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How the underground music community provides outlet for Bridgeland students
eing a teenager is rough. How we get through this time varies from person to person. Some take their teen angst to a football field or track. Some try to mold their frustration into a clay sculpture. Some take everything bottled up and spill it into their extracurriculars. For juniors Ryan Harris and Zoe Romero, music carries them through. Sure, music is universally a great coping mechanism, but rather than making a playlist, Harris and Romero make their own music. Two years ago, Harris discovered his love for the rock and metal genre which led him to start playing the guitar, drums and bass. He joined the band “Beretta” as a singer and guitarist more than eight months ago after he put himself out there on the social website for musicians, BandMix. Harris said that being a part of “Beretta” has drastically changed the course of his life. “I think before I was in a band, I was just going through the motions and I feel like I wasn’t doing anything in life except just going moment to moment,” Harris said. “But after playing in a band, I’ve learned to look at the bigger picture and learn about progress.” Beginning her music career with lessons at School of Rock, Romero was instrumental in the formation of her band “Serene.” After two years with the band, she considers them family. Beyond the relationship, she feels just turning on the mic or writing lyrics helps her plug into her emotions. ”I’m an angry girl in an angry world,” she said, “and I feel like this is the best way I can cope in any way possible. If I’m mad, I can yell about it. If I’m energetic, I can go dance around on stage. But also, if I’m feeling vulnerable, I can write. [Writing] makes me feel like I’m getting things out and it also makes me feel proud of myself for being able to communicate the things that I feel.” Music is a language all of its own. Whether on stage or shutting out the world with AirPods, it serves as a temporary escape. Harris thinks that being in a musical group adds an extra element to how music helps him break free from the chains of
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adolescent struggle. ”Being in a band helps make me feel like people believe in me. There’s a lot of people out there that will just come and see us play and go, ‘Oh my gosh! You guys did so great!’ and it gives you confidence,” Harris said. “It makes you feel like you have something to strive toward and that you can get somewhere with your life. It creates a sense of being resilient and not just getting beaten down. It gives me something to look forward to all day.” Not only are young musicians serving as an example for vulnerability and self-expression, they also make their mark on the community. Through gigging and putting their inventive takes on songs, amateur artists put themselves out there openly through their craft. According to Romero, they are changing the landscape of music. ”I feel like we’re going to bring a different type of music to the table. We are the future of music, so I think it’s important what messages we’re trying to convey and how we present ourselves to the public,” Romero said. “I also think that musicians, at least young ones, are becoming less scared of expressing themselves and just being unique is kind of its own trend. More young artists is an amazing thing that’s been going on.” Taking on the responsibility of being in the public eye as a role model for aspiring musicians in the area is no easy task, and Romero and Harris don’t take that responsibility lighlty. Hours on end almost every day, both musicians dedicate most all their free time or make sacrifices to play or write new music with their band. Romero even fills her school schedule with multiple demanding
