After three years of inactivity, UNC Asheville’s student-run radio station, the Blue Echo, is returning to the air with a renewed focus on student engagement and local music.
The Blue Echo relaunched with an on-air launch party in March and now streams on the Live365 platform, where student DJs can build and broadcast playlists online.
“It lets us use audio files, put that into a playlist and send it out through the application,” said Alexei Djuro, Blue Echo vice-president and jazz DJ.
Originally launched in 2023, the station went silent due to organizational challenges.
“The Blue Echo was officially started on air in 2023 and there was a whole dilemma when it came to different casts and then radio stations and that caused the radio silence,” said Helin Grant, Blue Echo president and classic rock DJ.
“For two years after it was inactive, nothing worked until I became a sophomore and actually started digging into it and last year is when I started doing all the planning. We didn’t technically get a station,” Grant said.
According to Grant, issues with station management led the group to seek alternative solutions, eventually turning to Live365 as a more convenient platform.
“Engagement is the main priority,” Grant said, emphasizing that everyone is welcome.
Djuro, a first-year student in the jazz program, said his motivation to revive the station came from a lack of awareness about campus music events.
“I would have this problem where I would have all these concerts and I would tell my friends and they would be like ‘I haven’t heard of that like ever, nowhere on campus is saying that,’” Djuro said.
According to Djuro, the station can serve as a platform to promote concerts and give students a space to share their own work.
The Blue Echo plans to feature local artists alongside student-produced content, while maintaining a diverse mix of genres.
Contact and music contributions can be made through [email protected]. The Blue Echo operates out of Highsmith 217.
Grant said the station aims to connect more with Asheville’s music community.
“Asheville is known for having a good music scene,” Grant said.
The Blue Echo hopes to collaborate across campus on music-related initiatives and host its own events, such as a future talent show, according to Grant.
“Spring is coming to a close, but we could start the fall off with a bang,” Grant said.
