Nat and Drew. Jess and Shawn. Daryn and Deepa. Erin and Peter.

Googling morning radio show hosts online brings up a large variety of names, stations and sparkling personalities, but with one commonality that becomes glaringly apparent the longer one looks: Almost always, a male host is part of the program.

Not so with Virgin Radio Vancouver's (94.5) Holly Conway and Nira Arora, who are among the only — if not the only — female-led morning show across Canada and potentially, far further than just our country's borders.

In an age where there's an endless variety of what people choose to listen too, including satellite radio and podcasts, many still gravitate to shows like Holly and Nira for their local, quality content, and also, how they stand out from the rest.

"I think technically, we are the first female-led Canadian women duo for a Top 40 radio station in Canada," Arora, who lives in South ÐÔÊӽ紫ý with her husband and three children, said Wednesday (Dec. 11), shortly after wrapping their 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. weekday show.

She and Conway agreed the milestone also means a lot of pressure.

"I think it's super cool! it's very cool ... it's very uncharted territory and it's also, a very male-dominated industry, so it feels pretty awesome! But (there's) a lot of pressure," said Conway, who lives in North Vancouver with her husband and two children. 

The duo keeps their listeners entertained and informed for several hours a day, five days a week, with constant contests to enter, vacation and cash giveaways, as well traffic, news, pop culture tidbits and Arora's Biz each morning. Sometimes, if the pair disagree on a topic, they'll send it to their listeners with a Five Calls Says It All segment, and listeners decide who's right, among other program features. 

"I think there used to be typical roles in radio for women, like the morning show guy and the sidekick," Conway noted. "Two dudes in the morning and the woman! — a lot of stereotypical roles — she does traffic, she does weather, she's the 'ha ha girl,' and I think for us, it's been really cool to do something that has never been done ... to be two women that actually big up each other and support each other and have built this crazy trust — it is such a trusting environment because there is no button. Everyone always asks, 'Is there a button that you hit? If it's not going well? Is there a delay? There's no delay — it's live."

The duo became a female-led show in early 2021, when their former morning show colleague, Jonny Staub, switched careers and became a firefighter. 

"At the end of the day, we thought about adding someone else ... we didn't want to force it," Arora recalled.

She and Conway are about much more than fun and frivolity in the mornings, however, as longtime listeners (this author included) can confirm. 

They focus on serious issues such as mental health, hosting therapists on their show for things like Therapy Thursdays as well as Bell Media's Let's Talk initiative, an annual event that encourages people to join the conversation on mental health.

Arora and Conway also stand out by keeping it real. They share extremely personal information about their own lives on a daily basis, bringing a warmth and authenticity to the program, drawing their own experiences into their early-morning, on-air discussions.

"We constantly mine our lives for information for stories, for bits we can turn into great content on the air. ... I think we bring really original content that no one else does, but you also have to be so open to talking about things," Conway said. "People say to us, 'We feel like we know you!' and I'm like, 'Well you do! I don't know you, but you definitely know us. We're very open — you have to be very open and honest, and that can be a challenge sometimes."

Sharing such personal information about their lives can be tough at times, she shared. 

"My youngest son is on the spectrum, and that's been a new challenge for me. It's been difficult for me to talk about, but I do feel like we have an amazing platform to use for good."

Arora agreed, and added having a passion for what they do — especially when it means waking up at 3:30 a.m., five days a week — also helps keep the show real and fresh. 

"I think the freshness also comes with me still having a passion for what I do, so that is what lights the fire inside for me ... is loving what I do and having a passion for it, and that's what keeps things fresh and not going stale."

Working as closely as they have, as long as they have (since 2012), the pair have become friends in real life, they shared, with some listeners even thinking they live together (they don't). They both made a choice — of their own volition — during the COVID-19 pandemic that they have stuck to, to this day. 

"We've decided — every single day we take one of our breaks — every time we go on the air, it's called one of our breaks ... Every single day we take one break and we've decided to dedicate it towards social justice, some form of social justice, whether it's diversity, multiculturalism — any type of fundraising or campaigns to support those who need a voice, who don't really have a voice in the community," Arora said. "I think we're the only show — maybe ... I don't know anywhere that has made that type of commitment."

As busy morning show hosts as well as mothers and wives with young children and jam-packed family life schedules, the duo admit the constant sleep deprivation, as their hours are akin to shift work, can take a toll. But they try to balance as much as they're able, often working in the local community throughout the Lower Mainland.  

"We love connecting with the community — we try to be out there as much as we can, because it means a lot to us," Arora said. 

Each pair hopes listeners take away something different from each show. 

"I hope they’re entertained — that we add to their day, and that they sort of feel like they’re hanging with friends in the morning," Conway said. "It’s crazy right now for everybody, and it’s a very stressful time to be doing anything, so hopefully we take away from the stress."

Arora — "Learn! She wants to say learn!" Conway interjected with a grin — said she hopes listeners feel.

"I hope that they — I would love to say learn â€” but what I really want is that every listener feels something, whether they’re happy or they get sad, whether they get angry ... I hope every person feels a feeling."