On April 17, the Illinois Music Business Club held a showcase at The Canopy Club for local artists, who were mostly students, to show off their talent. The event is held once a semester by choosing the top students from an audition process. This semester, the musical acts ranged from solo acoustic sets to full bands, and each artist brought a different genre and skill set to the event.
IMBC’s purpose for the small showcase was to show off the talented artists in the organization and give the performers a platform to share their music. Diversity of the acts was an important factor in choosing who could perform, as each artist filled the space with a different sound. Noble King, freshman in Music, is the vice-president of IMBC. She shared the intention of holding such showcases for student artists.
“I think the showcase helps the artists themselves get exposure,” King said. “It gives them experience because a lot of them are trying to go into the music industry later, so it’s important for them to feel comfortable doing that before going out into the real world.”
As each performer stepped onstage, different types of crowds filed into The Canopy Club, each coming to see what talent the community had to offer. The audience was composed of students and peers of the performers, as well as local music business owners and general community members.
The event started with R&B performer Christina Agunloye. A large crowd of supporters arrived to see her. She utilized a backing track to sing with her smooth soprano timbre, giving the people a show. Accompanied by no other musicians, she held her own and made great use of her impactful crowd work while hyping up the audience.
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Sara Grossman followed the first act, slowing down the atmosphere with slow acoustic songs. Her solo act featured all originals, often singing softly about heartbreak and coming-of-age themes relatable to young adults. Standing alone onstage with just a guitar, she showed the audience her vulnerable side and let her music speak for itself.
In the middle of the set nestled Mina Kostic, a junior in Music and a fairly new performer to hit the Champaign-Urbana scene. Having been performing as an operatic singer for years, moving towards a more pop style is new for Kostic. At this showcase, she was accompanied by a band and performed both covers and originals. She shared her sentiments about being a new act in the area and the intimate nature of many of the gigs available.
“Everybody’s there to support you and help you out,” Kostic said. “And if you start in a smaller town, like a smaller artist, I feel like that’s going to be a plus for you and for everybody else listening.”
Sierra Sikora performed as a singer-songwriter after Kostic. Joined by a band onstage, she showcased mostly original songs and sprinkled in a few well-known covers. The covers included “Creep” by Radiohead and “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish.
Her high-pitched and bright voice stood out from the instruments and gave her performance a light tone. Deeming herself in the indie pop genre, her originals were often upbeat and characteristic of the style. She revealed her debut EP, “Confessions,” will be out on May 19.
Going second to last, Lilianna Fehr, a graduate student studying accounting and data analytics, brought a softer pop style to the event. Another singer-songwriter, she has been pursuing music since the age of three. In her set, she performed the song “Last Cup of Tea” for the first time. In an intimate moment, she shared with the audience that she dedicated the song to her mother, who died earlier this year.
“Fifty people came,” Fehr said. “They wore red and pink for her, and I just wanted to share that vulnerable moment with everybody.”
To close out the night, the band Motus took the stage in proper fashion. Producing the heaviest sound of the night, their alternative songs got the crowd moving. The group has four members, composed of University students and community members alike. The band can be found at most Urbana house shows on the weekends, striving to spread their music as much as possible.
During each set, audience members could be seen dancing along with their friends and cheering on the artists. There was a supportive and energetic atmosphere after each song ended, and the crowd roared.
Among the crowd was Tyler “Twitt” Witt, founder of a local record label, Broken Record Music Club. As an active member of the local music community, he seeks out underground music throughout many corners of Illinois. The IMBC showcase was a great place for him to support his artists and see new, emerging faces.
“I think this music scene, especially, is so loaded with talent,” Witt said. “It’s crazy. There’s so many really good bands. New bands popping up all the time. It’s really thriving and healthy.”
Events like these not only give the artists a chance to reach more people, but they also bring more fun and action to the community. Emmet Rojas, sophomore in Applied Health Sciences, is the co-president of IMBC and helped organize the showcase. He shared how he thinks it benefits more than just the artists to provide a showcase once a semester.
“I think the best way of promoting happiness and just forgetting a little bit about everything else going on right now is by music,” Rojas said. “By concerts, just putting all people together in a room and having them dancing. I think that’s the main purpose we have here.”
This spring showcase provided an outlet for artists to show off their own music and community members to hear new music they may not have known about. The C-U scene is bursting with new talent every year, and attending local gigs can only prove to be an overwhelmingly enjoyable experience every time.
