By Lily Jones | Arts and Entertainment Editor
The first floor of Wakehurst, usually loud and overcrowded with hungry students, transformed into an intimate setting last Saturday at 9 pm for acoustic night, an event sponsored by the Wakehurst Student Center.
Free coffee, hot chocolate, and cake balls were made available to students, who could enjoy them as they listened to the musical stylings of an artist on the rise.
This low-key night featured Rachel Brown, an emerging singer-songwriter from New York. Brown is an independent artist who tours colleges; she sings, plays the guitar, and even strums a ukulele on a few of her songs.
Brown began her set with a smooth and silky cover of Sam Smith’s hit song, “Stay With Me,” then shared a collection of original songs with her audience. Students were delighted to hear Brown’s jaunty tunes, such as songs “Bumblebee” and “Diamond in the Rough,” as well as her upbeat and fast-paced “Me & You.”
Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, and Sarah Bareilles are some of Brown’s musical influences, all of which are reflected in her own music. However, she demonstrates a distinctive individualism in her cheerful yet relaxed sound.
Brown’s advice to aspiring singer-songwriters is to write everyday and all the time. “I think the best thing about a song is when it’s about something that everyone can relate to, but is said in such a brand new way,” she said. Brown favors songs that are relatable yet unique, traits that can be seen in her own music.
Brown’s extended-play, Building Castles, is available on most song providers including iTunes and Spotify. She can also be found on Twitter @rachelbrownnyc, and on Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube @rachelbrownmusic.
The acoustic night was put on by the Student Center, an on-campus Student Activities organization that operates out of Wakehurst. The Student Center hosts events, such as Friday Night Live and Saturday movie nights, on most weekend nights at Salve.
Kelly Kern, a senior Communications major at Salve and member of the Wakehurst Student Center, recommended that students come and check out all the different events the center has to offer. “There’s always tons of things going on,” Kern said. She suggested that students, especially freshmen, looking for things to do on campus should check the Student Center’s social media pages, as well as the various postings around campus.
The next Student Activities event is “Paint Nite” which will be held on November 22nd at 9 pm in Ochre Court.
