Sammy Cannillo, Penn State senior from River Vale, NJ, is a psychology major with the neuroscience option. But Sammy is a lot more than just her school work because she is pursuing her passion of music and just released her first EP (extended play)! For those of you who do not know what that is, an EP is the term given to describe an artist’s music that is more than a single but less than a full album. Sammy is one of the sweetest, most-talented and genuine people we ‘ve ever met. Her music is sure to impress!
HC: When did you first get involved with music?
SC: I started taking guitar and trumpet lessons at age nine. I wonder how many times my parents heard “Hot Cross Buns” come from by bedroom…
HC: How long have you been working on this EP?
SC: I’ve been putting out “singles” on my Facebook and YouTube channels for a few years. I decided in the summer of 2015 that I wanted to compile my next few songs into an EP. I would say the songs from this EP are a product of the past year.
HC: How can fans listen to your EP? (Trust us, you guys are going to want to hear this.)
SC: The EP is now available! You can listen on iTunes of Spotify. It is also available on Amazon MP3, Google Play and most other music sites.
HC: What kind of emotions were you feeling leading up to your EP release?
SC: I’m feeling PUMPED. Stoked. Excited. Fortunate. Eager for others to hear!
HC: What genres would you place your music in?
SC: I think a good general description of this EP is a mashup of Indie, acoustic and alternative.
HC: If you could describe your music in one word, what would it be?
SC: Introspective.
HC: Who is your favorite band?
SC: Don’t make me pick one! Unfair question. But… I’ll be loyal to Paramore, always and forever.
HC: Who are your biggest musical influences?
SC: I like to listen to a range of styles. Various artists have inspired my mind musically, which has likely shaped my sound over time. A short list of artists that I currently listen to on a regular basis includes: Sleeping With Sirens, Tegan and Sara, Bring Me the Horizon, Paramore, Chvrches, Haim, MisterWives, Buttons and Twenty One Pilots.
HC: What else are you involved in around campus?
SC: I am a trumpet guide for the Penn State Blue Band. I am currently playing trumpet in the PSU Concert Band as well. I am on the Dancer Relations Committee for the Penn State Dance Marathon (shout out Mikey Ducks! Shout out blue!). I worked as an undergraduate researcher for a National Science Foundation project in the Psychology Department. I also work at the HUB Bookstore, if that counts. Come visit me!
So, now we all have major girl crushes on Sammy. Seriously, how can we not? Sammy isn’t wondering what if she followed her dreams – she’s making them happen. Sure, we may not all aspire to be rock stars, but life’s too short to not at least try to unleash our inner rock stars and do what makes us happy. Now, excuse us as we all go jam out to Sammy’s new EP that’s almost as flawless as her.