Artistically known as “Aubrey Jane,” English junior Aubrey McClaran has always had an affinity for music, particularly singing and songwriting.
As a child, McClaran would come up with melodic lines that would get stuck in her head on a loop. She’d write them all over her journals, hoping that the tune would stick, but as time passed, all that remained were sentimental lyrics.
It wasn’t until senior year of high school that McClaran really paid attention to her passion and put it to the test.
“Following a series of breakups, I dove into my voice memos and turned one of those silly lines into a full-length song for the first time, and I was actually proud of it,” McClaran said. “After that one song, it was like the flood gates had opened. I knew how to turn my feelings into music and I just kept going.”
For McClaran, there are no specific guidelines when it comes to creating a song. She does, however, prefer to create during the late hours of the night.
“Some songs start as a melody that gets stuck in my head, and some, my favorites, just pour out of me in one sitting, like they write themselves and I’m just there to witness it. For the most part, it’s like I’m translating what the song sounds like in my head into the real world,” McClaran said.
While the motive for making music varies among artists, McClaran prioritizes the process over the profit. Although she plans to graduate with her teaching license and hopes to teach elementary school art, making music is something she’ll do for the rest of her life.
“I’ve realized as I’ve gotten closer to having this ‘grown-up job’ that once I do, I’ll have much less time to spend on my creative passions, and I feel in many ways I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t give myself more time for them first,” McClaran said. “In a way, music is just a hobby for me, but it’s also the whole world.”
McClaran grew up on her dad’s taste in music with artists and bands like The Cranberries, Fiona Apple, and The Velvet Underground.
The first concert she ever attended was Patti Smith’s 50th anniversary tour of the acclaimed album “Horses.”
“She’s my hero, even though I know she’d resent being referred to as such,” McClaran said.
In recent years, aside from childhood favorites, McClaran has drawn inspiration from Hope Sandoval, Alanis Morrissette, Liz Phair, Beach House, and The Cocteau Twins.
“During the production stage of my album, “Calamity,” I made a giant, meticulously curated playlist of all my inspirations,” McClaran said.
Self-taught, McClaran mainly plays guitar. She also has some skill in piano and bass as a result of taking lessons between the ages of eight and thirteen; this allows her to produce her own work.
McClaran knows just how intimidating it can be to pursue music, particularly in such a musical community like New Orleans. Her advice for those looking to begin is to believe in themselves and continue doing what they love.
“I know it’s pretty generic and nothing new, but impostor syndrome is truly our biggest enemy in an industry that hinges on self-promotion,” McClaran said. “If you love what you do and you treat it with care, people will see that and connect with it just as much as you do.”
