Zoe Brown is feeling good

tener. What one should remember is that on radio, you speak into a microphone; and TV is the same, you speak into a camera. You learn to connect with your audience, I learnt that through radio”.

Radio has helped Brown in many instances in her life. She explains one, “Back in my varsity days when I wrote a history exam I was expected to write a five-page essay on the topic and I didn’t know anything. Thanks to radio, you know how to talk nonsense,” she giggled.

“I was able to shmesh shmesh through that paper. I don’t know everything but I know a little bit about everything. I learnt that from radio.”

The former beauty queen (she was second princess at the Miss SA Teen pageant in 2007) is also a voice-over artist and model. She is a middle child, with an older brother and younger sister. Her family is from Cape Town, but moved to Durban when she was in her teens. She returned to study at Stellenbosch University. Her parents still live in Durban, but she says she has her cousins here to keep her grounded.

“I was blessed with a healthy childhood. We went on so many trips as a family. I have a big family in terms of cousins and aunts. Family events like Christmas and Easter meant a lot too us including Sunday lunches.”

Speaking at the KFM studios, she says Sundays “don’t feel like Sundays anymore”, as she doesn’t have lunches with her family. If Brown had to change anything about her career it would be to have stepped out of her comfort zone sooner. “I was vulnerable in the industry and protected myself by shying away from things.”

She attributes her success to her her support system. “I’m not saying it was easy, but the fact that my parents, who don’t understand the industry I’m in, but still support me, speaks volumes for them. My dad would listen to every show I did when I was in the graveyard slot,” said Brown.

When Brown is not on air, she enjoys being in touch with Mother Nature. “I love the outdoors, hiking and going for walks. I love food. I go to eateries and go wine tasting.

“To all the students, when it comes to holiday don’t use it to sleep and watch TV series. Use that time to do an internship or job shadowing. A lot of people feel entitled to something when they are done with their studies. You need to start from the bottom and understand that you will earn peanuts. You have to put in those hours and be patient.”

sinolwazi.april@inl.co.za

PICTURE: LEON LESTRADE Presenter Zoe Brown loves fashion, but is as handy with a toolbox and a drill as she is with a sewing machine.