Bauer Media’s Absolute Radio has launched new station Absolute Radio Natalie, which plays only songs that are fun to sing along with. It’s named after Natalie Cole. No, not that one. Rather, the person who won an Absolute Radio Breakfast Show competition to launch their own radio station.
As part of that competition, Cole recently pitched her idea to Dave Berry on his breakfast show, saying that the main Absolute Radio station often plays songs that she likes to sing along with, but that it’d be nice if there was a station that only played classic singalongs. And so it came to pass.
Earlier this week, Cole was invited to the Absolute Radio studios to put together the playlist for the station and record features and links. The station officially launched this morning, playing everything from Disney songs to boyband ballads.
As I write it’s playing ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now’ by Starship, a song I absolutely hate. I used to work with someone who played it multiple times a day, every day. I don’t need to hear it anymore. Absolute should give me a radio station where that song is banned.
“I still can’t believe I won, it all feels really surreal to be honest”, says Cole. “It has been an amazing day, everyone has really put me at ease, and I have had so much fun taking part in all the features. I keep listening back and thinking that doesn’t sound like me! I just really hope everyone enjoys listening to the station and singing along”.
Yeah, well, who doesn’t like a bit of a singalong? Still, given that the RAJAR figures earlier this week showed a slip in the number of people listening to the main Absolute Radio station, I’m not sure how great an idea it is to start launching yet more Absolute spin-offs and urging listeners to switch over.
It’s not clear how long Radio Natalie will stay online, but for now you can tune in here.