Senior entertainment industry studies major Kayla Woodson will take the stage at Saturday’s Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business Country Showcase 2016, bringing a rock twist to the genre.
In shows with her band, the singer enjoys mixing different genres of music and said her influences range from Dolly Parton to bands like Journey or Guns N’ Roses, with a little bit of soul mixed in too.
“I’m from a little town outside of New Orleans, so country music was not as popular there when I was growing up. Because of that, I have always incorporated songs by artists such as Stevie Wonder or Aretha Franklin into my sets also,” Woodson said.
Woodson started singing when she was 4 years old– a fact that still baffles the daughter of two non-singer parents–, and came to Belmont so she could pursue both music and her education at the same time.
She will be joined onstage by Alex Douthitt on electric guitar, Tom Panos on keyboard and background vocals, senior Dylan Bodley on acoustic guitar, senior Austin Mercuri on bass, senior Graylin Stewart on drums, sophomore Summer Edeen on background vocals and Belmont alum Jonathan Culifer on steel guitar.
This isn’t Woodson’s first showcase experience, but it is one she considers the highlight of her senior year.
“I have tried out for showcase for the past couple of years and have not even made it to live auditions, so finally being able to be a part of Country Showcase this year is an awesome feeling,” she said.
Though she’s keeping her setlist under wraps right now and hopes to surprise the audience with her “big sound,” she said she can’t wait for people to see the show into which she has put so much of her personality and effort.
“Whether it’s musical arrangements or production, I have been able to contribute a part of myself to every aspect of my live performance, which is one of my favorite parts about putting together a show,” she said.
The 2016 CEMB Country Showcase will be held on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Curb Event Center. Admission is free.
Woodson’s first single “Fan for the Flame” is out on iTunes and Spotify. For more information, check her out online at KaylaWoodson.com, on Facebook or on Twitter and Instagram at @kwoodsonmusic.