On March 6, commercial music majors had the opportunity to showcase their talents at Harry’s Coffeehouse. The event was completely student-let and featured music from multiple genres, all the way from country to rap.
The showcase was a part of the Business Revenue Streams class taught by Steven Potaczek. Caden Peschel, a freshman performer under the name “PESHL,” said the class has given him a different perspective of performing.
“Personally, I have really enjoyed learning about the business aspect behind all the music,” Peschel said. “The music is what everyone sees upfront while the business is all behind the scenes. It has been really cool to get a glimpse of the behind the scenes.”
Business is not the only aspect of this class, though. Freshman Jack Lepere, a student focusing on Christian rap under the name “Peaire,” expressed how incredible it was to collaborate with other artists and grow closer as a group.
“Our class truly has this close connection that we all genuinely enjoy, making us feel like a family at school,” Lepere said. “Additionally, being able to collaborate with talented individuals like Via Vicary and Owen Jackson has been a true blessing for me during this class.”
Collaboration was also a major part of creating the showcase itself. Since it was completely student-run, the group had to combine their skills to put the show on. Olivia Webber, a freshman commercial music major with a focus on pop music, said that this actually made the show even better.
“One thing I have learned through the process of putting this concert together is how important each of us are to one another,” Webber said. “Our skill sets are so different that we have to depend on one another to make the show work. And in doing so, each of our sets were so much more successful because we used our different strengths to help shape the big picture.”
Each performer shared how meaningful it was to perform in front of fellow Samford students, especially when the crowd was engaged in the show. Lepere said that he felt like his words really got through to the audience.
“Being able to perform my own rap music for Samford was such an energizing experience,” he said. “As I was performing, I noticed heads turning very quickly, and I could see how many people felt interested in what I had to say.”
Webber shared a similar experience and said that seeing the audience enjoying her music was uplifting.
“My favorite moment from the show was when I was performing ‘Headfirst’ and got to look into the audience,” she said. “Seeing so many people smiling and having fun with live music is so encouraging and truly makes it all so worth it.”
During Peschel’s performance, he got to see a lot of crowd participation. Hands were clapping along to the song, and he said that it encouraged and energized him on stage.
“One of my favorite moments was the moment I started playing my song ‘Bones,’” Peschel said. “It was really cool to be able to show that song to a crowd such as that. This was my very first show, and the second I started ‘Bones,’ the more my adrenaline levels rose.”
Whether the artist was new to performing or had been working in the music industry for a while, they each said that the event was impactful to them. As an artist, Peschel said that although it can be taxing to perform, it is such a priceless experience.
“Putting on concerts can be super stressful, and communication is one of the most important aspects to your success,” he said. “But in the end, your friends help make the concert worth it.”
Arts & Life Editor
