ani DiFranco song, “Talk to Me Now.”
I was a proud choir nerd, and the first thing I noticed was the clarity and control of Ani’s voice. She could do what I constantly practiced, and it didn’t take me long to realize this singer was more than just a voice. She was saying something I hadn’t heard before, and I knew I wanted more.
At such a pivotal moment in my life, her music was monumental. It marked my entry to Feminism, searching for music with substance, and a lifelong commitment to questioning and challenging everything. It’s been quite the learning curve, and I plan to continue on this path with Ani’s music as the soundtrack.
This story will sound familiar to the Ani fans out there. The one advantage I have is working for 88Nine, where I can play her music on the radio and have close encounters with my teen idol.
I kept my distance when she visited for a Studio Milwaukee Session many years ago and was later able to interview her via email. Then last week, my colleague (and friend), 88Nine music director Erin Wolf, asked if I was interested in doing a Zoom interview with my hero ahead of two huge events for her Milwaukee fans: Monday night’s concert at the Pabst Theater and a special encore screening of her documentary, 1-800-On-Her-Own, this Friday at the Oriental Theatre.
One jaw drop, one hug and a few days later, I was face to face (virtually) with Ani DiFranco. Admittedly, I still felt like that ’90s-era nervous teenager at the start of our conversation but eventually settled into something closer to my 40-something self by the end.
Having a conversation with my personal hero took my breath away, and then with every exhale came gratitude for what I love most in life: my friends, my family, my horse, my principles, this job I have with Radio Milwaukee, and the people in the world who inspire me to stretch my mind, search for new art and constantly grow my heart.
You’ll hear that in our conversation, as well as plenty about her most recent album, Unprecedented Sh!t, the documentary, her life on the road and how she never stops searching for more ways to connect with her fans.
Ani, from the teenage me and the not-so-teenage me, thank you for this interview and your unique ability to inspire.
