spotlight sunday

Welcome back to our third week of our new Sunday feature! Spotlight Sunday!

This week we caught up with Holywoods very own Carl Borrett! Of course by Holywood we mean N.Ireland, where Carl lives with his wife Nicole, their two fish and a house plant called Steve! If Holywood N.Ireland did have there very own walk of fame then there’s no doubt there would be a star on there with Carls name in sparkly gold letters!

If you’ve tuned into Carls show you’ve probably noticed that even though he lives in N.Ireland he doesn’t have the Irish accent. It would be safe to presume that he moved to N. Ireland from somewhere else however, we were blown away to discover the places that Carl has actually lived!

“I have lived in Northern Ireland since 2012, before that I lived and worked in Kent, Northampton, Blackpool. I also lived overseas in Spain and the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Corfu and Zakinthos and the Northern Alpes of France. Originally my roots began on the North Fylde coast in Fleetwood Town, because I do like to be beside the seaside”

Carl has been presenting the Mid Morning Show every Saturday with Ngage Radio since he joined the team in September and was part of our official launch in November. What does Carl love most though about being a part of Ngage Radio?

“What I love the most about Ngage Radio is our listeners. They send in messages of friendship and support and we all need positive energy and comfort. I am so proud to be part of a great team. Being a part of someone’s day, putting a smile on faces, and a spring in someone’s steps. I am honoured that people tune in.”

If I could do the mid morning show every day, I would… but who wants to hear my voice every morning!”

WE ALL DO!

Carls radio journey started back in 2018.

“I was invited to do a show in 2018 by my good friend Tony Scarbrough who was an inspirational man, and I have enjoyed presenting a variety of radio shows and gig’n events, sharing old and new music. I have had the opportunity to meet so many people through music and I look forward to many more”

Carls passion for music itself came from a very early age.

“I couldn’t play a musical instrument like my dad, but I saw the delight and the pleasure people get when listening to music.

As a child I would put my dad’s Beatles records on the record player, so I decided to give DJing a try and started with parties and discos. Music is a mood creator and a mood changer, powerful and soothing, the more we share the more we care, melodies and lyrics are like stories, stories to be enjoyed time and time again. Music matters.”

In Carls words ‘the more we share, the more we care’ is the same sentiment that reflects very much in his support for songwriters, artists and musicians. This Saturdays Mid Morning Show was a special extended show as Carl had the great opportunity to interview our latest #1towatch, David Fourie.

So what is it that makes Carl want to support and bring the spotlight to new and upcoming artists?

“Well, although some songs can be timeless and we love the memories a song can conjure up, there’s always something new to discover, The more I discover the more I want.

Society and life itself evolves, there are human beings, with feelings, emotions, stories to tell which someone, somewhere can relate to.

I like to support people because life is a challenge, music can make it a better place when there is a comfort to be had in sharing music that will continue for future generations. Being a small part of a shared musical journey is special, I am honoured to be able to support these artists #1ToWatch”

Carl plays a great selection of music on the Mid Morning show as well as playing listener requests, there’s always the chance of some great music facts, Q & A’s or our personal favourite, the backward song challenge which definitely stirs up a bit of competition within the team of who can guess it first!

When Carl isn’t on the radio though, what genre of music is his favourite to listen to?

” I like dance music, trance, I love music from the 1960’s, and I surprised myself when I discovered jazz music, and started singing Rat Pack classics for those that might listen.

When I’m working or studying I find classical music helps me concentrate, I was so pleased to have met the incredible Ludovico Einaudio once when he performed his beautiful piano concert.

Love rock song by Bon Jovi and Bryan Adams; pop songs, Mariah Carey’s voice, Madonna, Daft punk, Disco, movie soundtracks, chill out music, I can go on… but I don’t think we have the time”

With such a wide range of genres to enjoy what does music itself mean to Carl? “Music is art, emotion, memories, creative discovery, exploration, mood enhancing, lifestyle it means such a lot that I probably struggle to put in to words.”

We all go through uncertain or worrying times and keeping positive may be a struggle when some days seem a little harder than others so how does Carl keep positive and is there anything we could take from Carl?

” Life is full of challenges, it has its highs and lows, but it’s how we choose to respond which determines what we get from this life. My wife and family and my friends are a massive influence, they are supportive and patient. Music helps me a lot. I have my own challenges and to put on my headphones and get lost in music allows me to make sense of things. If that makes sense”

Carl was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and since then every day is a challenge, with that, complications have impacted his sight and his hearing. Even now with his own challenges he does everything he can to stay positive

“There are people in this world with greater difficulties, and life changes quickly, so live, laugh and love.”

Being a radio presenter we can only imagine the excitement you get when it comes to interviewing people, but who would Carl like to interview?

“Oh is this the moment you reveal you’ll set this interview up? Professor Brian Cox, he’s fascinating or Peter Kay because he knows his music!”

If we get the opportunity to get in contact with either of them Carl then we’ll make sure they end up on the Mid Morning show for your interviewing pleasure!

We really wanted to know who Carls hero was and the answer to this took many turns and filled us with many emotions.

“Batman! Because my mum bought me a Batman costume when I was about 5 and I wore for weeks until it fell off!

I have had the great fortune to be loved and supported by family and friends so if you are putting me on the spot! I am proud to say that I lived with my hero even before I knew he was my hero.

My dad is my hero, he took me to football, he introduced me to the world of music.

An honourable mention to my mum, because without my mum, he wouldn’t know how to work the smart speaker”

(big shout out to Ken and Anne)

We need to see a picture of little Carl in his batman costume for sure! #BORRETTMAN

If you tuned into this weekends Mid Morning show you’ll of heard of Carls great new feature:

Kens ‘Blast from the Past’ where Ken, Carls Dad and hero, chooses a song from the past for everyone to have the pleasure of listening to as well.

We love new music but nothing beats old classics that your parents or grandparents know word for word and the memories that it unlocks to share with their loved ones.

Speaking of music from years gone by, Carls First album he ever bought was “Introspective” by ‘Pet Shop Boys’ on cassette. “The last record I bought was an Album on vinyl by an incredible artist called ‘Jordan Michael Peterson’ called “Something Like That”