Once a freelancer for film production, MJ Foz took a chance and tried out a new form of media: radio! Since then, she’s been sharing her love for music, movies, pop culture, and more with the RX93.1 listeners. 

A different way to reach an audience

MJ started out as a freelance camera operator on film sets, but the gig didn’t offer much stability.  “There are just months when you don’t have any work, since you’re a freelancer. There are like, high days or low days,” she said. “Just one random low day, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t have work. What do I do?’ And I saw the Monster Jock Auditions on Facebook.” MJ dropped by the station for an audition, and from there, it was a full pivot from her career path as a filmmaker to becoming a radio host! 

The influence of the wild and wicked

Venturing into a new career was intimidating for MJ at first, but it wasn’t long until she found her posse: the saucy duo of Wild and Wicked, Hazel Hottie and Cara. MJ started out on Wild and Wicked as her first show (and it’s her current show, too!) where she formed a bond with her two co-hosts over nightly conversations about life and love. “[They] became sort of like my girl friends, and I ended up confiding in them. There are just some conversations you can’t have with guys, and you can have with girls.” And even after the jocks switched shows (and for some, careers), the three keep their close bond until today!  

One of MJ’s most unforgettable moments with the two happened during her early days as a jock – when Hazel made her cry! MJ had just gotten out of a relationship, and any Wild and Wicked listener would know that love life is a hot topic on the show. “The topic was kind of like, about the other person moving on. She was getting descriptive,” she recalled. “Like, ‘What if kasi you see him with another girl na! And it’s only been like…’ And then she said exactly how many months we’ve been broken up!” 

Ooh Hazel, was that targeted shade or some form of initiation? “I don’t think she did it on purpose, but it was just like, too soon! I went quiet. And off air she was like, ‘Are you okay?!’ I was like, ‘Wait lang, too soon! You’re too specific!’ So that was funny… Now it’s funny! It Wasn’t funny back then!” No worries, the incident didn’t create any bad blood! In fact, showing her co-hosts that side of her brought them even closer. “They’d be there to comfort me and that’s how I also felt close to them. Cause like, they’d cheer me up, and you know, make me feel better when I’m all sulky.”

Keeping the connection on and off air

As shifts got switched around, MJ began hosting different shows and spending more time at the station, which led to forming close friendships with all the other Monster Jocks. “It’s just a new batch of fun people that you get to work with eventually. You get to this show, oh, it’s another kind of fun!” she said. “It’s just a mix of so many different personalities. So, it’s never boring!”

Bonding with her fellow DJs is one of the things MJ misses most from before the pandemic. “I’d get to bug JC and Alven a lot before, I’d get to bug Ria a lot before. And Nikki.” Ask any of the jocks or RX staff, and they’ll tell you that this girl’s got her own unique, kulit way of greeting almost every person in the office! And back when visitors were allowed at RX (which we hope can happen again soon), MJ would always be there with her friendly smile and great energy to greet listeners who dropped by or students touring the station. “Ang daming nakakamiss, honestly. Just being around here, the kulitan.”

But whether it’s inside the booth or through a virtual space, MJ makes sure she’s always got that connection with her show partner to keep the listeners entertained. One of her favorite things about being a Monster jock? “Building chemistry with your partner whoever it is, whoever you get assigned with,” she said. “How well you get along with your partner, and how you can make things interesting for other people listening. Cause it’s like having a conversation with somebody, but there are people listening! So, you gotta make it entertaining, you gotta make it insightful.”

A music lover’s dream come true  

For a music enthusiast like MJ, being exposed to new songs and talking to tons of artists is, without a doubt, one of the biggest perks of being a Monster jock. “I think that’s the number one appeal of the job when I came in, because I love music so much! Yeah, I just really enjoy just being around music all the time. So, getting to talk to artists, too, and seeing how their process is, and picking their brain a little bit – I really enjoy that as well.” 

She’s gotten to interview artists both in person and online, but from the many that she’s spoken to, there’s one that MJ will never forget: “MEL C! Of the Spice Girls! I grew up listening to her music. And she was my favorite Spice Girl.” How many people can say they’ve had an exclusive chat with their favorite Spice Girl, right? MJ kept it as professional as she could during the interview, even though she was hardcore fangirling on the inside. “I fangirled a little bit during the interview. But afterwards, when it was done – waterworks! I was like ‘I can’t believe I got to talk to Mel C of the Spice Girls!’”

Another memorable interview of hers was with HONNE, when the band came to Manila for a concert in 2018. “I love HONNE, and I love them even more after talking to them and seeing them onstage.”

Playing songs all day, discovering new favorite artists, and talking to some of the world’s best musicians, all for work – truly a music lover’s dream!

No matter what the circumstances are, MJ’s here to bring listeners her signature Wild and Wicked entertainment through great conversations paired with great music. Her message to the RX listeners this anniversary month: “We’ve got the airwaves, we’ve got the music, and you’ve got us!”

Tune in to hear more of her on the Wild x Wicked Snacc and Saturdate with MJ! Check out her profile here.