The 2FM presenter initially had completely other plans but he ended up discovering a love for radio while in college and now he is ‘living the dream’ at the station
2FM’s Beta Da Silva(Image: Evan Doherty)
Beta Da Silva had a completely different career in mind before he fell in love with radio.
The 2FM presenter is at the helm of the New Music Show on the station but ended up falling into broadcasting unexpectedly.
When he was in school he originally hoped to become a footballer full-time.
“I wanted to be a football player,” Beta told RSVP Live. “After I got to a certain age and got a little bit older, I realised this might not be in my cards right now. However, when I went to college, that’s when radio found me. I never looked at myself and said, you’re a radio presenter. I thought I’d have to do something more in the normal world, because radio to me was very extraordinary. I’d always listen to people and wonder, how do you get into a job like that? You have to be a celebrity or well-known with connections. It was just something that found me.”
Beta started out in college radio before moving to RTE Pulse and onto 2FM, but even when he started out he wasn’t sure he wanted to be a presenter.
“I didn’t know if I was going to be a presenter, a producer, a researcher,” he said. “I always was more of a creative person in the sense of producing, so I always wanted to go down that route, but I just ended up falling into presenting. I carried on with it and then it became my full-time career.”
Beta had loved radio ever since he was young, and to be working in it as a full-time job now is surreal for him.
“I look in the mirror every morning and I can’t believe this is my job,” he said. “I could have been working in an office or retail or whatever may have been the case, but I’m like, wow, I’m a radio presenter and I get to do all of these things; I get to go into an actual radio station, I get to put up the mic, put up these faders, play music and talk about the thing that I love.
“I’m just really grateful to do what I’m able to do – to even say that I’m a 2FM presenter is wild to me. It’s really a dream come true.”
It comes as Sessions to Oblivion kicks off on 2FM this week – 10 episodes featuring live music from 20 new Irish artists recorded from locations such as Whelan’s in Dublin, Galway’s Róisín Dubh and the Oblivion Studio.
As well as the live sessions the programmes will also feature a Tips and Tricks segment where some experienced folks from all sides of the music industry give their thoughts and ideas for anybody interested in working in, or just interested in, any aspect of music.
“It’s brilliant and it’s great to be a part of it,” said Beta. “It’s my first time actually really being involved in it and it was a real privilege to be a part of that. It’s really cool, and people are definitely going to enjoy it.
“This is a great way to kickstart the festival season and for people to be really excited about live music.”
Listen to Sessions From Oblivion on 2FM’s New Music Show with Beta Da Silva weekdays at 6pm from Monday 25 May – Friday June 6.
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