Koula Budler
It’s been 12 years since popular DJ Koula was on South African airwaves, and 919 has persuaded her to get back behind the mic! Listen out for Koula Budler’s show every Saturday between 1pm and 3pm. We asked her what she’s missed about radio since moving to Texas, what listeners can expect, and how she feels about Joburg.
6am-8am local time on a Saturday must be a challenge! How do you handle it?
6-8am meant I can do the show without it conflicting with all the sports, birthday parties, etc that happen throughout the rest of the day. I do have a complicated relationship with sleep as it is – I blame years of late night radio, and then having two sets of twins within 22 months – so I can get by with very little sleep. Thankfully my kids sleep well (for the most part) now, but I started up a home bakery 3 years ago, so am usually making wedding or birthday cakes in the middle of the night, anyway!
What aspect of radio have you missed the most?
Definitely the live element of radio! There's a certain amount of adrenaline, and also the satisfaction of a show that flows seamlessly. I worked for a Dallas radio station for a little while, but the entire station's shows were pre-recorded, and all links just drove listeners to the station's website. There was no engagement or interaction with listeners, and it all felt very clinical. I left after a few months because it just wasn't a medium that I felt very passionate about. I love that 919 plays so much local music. It has filled my heart hearing Blk Sonshine, Arno Carstens, Johnny Clegg as I drive around the DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) metroplex (streaming is a wonderful thing!). I am looking forward to connecting with listeners from the past, and introducing myself to a new audience, and getting up to speed on developments in the local music industry from the past few years.
What is your approach to your show?
We're keeping the first couple of shows pretty loose in terms of content, just until we get into a good groove with the remote broadcast aspect. It's a little different sitting behind a laptop vs. an actual radio desk. What I would like to achieve is bridging the gap between listeners in Joburg, and their family and friends abroad... and bringing home a little closer for those far away. I will be interviewing South Africans across the world who are blazing their own trails, and achieving success in new countries. I'll also be sharing funny anecdotes about being lost in translation (even in an English speaking country!), and hope to hear from others overseas, and their experiences, or those of relatives who have been to visit them.
Are you still a Joburger at heart?
I’m definitely still a Joburger at heart. I have been in the States for almost 12 years now. We moved for my husband's work, but it took a looooong time for me to feel settled here. Before having kids, I would come back to visit my family in Joburg once a year, and also run Comrades. Having 4 little kids so close in age, and then the Covid lockdown, made travel impossible for a few years. I was able to bring the kids out during their summer holiday 2 years ago, and it was so wonderful to show them "home". Joburg is the city I grew up in – I know the roads and highways like the back of my hand. There's a lot to be said for feeling right back at home somewhere. I have always been passionate about South Africa, about the SA music industry... there were just greater opportunities in Texas for what my husband wanted to achieve. While I am proud of what we have built up here in the last 12 years, I definitely do still miss Joburg. I was hoping to be out again to run Comrades in June, but plans were foiled by plantar fasciitis a few months ago. A trip back might still be on the cards for this year, perhaps a few months later now.
What do you love about Joburg?
I love how cosmopolitan and vibrant Joburg is. It's a concrete jungle but a beautiful one at that. I miss the magnificent highveld thunderstorms (if we have bad thunderstorms here, it's usually because there's a tornado nearby!), the sunsets, the mix of people, languages and culture. I love that it is so magnificently diverse. Also, the fact that there are so many wonderful and unique restaurants and coffee shops is something I don't take for granted there vs the amount of chains we have in our vicinity. Most of all, I love Joburg for my family and friends still there. A huge chunk of my heart still lives in Joburg.