Delilah. Photo Courtesy of Conduit Publicity.
American radio personality and author Delilah chatted about her career in radio, her latest endeavors, and the importance of Mother’s Day.
American track and field running legend Steve Prefontaine once said: “To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift.” This quote applies to Delilah.
Background on Delilah
In 2016, she was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Each week, she has eight to ten million weekly listeners on 161 radio stations across America.
Delilah’s radio show is syndicated by Premiere Networks, and she is the most-listened-to woman on radio in the United States.
Delilah is an author of three books, published by Harlequin Books, over the past decade. She is a mother of 13 children, 10 of whom she adopted. She is the founder of Point Hope, a foundation established in 2004 as a voice for forgotten children everywhere.
Daily motivations
On her daily motivations, she shared, “I lover my listeners. I love them as much today as I ever have. I love being on the air, and I still love the music and the sappy love songs.”
“I’ve been offered a long-term contract by Premiere Radio Networks, so I will be around for a long time,” she foreshadowed.
Mother’s Day
On the significance of Mother’s Day, Delilah said, “I am excited. My kids do the burnt toast and stay in bed, so it’s always fun. Mother’s Day is always fun; I get spoiled.”
Delilah, who celebrated 50 years of radio broadcasting in 2024, has been hosting her current program format since 1984.
She is known as “Radio’s Oprah,” and she creates a sense of comfort and companionship for her audience, sharing inspiring stories, song dedications and heartfelt advice. “I’m 32 years old in my spirit and in my mind,” she admitted.
Delilah on being the most listened-to woman in America
On being the most listened-to woman in America, she remarked, “I never think about that. When I think about my listeners, I picture one person’s face. When I think about a multitude of people, it changes it for me. So, when I am on the air, I picture one or two people.”
“I used to have a piece of tag-board that I put listeners pictures on, and I would have eight or ten pictures on there, and I would just look them in the eye when I was on the air. This way, when I think of two or three people and I know that they are friends, it is safe to be vulnerable,” she explained.
Delilah’s authenticity, empathy and unwavering dedication to her listeners have made her a true icon in the entertainment and radio industry.
Career-defining moments
On her career-defining moments, she remarked, “September 11th was by far the hardest show I’ve ever done in my life.”
“My producer, who is also my best friend, was on a flight that day that left out of Boston, and she and her new baby were flying home to Seattle, and their plane left right after the first plane hit the Twin Towers, and they made them land in Canada, and then brought them back to Boston by bus. It was crazy,” Delilah elaborated.
“The show that night changed everything, and it changed all of us. We didn’t play any music; we just took calls and listened to people and we prayed with people. It was the hardest show of my life,” she acknowledged.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, Delilah said, “It hasn’t really changed the nature of my show, but it has changed the way people interact with me.”
“They used to just interact with me on the phone lines but now they interact with me via Facebook and TikTok, especially TikTok, where I get immediate feedback. Being a part of the different people’s generations is fun,” she elaborated.
Reflecting in a rear-view mirror over the past two decades
“Looking back in a rear-view mirror over the past two decades, I see a mess,” she reflected.
Delilah continued, “I’m a messy person. I have boxes of things because life is messy. Love is messy, kids are really messy, art projects are messy, garden are messy, and dogs are messy.”
“Life is a beautiful mess,” she underscored. “I think a lot of people miss out on a lot of laughter and a lot of love because they think everything needs to be neatly put away.”
“Just got and live your life and live it beautifully and live it without apologies. Be true to yourself; be unapologetically you,” she added.
Future plans
On her future plans, she revealed, “I am signing a contract with Premiere Networks very soon. Also, I just got custody of three of my grandchildren, and I still have two kids at home. I will be doing the PTA, the basketball games, the orthodontist appointments for the next 14 years, and then, I will think about slowing down.”
Advice for young and emerging radio personalities
For young and aspiring radio personalities, she said, “Don’t do it unless you absolutely have to, and then do it with every fiber of your being.”
Stage of her life
On the title of the current chapter of her life, she disclosed, “A Beautiful Mess.”
Favorite motto to live by
On her favorite motto to live by, she revealed, “Jesus loves the little children of the world.” “That’s my favorite motto,” she admitted.
Best advice she has ever been given
The best advice she has ever been given is to “persevere,” and to “never give up.”
“When you get knocked down, cry for a minute if you have to, pick yourself up and get on down the road. Don’t give up no matter what,” she underscored.
Delilah on Diane Warren
Delilah had great words about Honorary Oscar winner and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Diane Warren.
“Diane Warren, the songwriter, writes lyrics that just blow my mind,” Delilah said. “It amazes me how Diane puts those words to music. Her songs just grab my heart.”
Superpower of choice
When asked about her superpower of choice, she responded, “My ADHD is my superpower. I can do 15 things at once, and I can do them well.”
“I can be cooking dinner, talking to my kids, and talking on the radio, taking phone calls, and do the laundry and finish the conversation all at once. My studio is in my house in Oregon. I live on a barn on a ranch.”
“If I can choose another superpower, I would ask God to give me the power of healing, where I can lay hands of people and make illnesses go away,” she added.
Delilah on Lee Ann Womack’s ‘I Hope You Dance’
Delilah praised Lee Ann Womack’s signature song “I Hope You Dance” for having “some of the best lyrics of any song ever written.”
Success
On her definition of the word success, Delilah said, “The most success I feel is when I see my adult children leading great lives.”
Message for her fans and supporters
For her fans and supporters, she expressed, “I love my fans and I love my listeners. I don’t really have ‘fans.’ The people that love me, love me. My listeners are not like that. My listeners care about me and my family. They just care, they love, and they are amazing.”
“There are people that pray for me that I’ve never met but they hear me on the air and they feel a connection to me. That means everything to me,” Delilah concluded.
To learn more about Delilah, follow her on Instagram, and check out her official homepage.
Content shared from www.digitaljournal.com.