Logo provided by WQSU
By Kayla Brown, Arts and Entertainment Editor
On Oct. 16 and 17, WQSU continued their Weekends with WQSU series allowing four Susquehanna student musicians to perform for their fellow students and show off their talents.
Friday evening, senior Sean Ryan took the stage with his acoustic guitar.
Ryan has been involved with music for as long as he can remember, whether it be attending his dad’s shows or singing the National Anthem at different events. However, after starting college, he began taking his music seriously and performing, mostly with his dad, who has been performing since the ’80s.
This past summer, Ryan managed to get experience in front of larger crowds when he performed solo six times at local bars near his hometown of Verona, N.J.
Ryan, who has always been hesitant to sing his own songs, said, “This summer was really good for me in terms of building confidence to perform in front of people on my own.”
When he heard that WQSU was putting on this series, he knew that he needed to do this, as it allowed him to gain experience in front of crowds and perform for people who may know him, but might not know the talent he possesses.
“I have a bunch of friends on campus who have never really heard me play before, so I figured I’d do something fun like this that gets the school involved,” Ryan said.
Following Ryan’s performance, junior Danielle Underhill, better known by her stage name Dani, took the stage with her guitar and ukulele.
Dani began playing the piano when she was 10 and shortly after, picked up the drums and guitar. In middle school, she joined the school choir and has since performed in school concerts and played local gigs with her guitar teacher.
“Performing on stage to me means connecting with the audience and taking a break to relax from the outside world,” she said.
For Dani, this performance could not have come at a better time as she, like many, noticed that everyone on campus is burned out and tired. “Taking time out of my day to play some of my favorite music is absolutely what I needed. I would hope for people who come out to the shows to get a break from their busy lives as well,” she explained.
Saturday morning, the series continued with sophomore singer-songwriter, Molly Young.
As a music major and a graduate from a performing arts high school where they studied music, Young considers music, specifically songwriting, to be a very important aspect of their life.
“I remember in fifth grade, sitting on the playground under a tree writing songs while my friends played tag, truly trying to make little melodies in hopes that I could one day be remembered,” they said.
Young was in the band The Jonestown Experiment in high school, but this was their first solo performance.
The weekend was closed out by singer-songwriter Joseph Konopke, known professionally as JKono, who has been singing since he could talk.
“[Music] has been a part of me since before I can remember,” he said.
On top of singing and songwriting, JKono is a multi-instrumentalist skilled in guitar, bass guitar, trombone, percussion and piano. His multifaceted art can be found on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook at JKonoMedia.
Every week, the performers never cease to impress and they continue to encourage everyone to take these types of opportunities, whether it be performing for a crowd or having the courage to write their own music.
“If there’s something you love, go for it. Your life is so small, and it’s the only thing that’s truly yours. Reach for the stars, do what you love and never be ashamed of who you are,” Young said.
