Life & Work with Hannah Rad

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Rad.

Hi Hannah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m a Los-Angeles-based on-air talent, DJ, TV/radio host, and content producer — with 15+ years in the industry, you might have seen me pop up on your favorite shows, spinning at festivals or traveling while telling stories. Currently, I’m hosting the Complex talk show The Daily Drift, live on Twitch and I’ve been the music and lifestyle host for ESPN X Games, hosted the Grammy’s “Sessions” Series, E! Daily Pop, the MTV game show ‘Crash Karaoke’ and was seen for five years on REVOLT as one of the founding hosts, while also serving as producer and host of the channel’s electronic show, ‘LVTR’.

There’s a whole backstory to me being on radio in NYC, taking my DJ skills to hundreds of festivals and events around the world and transitioning that into a career on TV, but the core thread weaving it all together is a love and passion for music and the art, expression, vulnerability and community it creates. We all have a story to tell… and in this space, it’s done with a beautiful and poignant soundtrack.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My career has definitely had its fair share of hurdles! I often get the comment from friends or followers that “oh, you have the coolest job in the world”. And to a point, I wouldn’t disagree, haha. But much of that is based on the 2-minute interviews or quick bits of camera time that is front-facing. The continual struggles and hustles behind the outward work don’t typically get seen, so I decided to open myself up a bit more last year.

It’s not always easy to practice self-love because it asks me to slow down and take a step back from the daily grind. For those ins similar careers center, taking that step back is arguably a bit more difficult. Being constantly in-the-know doesn’t always leave room for self-reflection or personal creativity… and I burned out.

Last Summer, I took time to focus on a different path: my mental health journey. I went on a solo road trip to seven locations in California, filming myself sharing vulnerable stories at each location as a form of healing and self-love. I compiled the footage into a YouTube series called Sorry to Keep You Waiting, aiming to destigmatize conversations surrounding mental health and let viewers learn a little more about me.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
After taking a mental health break, I decided to jump right back in, hosting the new Complex Networks’ pop-culture Twitch series The Daily Drift. Twitch has been invaluable in forming a community and having immediate viewer feedback and responses. I’ve always dreamed of having a space to help tell others’ stories while also allowing my unique personality and opinions to shine. I’m so grateful for the platform via both Complex and Twitch to speak on pertinent/trending topics while also conducting interviews and special segments.

In addition to The Daily Drift, I’m currently hosting a new indie music performance and interview series There Is Light, Bandsintown’s live-streaming concert series, the Brownies and Lemonade new music show Fresh Batch Friday and doing frequent themed-DJ sets on my personal Twitch channel. I’m probably hitting about ten live-streams a week and it’s been incredible to work and pivot into this digital space because even as the world begins to reopen, that connection via technology won’t go away any time soon.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I arrived at the idea for creating the series in the midst of a deep depression and high-functioning anxiety and realized that sharing these vulnerable experiences (getting laid off, being mad, surviving assault, etc….) out loud could help me work through them. “The word ‘surrender’ kept me going through the whole process, from crowdfunding to planning the journey to the actual drives and filming itself, and it’s so cool because ‘surrender’ doesn’t mean giving up; it means fully giving yourself over to the process”.

Contact Info:

• Email: djhannahrad@gmail.com
• Website: www.hannahrad.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/hannahrad
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/HANNAHRAD
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HANNAHRAD
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hannah-rad
• Other: twitch.tv/djhannahrad