Nathan Rarere - the new host of RNZ's early morning show First Up - still recalls his first moment on air.
"I remember the very first time of turning the microphone on and having that little red glare inside of my glasses. It's like a drug, that live feeling of 'what if this goes wrong'… it was amazing."
He chats to Yadana Saw about life, work and some of his favourite music.
Photo: RNZ
Although Nathan's been a presenter on the '90s youth show Ice TV and co-hosted the sports show Sportzah with Oscar Kightley, he says he's still terrified of doing live television.
"The way that TV works, it's like you're one of the strings on a marionette and you've got to be controlled with everybody. And I always used to feel, doing TV, the pressure of trying not to stuff everyone's job up."
Nathan was working as a breakfast host on Radio Sport last year when his job disappeared suddenly - putting him in the same boat as a lot of other New Zealanders.
"I'm 48, it's a scary age to find yourself without work… I thought 'I'm useless at doing everything. With these skills, I can't go anywhere with this.
"I got so much support from people in the industry, going 'you're talented, you'll get a job' but no-one could give you one. It was lovely that they thought that but at the same time it started to crush you, as well."
Now Nathan's "first alarm" goes off at 3:10am for the morning shift at RNZ.
By eight o'clock, he's finished work and heads home to drive his two daughters to school. After a sleep, he picks them up again.
"I'm on my weekend at 8am on Friday so it's pretty good!"
Nathan played:
'All Mine' by Portishead
"I love [Beth Gibbons'] voice and I love her performance in this one particularly because she's got great theatre… she's sitting there, she's got a cigarette...
"Basically it's stalking in disguise, this song. But her ability to hit the beautiful high note of the 'all mine' when she gets there, the feeling that she's got. It's just a beautiful, beautiful song."
'Whole Lotta Love' by Tina Turner (a Led Zeppelin cover)
"She, to me, embodied rock n roll singing. And she has got pipes, eh, they're like a canon.
"This song is about lust… and she makes it purely sound that way, which I think is high art."
'Language' by Annie Crummer
"One of the coolest moments of my life was when I discovered I was flatting over the road from her in Westmere. I used to crane my neck to hear her singing.
"['Language'] is a glorious song, it's a beautiful story and it's just sung so well."
'Peaceful Life' by Guts (featuring Lorine Chia)
"Lorine Chia I just love because this is so easy… normally I don't get caught up in lyrics but these ones really got me.
"She was born in Cameroon, moved to Baltimore ... and there's a great line where she talks about 'that the elation of a peaceful life' … imagine that, saying if your life is peaceful that's something to celebrate'? Her voice is beautiful and it's just so effortless."
'Everything is Everything' by Lauryn Hill
"I love the line in there 'it seems we lose the game before we start to play'. Remember when you were a teenager and something would go wrong and it seemed like the whole world was on you and everyone saw… it's basically just 'it is what it is', don't worry about it, don't let little things become huge. That's why I love this song."
'I Just Want to Make Love To You' by Etta James
"Etta James could sing at such a low register but the power that comes out of there is just like wow… no-one was ever brave enough to do a duet with her because she'd blow you off the stage.
"Have a listen to how the microphone rattles when she gets into the 'all I want to do' … I think this is the best one."
