"... internet radio of tomorrow"

Karen P is a genius on the DJ decks, on the web and in the radio studio and is one of the creative brains behind Red Bull Music Academy Radio. Now she's hosting a monthly club night at Cargo in London called ‘Broad Casting’, with live sets being recorded exclusively for Red Bull Music Academy Radio. We caught up with her to find out why good radio is better than bad, and what you can learn from Beck and Amy Winehouse.

Karen, why is a world with Red Bull Music Academy Radio better than a world without it?

Because it connects up great artists with hungry listeners and creates an alternative, artist-led platform without the limitations imposed by traditional broadcasting formats. The shows are syndicated worldwide and RBMA radio is becoming somewhere people go to experience new & established artists through their headphones – while they're working, playing or even being creative themselves.

In office life, there are three types of people: those who listen to the radio while they're working, those who listen to their own music on their iPod, and those who need absolute silence to be able to work. Which group do you belong to?

I listen to the radio all the time, even formats which differ entirely from those I produce with my company. And I have no preference for any particular genre, because every musical influence contains hidden gems.

What's your idea of a typical RBMA Radio listener?

I don't think there is one. But one thing that all our listeners have in common is that they love music and aren't afraid of experimentation. They're curious and prepared to discover new things.

So you developed the concept of Red Bull Music Academy Radio for people like yourself?

The concept comes from the Academy, I've just been recruited to implement it. But I was dead keen on the project from the beginning because I was so taken by the idea of the Academy. And because we had the chance to experiment with so many different formats. Live stream, on-demand & Podcasts, shows and mixes exist side by side as equals. You can determine the level of interactivity yourself and recommend good shows to friends.

Could you give us a peek behind the scenes of Red Bull Music Academy Radio ...?

I'm based in London and create the content for RBMA Radio in collaboration with Yannick Elverfeld and Gerd Janson in Germany. So I coordinate the people who put together mixes and shows, take care of the hosts and contributions and I do my best to spread the word about RBMA Radio. Then there’s a team of engineers in Cologne who package the shows together.

Who and what can we expect from the host line-up?

We've got 20 regular hosts from around the world delivering monthly shows. Like with the academy itself, it's a pretty amazing roll-call: Daz-I-Kue from Bugz In The Attic, Osunlade, Soul Jazz Soundsystem, Kirk Degiorgio, Marc Mac and Mark Pritchard. The shows cover all different styles and formats and we've also got mixes from people like Hot Chip, Theo Parrish, Ame and Questlove. It's all giving creative people free reign and a platform to get it heard. It's also a way people who've been through the Academy can stay connected. We're open-minded and always on the look-out for new talent.

At the age of 23, you were the youngest producer at BBC Radio 1. What did the experience teach you about making good radio?

That only high quality breeds high quality. You have to exercise care and pay attention even to the smallest, seemingly unimportant things if you want to achieve an overall product that is high in quality. And you have to realise that in editing radio, music is always more important than the spoken word.

You've worked with artists such as N.E.R.D., Björk and Amy Winehouse. What did you learn from these experiences?

That although each and every one of these people is incredibly talented, talent alone is not enough: you also have to work extremely hard to be successful. And I've realised how important it is to treat others with respect and to be open to new ideas. Beck was a good example: he played us some music from his laptop and had some of the most unbelievable stuff on there that you'd never have associated with him – from hip hop to world music.

Since January you've been organising an evening at London's cult Cargo club once a month as DJ and host. What's the best thing about "Broad Casting"?

Essentially the artists we have involved. I’m basically getting to put together dream line-ups of some of the most exciting artists from around the globe and hearing them perform in an intimate venue with a great soundsystem. It’s also great that everyone benefits: Red Bull Music Academy participants get a chance to perform, Red Bull Music Academy Radio gets some great content and the club gets some good guests & special collaborations. Oh yeah, and I have a great night!

In Great Britain you've become something of a celebrity: The Observer ranked you among the top ten of the "Future 500" in the Media section, that's to say one of the 500 people who stand to shape our future. As for what you've got planned, why don't you break it to us gently ...?