Many Temple students’ lives have been heavily impacted by the music artists they look up to, who have moved them through their music and stylistic choices. These artists have taught them about self-expression, stepping outside the box, and striving for goals they otherwise would have never gone for. Students have found new passions as well as new friendships through the music artists they admire. Some of these artists’ music has also helped them to keep going during tough moments of their lives.
I’m one of those students, since music has always been an anchor of my self discovery, with the artists serving as a source of inspiration and helping to shape the way I see the world.
I met with five Temple students to discover the stories behind how the music artists they hold close have shaped their identities. Let’s find out some of their musical influences and what impact they’ve left on them.
Madison James, an advertising and political science major and member of WHIP Radio Music Department, feels a deep connection to the artists important to her. She found these artists through her older cousins.
“They were kind of seen as the weird ones in our more traditional religious African American family,” James tells Her Campus. “Honestly, they opened the door for me into a completely different world of music and expression that I don’t think I would’ve found on my own.”
The artists that have impacted her the most are Amy Winehouse, Fiona Apple, and Beyoncé. She explained that she feels tied to these artists in numerous ways, especially Amy Winehouse.
“Her music really held me down during times when I couldn’t hold myself together,” James says. “It felt like she was saying things I didn’t know how to say. In a way, she helped save me when I couldn’t save myself.”
Next, Fiona Apple caused her to reflect on life deeply and question the expectations she grew up with, rethinking her values. Out of these artists, she feels that Beyoncé’s music effected her the most personally.
“I danced to “I Care” for the most important audition of my life, and she really carried me through that moment. Her music gave me strength, confidence, and something to hold onto when I needed it most,” James says.
Mia Trio, a Media Studies and Production student who is also part of the WHIP Music Department, has many artists who she loves and finds inspiring, but the one that came to mind first for her was the group ATEEZ.
“I think that their constant effort they put into everything they do is what drew me toward them in the first place, and the members are so incredibly talented in everything they do,” Trio tells Her Campus.
Though she is still a new fan of them, she has developed a deep connection to their music, and their songs “brighten” her day.
“I found ATEEZ during the summer of 2025, and I was at a really weird time of my life. I found that I was feeling better about some things in my life once I dove into their music,” Trio says. “I never knew that I’d like them, but I ended up loving their music and the stories they create.”
Now, she’s been able to make plenty of friends and connections through her love of this group, and she is “eternally grateful” for all of them.
Next, Amaya Clary, a Visual Studies student, feels that the artists that have influenced her the most have been Kendrick Lamar and Tomorrow x Together (TXT).
“I’m a visual artist and have always been heavily influenced by the sounds of music my whole life,” Clary tells Her Campus. “Listening to TXT and Kendrick Lamar was something that came later in my life but their artistry within their music and the way they portray it visually was something that really stuck with me in my practices.”
She believes that both artists have always integrated careful thought into their lyrics and production, along with well-thought-out visuals in their music videos.
“Especially within K-pop, their visual storytelling within their music videos inspired me to think more out of the box with what I wanted to do within my career, leading me to strive to be an Art/Creative Director,” Clary says.
Kendrick Lamar and TXT have portrayed aspects of life that Clary has previously experienced and could relate to her life. She appreciates Kendrick Lamar’s advocacy within his music.
“Kendrick Lamar has always spoken out about the injustices Black people face every day, pushing this through his music through his storytelling of his daily life growing up before fame. Not only that, Lamar takes these shared experiences and turns it around to showcase pride and triumph over these issues,” Clary says.
She explained that their music has motivated her to keep going and put more thought and emotion into her art.
“TXT has also talked about aspects of their lives growing up and the struggle of dealing with the physical, emotional, and relational aspects of growing up,” Clary says. “I’ve always felt seen hearing both Lamar and TXT’s way of expressing their lives.”
According to Clary, they both focus on spreading awareness and push for empowerment in these moments of struggle. Overall, both artists have inspired her to create “more thoughtfully,” impacting many aspects of her life.
Marley Thomas, an anthropology and economics major and treasurer of the K-pop cover group “TUKovers”, believes Moonbyul of the group Mamamoo has influenced her the most because of her story.
“She entered her company with the intention of becoming a vocalist but was told to rap instead because she wasn’t as vocally strong as the other trainees. Even though it wasn’t what she wanted, she put in the effort to learn to rap and over the years became an amazing rapper. She’s also put in the effort to improve her singing and release vocal-heavy songs,” Thomas tells Her Campus.
To Thomas, Moonbyul’s effort is a trait she admires. “Seeing the effort she put in makes me want to at least try the things that I want to do but lack confidence in,” Thomas says.
She feels connected to the group Mamamoo through witnessing their success. According to Thomas, considering their hard work and passion compared to her own is something that drives her to improve. Since she first found out about Mamamoo in 2019, Moonbyul’s and Mamamoo’s music have been her “go-to for almost any mood.”
“Their dances were the first K-Pop dances I learned, inciting my passion for K-Pop dances and leading me to the many amazing people who I’ve met through covers at Temple,” Thomas says. “It’s been my main extracurricular activity, my primary source of social interaction, and probably what I will remember most from my college career.”
Audio and Live Entertainment student, music artist, and composer, Namumba Santos takes inspiration from not only music artists, but also Youtubers, such as Cory Kenshin, who has influenced him by playing a role in his “no cursing” rule in his music.
Santos listens to a lot of Playboi Carti and Kyle Richh, along with a variety of Philly and Angolan Kizomba artists. He appreciates the beats, rap cadence, and melodies these artists have and draws from them within his music. While these are some of the number one artists he consumes, overall he claims that his own experiences inform his music the most.
These music artists have definitely changed these students’ lives for the better. They’ve inspired them to take new creative paths, meet new people, and encourage introspection along their journeys at Temple. Now that you’ve discovered the stories behind why they love the artists they do and the impact they’ve had, I recommend that you take a step back, do some reflection, and consider not just who you listen to, but who these artists have helped you become.