By Francais Healy
“I can remember my mom would play, like back in the day of cassette tapes, she would play cassette tapes in the car of Disney songs, and I would listen and sing along to the Lion King. I just kind of sang along to everything,” said Kevin Koupal, first year student at the college, “I want to do something with music in my life.”
Koupal has a passion for music. He experiments with many instruments and has taught himself how to play guitar.
“I’ve been doing self-taught guitar and learning how to play myself for four to five years now. I’m nowhere near as good as a ‘fully accomplished’ guitarist is,” said Koupal, “but I know how to strum the guitar to make a sound I really want.”
While Kevin plays numerous instruments, he feels singing is his true calling.
“I’ve had a vocal teacher for about three years. I’ve honestly progressed so much with him,” Koupal said, “When I listen to a recording of myself singing back then and when I listen to myself now and I can definitely tell I’ve learned so much from having vocal lessons with him.”
Schyler Conway, Koupal’s significant other, agrees with how much Koupal has grown these past years.
“Musically he is more confident in how he presents himself,” said Conway, “he’s changed a lot in the things he puts more effort into in general and takes more time to think about things.”
Musically Koupal draws inspiration from all kinds of music and life experiences.
“In middle school no one really belongs anywhere and you’re trying to find what you are and whatnot. Honestly, that’s when I kind of turned to music” said Koupal, “I listened to heavy stuff because I was angry and kind of sad.”
Koupal said that that style has become the main style of music he plays, despite still taking inspiration from other kinds of music. Despite that, Koupal doesn’t let the mood keep the emotions depressing.
“I also didn’t want to become that always debbie downer kind of a guy, I also wanted to have a good outlook on life, and so there was also some of that more happier vision of life in some of the music I listen to,” added Koupal.
Koupal cited ‘The Beatles’ and other local people as his greatest influences.
“[The Beatles] are just really great for introducing people into the rock genre,” said Koupal, “as far as pursuing music and inspiring me to do something with music, my friends in I Am Nation influence me a lot. The fact that they’ve still kept that going and they’re still going now and trying to make it in the music industry with their band is really inspiring to me and makes me want to do just as well as them.”
As for aspirations for the future, Koupal is optimistic but also realistic.
“I want to be a rock star. Everyone wants to be a rock star in music, it’s the big dream, but you have to look at it on reasonable terms and kind of look into other things to do in music,” said Koupal, “I’ve been looking into jobs in the music industry that could provide a good paycheck”
On the topic of actually performing his music, Koupal chose not to reveal what he and his friends have going on behind the scenes, until the right time.
“Me and my friend Josh and my friend Will have started something, we have not announced it though because what I’ve learned from past experience is if you announce and make a Facebook page and say ‘oh we’re going to come out with this’ and it never happens or something comes up, you quickly lose the interest of your audience,” said Koupal, “we’ve been keeping everything very low profile, we don’t want to announce or say anything if we have nothing to present yet.”
So keep your eyes, or more accurately ears open to hear more from Koupal in the future. Conway had this to say in regards to what Koupal is working on currently: “If he gets everyone together music wise, and the band agrees with him musically, I feel that he and the band will go very far” said Conway.
Contact Francais Healy, staff reporter, fhealy@jccc.edu