Who are you supporting? A sit down with the current voice of Up For It

Its host has to be someone with a passion for people, the music they make, and the dedication for platforming these artists across that three hour slot five days a week. That’s what it takes to sit at the helm of show that has been around for almost as long as this station has existed

And though every host that has taken this formidable role has been strikingly different from the next, they all exude a personable and warm energy that is so internally fixed it bleeds into how they speak to people both on and off-air. Sabine Lee Cook, the current host, exudes exactly this energy. 

When I first began to talk to her, we would cross paths as I finished up the All-Nighter show from 4:00 AM to 7:00 AM, and she would slot in, coffee in hand, both of us sleepless and slightly delusional from the early morning. Outside of fbi, her passion for this city is proven in the amount of times we have crossed paths at a live show, a club night, or even the local buzzing cafe (Kisa, Cherry Moon General Store etc.) 

And so, to support fbi.radio is to support people, like Sabine, who simply love this city. 

On Monday morning, we sat down with her to chat about what it means to be the Up For It host, her unorthodox entrance into radio, and what it means to be a part of the ecosystem that is fbi. 

fbi.radio Sabine, you have an authority of voice as a presenter of one of fbi.radio's most formidable shows Up For It (the Breakfast show from Monday to Friday, 7a.m. to 10 a.m.).

You have that slot for a reason. You're at every event, at every gig. What is the centrality of fbi.radio to the broader Sydney nightlife scene?

SABINE As someone who moved to Sydney, I think the only way that I've been able to navigate or feel confident within the Sydney nightlife scene is recognising that every event you go to, every club night, every venue, there are several people from fbi who are there as punters, or event runners, or DJs, or the people playing in bands. It feels really cool to know that someone that you're showing up for is directly impacting and creating these spaces that are what I love about Sydney. So I think there's an undeniable link between fbi.radio and literally anything good and fun and cool and weird happening in Sydney.

fbi.radio In our conversations, you’ve mentioned that you were studying abroad training in ballet before you started at fbi. And then you made this switch to radio. That’s such a change from an incredibly physical, visual medium to something faceless, body-less… What was it about fbi.radio that drew you in?

Sabine: I'm kind of a bit of a poser. I went to a party and there was a really cool girl there, and she told me that she volunteered at fbi. I pretended that I knew what it was. Then I had to go home and Google what fbi was. Luckily, they were looking for presenters, so I applied.

I would say the thing that's kept me at fbi.radio, and will keep me at fbi for as long as I'm in Sydney, is how quickly you get to the core of somewhere by engaging with the art makers and the tastemakers in a space.

I don't have any family in Sydney. Before I came to fbi, I never really felt like I understood, or could hear the heartbeat of Sydney, until I was a volunteer, knowing that I was giving my time and attention to a place that directly benefits the artists and the community leaders who are kind of who we owe everything to. It's that circle of help and aid in weird creative goodness that fbi.radio is currently running in. 

fbi.radio How has fbi.radio changed your relationship with music?

SABINE I think I've definitely spiraled outwards in my own taste in music. There's so many different genres and artists that I maybe would have been daunted by. fbi.radio really removed any kind of bias or ego that I had for music. It's helped me be a fully open-hearted listener, participant, and receiver, rather than self-inserting. It's lovely.

And it's such a privilege to get to be at fbi.radio and have direct communication with the audience. I think it’s something you only really get with radio, having it be such a communal and shared experience every single morning. Having that rigid time slot, but being able to manipulate it depending on what the mood is, is cool. It reminds you why music is one of the most pertinent things about every human culture.

fbi.radio In the past year, who are your most favourite artists you’ve interviewed on the program? 

SABINE I straight away thought of Pa Saileu which is maybe silly because we had less than 15 minutes together. That was the first time I’d spoken to someone nominated for a Mercury Prize and I think I was anticipating for him to be a bit unpleasant? Not because of anything I’d heard of him, but just because he’s such a huge name and so objectively impressive. But he was so sweet. 

In terms of Aussies though I was really stoked to meet Cloud Ice 9 - actually no I was super nervous beforehand for some reason. I always feel like I’m going to throw up before any interview but I have this idea in my head that I shouldn’t ever do an interview that doesn’t make me feel anxious to perfect. I got to have three of them on the show and I thought they were just overwhelmingly kind. And their songs are fucking sick I want them to release a million albums.

fbi.radio What is the best gig you’ve been to and why? 

SABINE Zipper’s “farewell” Sydney show was one of the most peaceful and also somehow crazy gigs I’ve ever been to. I really love high-energy shows but I quite often find that they’re overrun with blokes trying to live out some kind of NYC fantasy at the expense of other concert goers. They were like an hour late because of a flight delay so 1800-Mikey went on for longer I think, but the whole line up was perfect. Everyone was jumping about and just grinning ear to ear. Mouseatouille at Phoenix was pretty magic too. And headaches upstairs at the Eveleigh for their latest EP was so stunning. Also monkey spanner at the Paddo [Paddington] RSL. Bring those guys back.

fbi.radio How did presenting such a huge show change who you are as a person? 

SABINE I hope it’s made me less self-centred. I’m a fairly shy and quiet person which are obviously two qualities that serve no-one in a radio setting, so I think having the onus put on me to make sure listeners and musicians and guests and even like the volunteer team are happy has helped me put myself or like my ego aside to prioritise that. It’s also genuinely given me a better music taste, and… yeah removal of ego. I’m less involved in music and art as, like, “Sabine” and more as an objective listener. Like a crowd maybe. I think that’s really important. 

fbi.radio How does supporting fbi.radio support Up For It?  

SABINE I would say supporting fbi supports Up For It because it fosters the space for learning something very vital, important, individually-led like journalism. But you're not having to edit your voice to fit anything other than the Sydney community. There's no corporations, algorithms, capitalist nonsense that you have to speak nicely or kindly and skirt corners around, you kind of just are reflecting directly what the audience wants. And I think that's really helped me feel natural and honest with my storytelling, which I think is important.

fbi.radio: Why should people support fbi.radio more broadly?

SABINE People should support fbi.radio because it's a direct pulse to the Sydney music arts and culture scene. That’s all I have to say. Everyone you know has probably had their start here. 

Words by Yvonne Hong