Santa Monica College’s 89.9 KCRW Santa Monica/Los Angeles has filled its Morning Becomes Eclectic host position after an 18 month search with the appointment of Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez as co-hosts.
Carmel and Valadez take the slot that has been vacant since Jason Bentley’s departure in August 2019. Anne Litt, who succeeded Bentley as KCRW’s head of music programming last January, had been serving as interim host since Bentley’s departure.
Carmel and Valadez will host the station’s flagship 9am-12pm show starting in January. Litt will remain an on-air presence at the station with a new show to be announced later. Carmel, the daughter of musician Sly Stone, most recently hosted overnights at the station. She is a DJ and performs in a choir. Valadez has been with KCRW since 2008 after stints at 88.5 KCSN, 90.7 KPFK and Dublab. He has also hosted and produced for Fuse TV and hosts the weekend “Alternadido” Spanish Alternative show on Entercom’s 106.7 KROQ that airs on additional stations including KVIL Dallas and WNYL New York.
KCRW President Jennifer Ferro and Program Director of Music Anne Litt announce today the new co-hosts of Morning Becomes Eclectic (MBE), Novena Carmel and Anthony Valadez. MBE, the station’s flagship music program, weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, has been a powerful source of music discovery since 1978. This is the first time two hosts will lead MBE.
Novena and Anthony both come from KCRW’s after-midnight roster, where unique and exciting voices have the opportunity to experiment and bring adventurous listeners into the KCRW fold. From podcasts and livestreams to viral videos, Novena and Anthony have collaborated extensively over the course of their years-long friendship. This authentic camaraderie and willingness to explore and experiment will make for a natural synchronicity as co-hosts of Morning Becomes Eclectic.
Morning Becomes Eclectic abides by the ethos of KCRW Music: Play what you love. The effervescent Novena Carmel loves timeless — and timely — music; whatever makes her antennas tingle. She is driven by her lifelong passion of sharing music with the masses. L.A.’s beloved Anthony Valadez brings his considerable DJ experience, turntablist skills, intrepid spirit, and positive energy to this dynamic duo. Together, they will usher in the next era of music discovery and exploration at KCRW, the innovative public radio station well known for helping launch the careers of many celebrated artists.
“I am so excited to pass the torch of MBE to Novena and Anthony,” says Anne Litt. “Novena is pure joy and Anthony is the heart and soul of Los Angeles. Together, they will explore fresh, new ways to reach music lovers globally.” She continues, “My journey will be to delve deeper into my role as Program Director of Music, bring our roster of incredible DJs to their fans, and capitalize on the boundless talents of our entire music department across all of our platforms.”
Of her new role, Novena says, “I feel ecstatic and a bit like I’m dreaming. I greatly admire Anthony’s work and what I would call his ‘creation ethic;’ he seems to never stop creating and finding inspiration for creativity everywhere. We already have a lot of fun and exciting ideas for the show, and I’m so looking forward to collaborating more with the KCRW team and connecting with the listeners.”
“I’m excited to wake up with L.A. and Novena,” says Anthony. “She’s my best friend, but what I admire the most is her ability to stay positive and always add perspective.” Of his new role, Anthony notes, “I’m a fan of the show’s celebrated history and hope to be an extension of it moving forward. It’s not a position I take lightly. I’ve always wanted to be at the intersection of ‘culture’ and ‘institution.’ KCRW has been the launching pad for ideas that fuse tech, social media, and execution of music discovery. These varied platforms have given me creative freedom to spotlight emerging artists and talent, and while I get the sense my aesthetic is perceived as ‘the sound of LA,’ in reality, it’s the sound of the world.”
Morning Becomes Eclectic continues to be a haven for music discovery, and the two hosts will double the reach for unearthing new artists. New albums will be debuted. Exclusive, in-studio live performances will resume as soon as it’s possible. In addition, the new format presents countless opportunities to extend MBE well beyond its on-air end time of noon. “Obviously you’ll have the variety of two hosts instead of one, but we’re looking at ways to include even more voices that represent the KCRW community and beyond, including KCRW DJs, musicians, and listeners,” says Novena. “I believe that cultivating and nourishing community and connectedness, now more than ever, is so important, and that’s part of what I’m hoping the new format will allow. Music will always be one of the main conduits of making this possible, and from there the possibilities are endless.” “I love that we all want to be bold and daring,” continues Anthony, “KCRW is held to such a high standard. Let’s go higher! Something new implies a fresh palette of ideas and colors. This new format will allow us to venture into something that’s never been done before.”
“Music is part of the genetic code of KCRW,” states KCRW President Jennifer Ferro. “Our approach to this important role of MBE host was to really push the boundaries of what it means to be a DJ in today’s on-demand world. Novena and Anthony, together, make a powerful and joyful duo who will help KCRW be where the people are and share the magic of KCRW music. With these new hosts plus Anne Litt solidly at the helm of our strategy we are ready to define a new era in music.”
In 2019 Anne Litt became KCRW’s first female Program Director of Music and host of Morning Becomes Eclectic. She will continue hosting the show until after the New Year, and then remain an on-air presence with her own show; time and day TBD. As she prepares to hand over hosting duties, she notes, “it’s been a privilege to have been with you during these challenging times. I leave MBE in the most capable of hands, and am truly excited to see our new co-hosts in action.”
