Radio 1Xtra: Jamz Supernova 'happy and complete' as she leaves station

Jamz Supernova has had her own show on 1Xtra since 2015

"It's the end of an era. All I ever wanted to do was to broadcast on Radio 1Xtra from when I was 17."

After 12 years, DJ and presenter Jamz Supernova will be hanging up her 1Xtra headphones.

"To have been there for so long, I'm feeling really happy and complete," she tells BBC Newsbeat.

The last show will be on 27 December, with long-time friend CassKidd taking over the slot in the New Year.

Jamz started out as an intern at 1Xtra, working her way up through the production ranks before becoming a presenter with her own show on the network in 2015.

'Identity, heritage and music'

For Jamz, the station means "so much to black broadcasters, black artists and black creators because there's nothing like it".

"It's been about pushing it further and supporting black alternative artists that weren't getting a look in."

"To have played so many artists and supported them on their journey, it's been incredible. I'm proud."

Jamz is proud to have given artists a platform through her show

Jamz says the standout from her time presenting is "having the freedom to be able to do deep dives".

"I've loved the intersection between identity, heritage and music.

"The black and Irish special that we did last year was a really beautiful moment," she says.

She says the summer of 2020, with the Covid pandemic and the death of George Floyd, was a time which made her understand "the power of radio".

Jamz says it was a chance to be "reflective of what the world was going through... creating radio that feels really special".

"As sad as it was, it was an opportunity to go on the radio, take that collective grief and play music that responded to that moment," she says.

"So I will never forget that."

CassKidd is a music producer, DJ and broadcaster and will take over from 3 January

For the person taking over, CassKidd, it's a "weird feeling between nerves and excitement".

"I just can't wait to put my stamp and flair as well as my personality and my music tastes into such a specialist slot," he says.

The story of Jamz and CassKidd makes this feel like a "full circle moment" for the pair.

"I've known [him] since he was 16. And we've had this crazy journey of him being my intern," Jamz says.

"We both went to a youth radio station called Reprezent Radio. He started on my show as a producer to help me out and we were both into the same music."

• 'It shows a plethora of blackness': 20 years of 1Xtra

• 'Yasmin Evans is part of 1Xtra's legacy'

• TV, radio and music stars mark 'Blackout Tuesday'

Having followed that journey of climbing the ladder herself, Jamz pushed CassKidd to be his best and advised him to make himself "indispensable".

She got him to come to the studio with her every Tuesday night and paid for his taxi home.

All she asked in return was to "just shadow everything that's happening".

"Our lives through radio have been intertwining with each other. It actually flips, one minute I'm the mentor. And he's the mentee. And sometimes he's my mentor and I'm his mentee."

"At the core of it, 1Xtra should give artists and listeners the best experience and a portal into blackness"

All about the vibes

Like with any passing of the baton, there has been advice from Jamz to CassKidd.

"It was to almost disregard everything that I've done to make it his own," Jamz says.

And that's exactly what he plans to do.

"I don't only DJ and broadcast, I'm making music as well. And I definitely want to get that across on radio," CassKidd says.

"I want to combine all of those worlds together to just bring a different listening experience to the show."

"Listen each and every Tuesday. The words continue, it's different vibes but vibes all the same," Jamz adds.

Catch The Best of Jamz Supernova on BBC Sounds from Tuesday 27 December here.

Follow Newsbeat on Twitter and YouTube.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays - or listen back here.