Get ready to expand your taste in music this Saturday as WKNC, the N.C. State radio station, serves up a taste of new music: Arroz con Pollo.
Arroz con Pollo, or rice with chicken, is a typical Puerto Rican dish. It is also the newest specialty radio show specifically designed to reach the growing Latino community in the Raleigh area. Diego Cancel and Kairsten Fay, known as DJ Cancel and DJ Candela to listeners, wanted to play music in a genre that was not being represented on WKNC.
Fay fell in love with Hispanic culture during an alternative spring break trip to Nicaragua, and has been learning Spanish ever since. “I love to dance salsa music, but I also enjoy bachata, pop, and Chicano rock,” Fay said.
Cancel was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and credits his music taste to reggaeton and the music his father and two grandfathers would play around him growing up.
The staff at WKNC were open and receptive to the duo, and they began training this semester.
Their mission is to run an all-Spanish broadcast for Hispanics at N.C. State and in the Triangle, switching between a variety of genres and countries of origin for their show.
This Saturday their show will focus on music from Puerto Rico, featuring artists such as Don Omar, Ivy Queen, Hector Lavoe, Ednita Nasario, Calle 13 and Victor Manuelle.
Arroz con Pollo will play every Saturday from 5 to 6 p.m.