Meet this week’s Campus Celebrity, Dave Sorboro. Dave is a multi-talented senior here at Kent State. He helps produce a show on campus called Amateur Hour, and plays various instruments including the piano, guitar, harmonica, ukulele and drums occasionally. Just recently, Dave released his first ever extended play entitled “Big City and A Country Home” that features five of his original songs. Her Campus sat down and asked him all about his music.
Age – 21
Major/Minor – Electronic Media Production/Photo Illustration
Class standing– Senior
Relationship Status – Single
Her Campus: What inspired you to pursue music?Dave Sorboro: I’ve always been interested in music and I’ve always really latched on to listening to music when I was younger. I guess what always helped inspire me were my parents, especially my dad who always introduced music into the household. I also took piano lessons when I was younger, and continued them for a while and that really showed me how much I love music.
HC: What genre would you classify your music as?DS: I don’t know if I could classify my music into one genre. I would describe it best as “piano led indie rock” and it’s very easy listening. It’s also singer/songwriter.
HC: Are there any specific artists or people that influenced this EP?DS: Andrew McMahon, who was a singer in the bands Something Corporate and Jack’s Mannequin, kind of served as my main influence growing up and writing music. That influence has manifested itself into who I am as a musician currently. As far as personal influence goes, a huge portion of the album, if not all the album, was influenced by love and the experiences of love and by my ex girlfriend. As a person, she kind of served as the lead inspiration for this EP.
HC: What are some challenges you faced while trying to produce your first EP?DS: Well, it was my first time ever trying to produce something by myself. When I was in the Groove Smith we had a producer, so it was different. This was my first project where I wrote the music and called all the shots. For the first time I felt like everything was on my shoulders, and I had to think about elements of the EP that I never had to think about before, and overall it was a huge learning experience.
HC: Are you currently writing music?DS: Yes I am, I think I am always writing music. I think that in some way or another I will record it and release it, even if it’s not another EP and is just a self-recording released on the internet. I recently went and recorded in the studio with my cousin, and we might put out an EP or an LP in the future.
HC: What’s the next step for your music?DS: I’d like a career in music and television. It’s hard because I want them both, and they both demand so much time. I don’t think I am going to have them both at the same time though, I’ll have to establish myself in one first. I think in the near future I will have a lot more time to focus on music. I’m hoping to focus on it and practice a lot more.
For more information on Dave and his music you can visit his website or his Facebook page.
“Big City and A Country Home” is available for purchase at Amazon.com, Cdbaby.com, and on iTunes.