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Charese Fruge’ (@MCMediaonline) Talks To Nikki Imbracsio
August 18, 2020
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Nikki Imbracsio is blessed, she says. She’s worked at some of the most respected radio stations in the business. “MIX 94.1 in Las Vegas was just born when I was there but man, look at the legendary station now, going on 25 years,” she says. “And EVERYONE wants to work at B96 in Chicago. I’m honored to have held down middays there for 10 years. And now I’m back in Hot AC, doing afternoons on 97.9, WRMF, another legendary station in South Florida.” Nikki, a Boston native, always had a passion for music. “I initially wanted to be a singer but when I realized how much traveling and touring I’d have to do, I decided I would PLAY the music instead. Ironic that I wound up traveling all over anyway.”
Nikki is not only great on air, but her social media skills rock. I have learned so much from following her on Instagram, including how to make red, white and blue Jello shots for the 4th of July. “It’s just real life,” she says. “I like doing some silly, set up stuff but authenticity is where it’s at.” In fact, according to Nikki, authentic living is what brings her peace. “Just being yourself, being honest, owning up to wrongs, having a clear conscience. That’s where I find balance. My stress management has gotten under control in the past year. It has to do with living in the ‘Zen Zone,’ raising your vibration, manifestation and accepting that you can’t control what’s out of your control. I try to make peace with the day before I go to bed. If you can figure out how to do that, it makes a world of difference.”
Great advice at a time when anxiety levels are high thanks to a global pandemic. That’s just another reason why it’s important to have great mentors in the business, so there is always someone to learn from and someone you can talk to about anything whether it’s emotional or professional. “Mentoring is so important!” says Nikki. “I’ll never forget the first time I was in a radio station. I was about 13. I literally waited outside the station for Boston’s Karen Blake to show up for work to ask if I could go in and see. Thankfully, she brought me up and I sat in on her doing production before her show. She had a :15 second Pizza Hut tag she did then gave me the script, told me how to read it, recorded it and you betcha--I still have that in a box with some air checks somewhere around.”
Mentors or Idols don’t always have to be just radio people according to Nikki. “I once tried to briefly explain to Pink how much her ‘Funhouse’ album meant to me personally and it came out like the green puke emoji. I think she understood me though,” she says. “It was a true ‘fan girl’ moment.”
Like many in the business, COVID-19 has kept her from traveling home to visit family or vice versa. “I haven’t seen my family since Christmas. FaceTime isn’t cutting it anymore and I really miss them,” she says. “As far as work, I can roll with the punches and do what needs to be done. Hubbard West Palm Beach management had a really good plan when COVID-19 hit. No one steps out of line here so it worked well.” In the meantime, during her downtime, Nikki has found creative ways to be productive. “I love graphic arts and creating videos. I could do that all day and do it at the beautiful beach of course!” She says. “My Chihuahua, Molly Monsoon, also requires A LOT of attention. I put her in a tiny front pouch thingy and we bike ride all over South Florida.” And like everyone else in America, there’s the binging to pass the time. “I’m currently watching ‘Kingdom’ on Netflix. It’s gritty and it’s Nick Jonas as a boxer,” she says. “Bloodline’ is up next and I’m patiently awaiting another season of ‘Schitts Creek.’ This new ‘Nurse Ratched’ show starring Sarah Paulson is also on my list.”
As for what we have to look forward to from Nikki, she plans to take her passion for radio further. “I want to evoke emotion, light things up, make people feel comfortable, and be a friend on the radio,” she says. “I’m also obsessed with graphic art, but still have so much to learn about it. I’ve done some interesting pieces that I don’t know what to do with. The public stuff I’ve done is mostly radio related and I can be bought! See my stuff on IG @spitfirecontent & email djnikkivegas@yahoo.com for inquiries. I also do voiceover and voice tracking in my tiny home studio. My goal is to expand that business as well.”
Keep track of Nikki on IG, Twitter, TikTok, SoundCloud @djnikkiradio
And Nikki Imbracsio on Facebook -
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