As a young Caymanian, being given the chance to have his own radio show is a dream come true for Kelvin Blanchard.
With his on-air name of YourstrulyKJ, which stems from his social media handle, he burst onto the airwaves in October with a Saturday show on Island FM.
The Riddim Wave Morning Show plays a mixture of soca, dancehall, reggae and Afrobeats.
KJ, as he is known to most people, aims for his show to entertain and inform listeners on what is going on in Cayman, as well as dispelling any stereotyped negative images of the islands’ youth.
PLATFORM FOR POSITIVITY
“(I am) using my platform for positive actions and essentially contradicting the agenda that young Caymanians are lazy and unambitious,” he says.
Although he just turned 19 in December, KJ is already proving that he is hard-working and ambitious, juggling his radio show commitments with studying full-time at the University College of the Cayman Islands.
He is in his second year of an associate of applied science degree in business administration.
COMPASS INTERNSHIP
During the summer, through an opportunity facilitated by Rotary Cayman Islands Sunset, KJ secured an internship with Compass Media, the company which runs Island FM.
“I did it because as a child, even though my mom always tried to get me to read books, I preferred to read the newspaper due to it being more entertaining,” he says.
“Compass is an organisation that is done for the people, by the people, and it’s the perfect organisation that I would ideally be a part of.”
As part of the internship, KJ worked at reception, taking bookings for advertisements and answering calls.
He also was given the opportunity of work experience with the Compass radio stations.
HIS OWN SHOW
With a natural voice for radio, and his keen work ethic, KJ was invited back to host the Saturday morning show on Island FM, and occasionally stands in for other radio show hosts if they are unavailable.
“(I am) extremely grateful to be a part of a team and proud to say I’m a young Caymanian using my voice to speak for the people of my generation as well as brighten someone’s day, even if it’s with a joke or an encouraging message,” he says.
KJ relishes the chance to use his voice, often being told in school that he talked too much.
“Being able to come in and find a career that doesn’t make me feel bad for talking a lot, on top of getting to be my natural self and just entertain people at the same time, and have a platform, is probably my favourite aspect,” he says.
It hasn’t been an easy road for KJ to reach this far in life, overcoming a number of adversities, including the heartbreak of losing a brother in 2023.
However, he gives gratitude to his parents for all the sacrifices they have made for him, and to his siblings for the encouragement and strength they give him.
LOOKING FORWARD
“Looking forward, I hope to build my platform and increase Island FM’s listener-base with people my age, and bring radio back for the youth in Cayman,” he says.
KJ also aims to use his voice for good and encourage other young Caymanians to be great in whatever they do.
“It feels unreal to say I’ve been given the opportunity to have my own show, not just because I’m so young but I just didn’t expect to have my own show,” he says.
“I just wanted to be brought back by Compass to play any role that they would’ve had me play, but it just shows that as a young Caymanian all I needed was a chance to be myself and thrive in a new environment.”
This article originally appeared in the Winter 2024/2025 issue of What’s Hot magazine.
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