Downers Grove Magazine | Special Feature
GIRL POWER Local adolescents are following their passions and making an impact BY VALERIE HARDY THANKS TO 1126 ENTERTAINMENT, BRILEY ENTERTAINS THE CROWS AT WASABI IN DOWNTOWN DOWNERS GROVE. PHOTO BY VALERIE HARDY
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f you are on any form of social media, you likely know of – and may even have celebrated – a national or international “holiday” such as Siblings Day, Bring Your Child to Work Day, Taco Day, or even Clean Out Your Fridge Day. However, one that may not receive as much attention as it deserves is the International Day of the Girl Child. Held annually on Oct. 11, this day aims to amplify the voices of young women across the world and celebrate the differences they are making in society. Such young women are always worth recognizing though, including these three from our community.
Striking a Chord
“My Church”) and original songs (like “Lost and Found,” which is about how her pet cat came to join their family) to audiences throughout Downers Grove. She has taken the stage at Rotary GroveFest, Wasabi Restaurant & Bar, and Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant on both St. Patrick’s Day and during open mic nights. Briley has also performed at various block parties and other private events, all free of charge. However, she is open to receiving tips as she is trying to save up to attend another singer-songwriter program at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan (she attended Interlochen this past summer and is eager to continue learning and growing in her craft).
Briley Steffes quite literally uses her voice within the community. Steffes – whose stage name is just “Briley” – has been bringing both cover songs (some crowd favorites include Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Maren Morris’s
Briley began singing in choirs before she could read, but a choir was not required for her to be singing. In second grade, her teacher asked her to bring gum to class as a way of quieting her because she was always humming,
Briley Steffes, 12, Downers Grove
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whistling, or singing. Another time, Briley said she accepted “a dare to sing ‘Oh Danny Boy’” at a family member’s wake. “There was an old lady there from another funeral that asked if I could perform for their wake too,” Briley added. So, she went in and sang in front of a room full of strangers. Briley said she does not get nervous performing in front of crowds. This onstage comfort came in handy when she encountered last year’s “America’s Got Talent” runner-up Austin Edwards (Broken Roots) while in Michigan with family. Edwards invited her to sing a duet of the song “Shallow” with him in front of a few hundred people at a backyard party (and another time soon after at The Fremont Bar & Grill in Westmont). Briley said the reason she does not get nervous is that she practices… a lot. After performing at GroveFest, her Continued on next page
