Meet Claire Kelly, a sophmore singer songwriter who’s taking Marquette’s campus by storm. She made a name for herself last year when she played at Late Night’s, Mug Mondays and Marquette Radio’s Spotlight MKE. She’s currently an RA, MUSG Public Relations Assstant, and the Assistant Music Director for Marquette Radio. As busy as she may be, Claire always finds time for
her music. Luckily, she also found some time to answer a
few of our questions. Here’s what she had to say!
How did your love of music begin?
My Dad likes to take credit for my love of music due to the numerous Irish lullabys he would sing me when I was little. I was raised on Gaelic Storm and Chicago.
What instruments do you play?
I play acoustic guitar and am just picking up the ukulele.
When did you start writing your own music?
The earliest I can remember I was in 5th or 6th grade writing parodies to Avril Laigne songs which is kind of embarrassing but I guess sk8er boy was an inspiration to me, haha
What inspires your songs?
My inspiration for songs comes from the world around me. I’m inspired by my experiences, other people’s experiences. Songs are about telling stories. Whether they be my own, or one’s I’ve heard songs are meant to speak to people in some way. Most songs are a piece of my heart but occasionally I’ll sit down with my guitar and songs fall out of the sky and into my head.
What is your favorite part of performing live?
My favorite part of performing live is connecting with people. Sharing my music is the amazing part about it. Music is something really powerful, that’s part of the reason I love it so much.
Where are some of your favorite places you’ve performed?
I honestly love to perform anywhere. From coffee shops in Lake Geneva to the Weasler Auditorium here at Marquette there is something special in every performance.
Do you have a guilty music pleasure?
Hanson and the Jobros, love my boy bands!
Can you recommend one artist that most people haven’t but should listen to?
One artist I would recommend would be The Ballroom Thieves. I saw them perform live at Yellow Phone Music Conference last month in Milwaukee and they are fantastic. If you like a little Cello, take a listen.
What advice would you give aspiring singer/song writers?
I think if you want to writing lyrics they just start with thoughts. Keep a journal, write in the margins of your notebooks, find ways to put your emotion into words. Songwriting is an unexplainable process but it’s a beautiful one. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there either. Sharing your music and talking about it makes it really come alive.
Be sure to check out Claire’s facebook or website for more information about her upcoming
performances! If you like what you hear, she’ll be
on iTunes soon!