Catching Up with Nathan Graham

By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com

Nathan Graham is probably one of the talented radio personalities to come from the millennial generation.

He has taken his act from KMXV-FM Mix 93.3 in Kansas City to Power 96.5 in Springfield, Missouri and now…103.7 KISS-FM in Milwaukee, where he currently hosts both the 7:00 PM to Midnight time slot on the weekdays and the 10 AM to 2 PM time slot on Saturday.

Nathan took time away from his busy schedule to talk about his time with the KISS-FM family, the similarities between the Kansas City and Milwaukee audiences and his favorite songs from this year.

Jacob Elyachar: How have you grown as a radio host since the last time we spoke?

Nathan Graham: First of all, it is great to catch up with you again! A LOT has changed. I moved…again… But, as far as growth, I am constantly doing so much more with my show. No longer is it just talking on the air about celebrities and the music. It is interacting with people about their lives, posting on social media literally all day. My show never truly ends.

JE: Since we last spoke, you left Mix 93.3 and begun a new chapter in your career in Milwaukee at 103.7 KISS-FM. What is it like to be a part of the KISS-FM family?

NG: So far it has been a blast! I am working for one of the best Program Directors in the country, Brian Kelly, and a super talented staff. It is crazy how connected they are to the community here. In a lot of ways KISS reminds me of Mix, because of how the city responds to the station and personalities as well as how active we are in the city.

JE: Could you please describe your show to my readers?

NG: It is completely random. For example, today, I gave away tickets to the new Hunger Games movie, yet somehow I got sidetracked talking to a listener about how I see a lot better out of one eye than the other. You never know what is going to happen. I am a real person who talks about real-life things. I do not like to think of myself as different from anyone else. I struggle to pay rent like everyone else.

JE: What are some of the similarities and differences between the Kansas City and Milwaukee audiences?

NG: Both cities have AWESOME PEOPLE. Seriously, this transition has been so easy because Milwaukee reminds me so much of home. The people of Milwaukee are super nice. I have not had a bad experience yet. Just like Kansas City, they are big into music, sports and local food/drink. The biggest difference is the weather; it’s balls cold up here.

JE: Who are some of the favorite artists that you have interviewed this year? How did they make a big impact on you?

NG: It was a really weird year for artist interviews. I talked to a lot of up and coming artists like Cody Simpson, AJR, The Ready Set, My Crazy Girlfriend, and some others. I will go with my favorite artist experience and that was seeing Christina Perri do a private set in Vegas. I think she is really talented and is a hit away from being a household name.

JE: What were some of your favorite songs from 2014?

NG: I was all over the place genre-wise in 2014. I will have to say my favorite song of the year was “Telegraph Ave” by Childish Gambino. On the radio, some of my favorites were “Habits” by Tove Lo, “i” by Kendrick Lamar, and “R U Mine” by Arctic Monkeys.

JE: What were some of your favorite albums of the year?

NG: I thought 2014 was a REALLY weak year for albums, especially compared to how strong 2013 was. So I would be lying if I told you there were any favorite albums of mine. The numbers are showing it to with only one album, Taylor Swift’s 1989 went platinum.

JE: How has social media helped you expand your online presence?

NG: Social media is where I live, especially on Twitter. On any given day, you could look back at my last 10 tweets and find out just about anything you needed to know about me. I love connecting with people, following people and seeing what everyone is up to. Hit me up, I follow back! @TheNathanGraham  

JE: What are some of your goals for 2015?

NG: My ultimate goal for 2015 is to get my show to number one in Milwaukee. Some other things like syndication and lending my voice to other markets would be cool too. Oh, and a Royals World Series win would be nice.

You can also connect with Nathan on Instagram by clicking here: http://instagram.com/thenathangraham