Singing for a purpose

Sophomore Evelyn Alderete puts all her emotions into original music

Sophomore+Evelyn+Alderete+plays+her+ukulele+during+block+lunch+on+Friday%2C+May+3.+

Anna Velazquez

Sophomore Evelyn Alderete plays her ukulele during block lunch on Friday, May 3.

Her fingers delicately strum the strings of the ukulele. She takes a deep breath, in and out,  before beginning to sing. At first, her voice sounds small and shy, but as she becomes comfortable with the crowd around her, the intensity of her voice and emotions increase. Her heart pounds and her hands feel sweaty and shaky but she feels weightless as she sings her heart out.

Music has played a significant role in sophomore Evelyn Alderete’s life from a young age. Encouraged by her dad to become involved in music and singing, Alderete began playing the guitar at the age of 4 and later transitioned to other instruments such as the flute and ukulele when she was 11 years old.

She can draw from her life experiences and almost effortlessly craft a piece about those experiences.

— sophomore Elizabeth Duncan

“I’ve always loved listening to music and writing songs,” Alderete said. “When I was younger, I would sing at church for special occasions such as Christmas or the end of [vacation bible school.] My dad was also always really supportive when it came to learning guitar and he constantly bought me instruments to mess around with.”

At the end of her freshman year, Alderete gained the inspiration to write her original music. Although now her original music and covers are accompanied by a ukulele, she struggled to find the correct lyrics to match the music and her emotions in the beginning.

“When I first started, I wanted to start on piano and [wanted it to] be like a soft classic pop sound but it really wasn’t me,” Alderete said. “That’s when my ukulele came into the scene.”

Alderete’s close friends have seen her grow as a musician and are extremely proud of how far she has come. They admire how passionate she is about her music and the way she gives a unique meaning to every note.

“She’s very determined, talented and emotionally in tune with herself,” sophomore Elizabeth Duncan said. “She can draw from her life experiences and almost effortlessly craft a piece about those experiences and then devote a lot of her own time to finish the song.”

Sophomore Lauren Blake met Alderete through marching band and is inspired by her dedication to music. Blake is aware of the multiple hours and effort Alderete has put into her music and is consistently showing others Alderete’s original music and covers.

“I support Evelyn in every single way I can,” Blake said. “If she puts out something new, I just go and spread it. I think she’s underrated so she’s like a hidden gem.”

Soon after she became accustomed to writing her own lyrics, Alderete made the decision to produce and release an original song called “Broken” on Saturday, March 9. After a harsh breakup, Alderete was filled with hurt and sorrow. As a result, she decided to put all of her emotions into her song.

I hope to maybe be able to help people going through hard times and even inspire some.

— sophomore Evelyn Alderete

“It really reflects how her feelings are,” Blake said. “Instead of doing other stuff to release her feelings, writing is her coping mechanism.”

After the release of her single “Broken,” she received a message from another student explaining to her how the song influenced her. Hearing the message pushed and motivated Alderete to continue writing music to make an impact on people who listen to her music.

“The EP I’m writing called ‘Take Your Time’ is about a love story, from the crushing, to the healing,” Alderete said. “I hope to maybe be able to help people going through hard times and even inspire some.”

Alderete already has the EP’s release date in mind, planning to release on July 9, 2019, which is the day of her birthday. She isn’t sure of what the future holds for her but is determined to continue pursuing music and songwriting.

“Music has always been a huge part of my life,” Alderete said. “It’s helped me push through tough times and helped me out when some people couldn’t. It’s the joyous sound of some songs that can change your mood in a second.”