Dedicated to the world of “Screamo,” a subgenre of emo music often involving high-pitched screaming, rapid tempos and chaotic, aggressive instrumentation, sophomore Declan Gonzalez hosts his own radio show at 99.1 FM Long Beach Public Radio. This genre has since been the driving force in his life. He dedicates time after school and has attended over 25 “Screamo” shows that have shaped his personality, identity, and fueled his passion for music that challenges musical norms. Gonzalez comes up with an idea for each episode to offer a one-of-a-kind experience to his listeners, one scream at a time.
Introduced to the world of “Screamo” by a friend, Gonzalez exited his comfort zone by experimenting with new music and encouraged his listeners to do the same.
“People need to throw any ideas of western music out the window and try new music with an open mind to be able to appreciate the music itself and not judge it from the start,” Gonzalez said.
His mom’s friend, who works for Long Beach Public Radio, offered him an opportunity to have his own show, which he accepted. He brainstorms ideas and composes music for each episode before his radio broadcasts at 10 p.m. each Monday.
“I pre-record my radio shows and get inspiration of what songs to feature from my friends and from the concerts I go to from ‘Screamo’ and other bands like them. I then record my recreation of the music with my band and upload it onto garageband to refine the audio quality for the show,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez not only hosts his own radio show, but he’s also the lead singer in his band.
“My role in the band is to scream into the mic, recreating a wide range of ‘Screamo’s’ songs with my vocals. It’s a different way of singing as it does take a toll on my voice hitting the high notes, but it’s the best way for me to capture ‘Screamo’s’ signature style along with the emotion in each of their songs,” Gonzalez said.
Junior Dorian Artiga, a guitarist in Declan’s old band, remarked that Gonzalez’s dedication to “Screamo” is more than just a personal passion; it affects the individuals around him.
“I admire his drive and passion for music, and he has gotten me much more involved in the scene,” Artiga said.
Artiga mentions Gonzalez’s ability to foster a strong sense of community through their shared experiences of indulging in “Screamo”, as a core part of their friendship for their love of music in addition to cooperating in a band together is their music taste. According to Gonzalez, putting hours of work into his music, band practices and his radio show takes deep motivation.
Gonzalez says his true inspiration for going through with his radio show was a local redondo beach “Screamo” band called “Me + U.” Gonzelez’s love for Screamo fuels his radio show, as well as his “passion” for giving small creators and underrated music genres a spotlight on his show.
“I want my radio show to be a platform that not only entertains people, but encourages people to discover new things about themselves,” Gonzalez said. “I want them to have the opportunity to explore new music and maybe even start their own radio show as well.”
