Growing up watching her father make music with his friends, Aubrey West was fascinated with making music, too. Since she was in elementary school, she has learned to make music herself by using simple instruments.
West, a junior exercise science major from Niceville, Florida, made her first song, “Do Ya Like,” in 2011 with her little brother for fun.
West said the song went viral in her hometown.
“Everyone was complimenting on it, saying that I was going to blow up soon,” West said.
She said she downloaded an old program that allowed her to record her voice and put music into it. Since then, she has been writing songs and recording them.
Recently, West released a new song, “Remington.”
The song was aired live by HHJR, a hip-hop and rap radio station based in Atlanta, among other radio stations.
According to West, she gets her inspiration to write the songs from some unhealthy past relationships.
“Relationships and family inspire my music,” West said. “The song that I just wrote last night is about me and my family, called ‘Dreaming.’”
People have suggested West audition for a talent-seeking show, but she said she is too shy to do so. Recording music is a way she can share her feelings and stories to other people without singing live, she said.
Her role model in music is a hip-hop singer named J. Cole.
“There is a lot of crazy music out there that doesn’t make sense,” West said. “Cole tells a lot of stories.
“His music makes sense to me and inspires me to tell my stories, too.”
West records her song at a home studio owned by Daren Osby, a senior global business major from Decatur, Georgia.
Osby said that he thinks West has a bright future in music.
“I’ve known her for just about five months now, but we’ve been talking about music and working together all the time,” Osby said.
Osby assists West in engineering her songs, mixing the tracks and turning her ideas into audibles.
He said that West has incredible ideas and a professional work ethic.
“When she comes to record, she always has her songs done and ready,” he said. “She doesn’t waste time, and I️ love working with her.”
Besides making music, West’s interest in modeling grew after being asked to model by Tedric Davenport, a junior graphic design major from Brundidge.
West said that she never imagined herself modeling, but now she is loving it.
“I’ve been in toxic relationships that made me feel very insecure about myself,” said West.
She said modeling highlights the best in her. It reminds her that she is a beautiful person inside and out and that she doesn’t need to seek validation from anyone else.
Davenport was an aspiring photographer when he met West and wanted some good photo shoots for his portfolio.
“I decided to ask her to model for me because she is beautiful and has a very unique look,” Davenport said.
He said West is a sweet, fun, loving and bubbly person to be around.
“It’s awesome to see her progress as a model each time we shoot,” he said.
To balance her studying, making music and modeling, West said, she tries to eliminate all the unhealthiness in her life. She allocates her time to what is constructive to her future.
“Because my schedule is extremely hectic, I don’t get to hang out with my friends as much as I would like to,” West said. “However, my close friends are very supportive of what I am doing, and they understand.”
After graduation, she plans to attend a physical therapy school.
“I want to be a licensed therapist, and if I can afford time, a personal trainer because I love working out,” West said.
West said she wants to inspire others to spend time doing what they love.
“I believe that school is priority, but you have to balance everything out by living with your passions, too,” she said. “We all need to have some type of outlet to express ourselves.”
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