Meet the Band: Sarah Maxson
Number four in our five part interview series with the members of Ampers&. In this installment, vocalist Sarah Maxson talks about being a D1 athlete, group chemistry, and how she joined the band.
Hi Sarah, how’s it going? Hello world! It’s going well. I am extremely busy this time of year because of my hectic track/social/academic/band schedules! (Wow sometimes I amaze myself that I’m not going insane everyday).
But I can’t complain, I’m very blessed to have been given so many gifts and I’m even more blessed that I am able to use them everyday!
Tell the fans a bit about yourself. Well for starters I’m a sophomore here at IU with a double major of Communication & Culture and Psychology! I love my majors but I never saw myself as a double major kind of girl when I came to college.
I am a D1 athlete (who is better than Kris…he thinks that he can beat me but you all know he has no chance against someone who trains 30+ hours a week. :p) I am a high jumper for IU Track and Field and I love every minute of it…except when I have to run repeat 300M’s…those just plain suck.
I am an only child and I was adopted! So my life has been full of adventures but everyone has taught me something about myself that has shaped me to be the person who I am today. I currently live in Greenville, SC where my loving parents and Bichon named Cassie Marie, are enjoying retirement (and much warmer weather…).
How long have you been singing? I have been singing my whole life. I used to be trained in classical styles. But as my athletic career became more and more prevalent I had to stop singing lessons and became a casual singer but still participated in school plays, choirs and still did larger productions in my city. I’m also quite the actress…so watch out!!
Who are your musical influences? I am a fan of Adele and Kelly Clarkson. I find that I am most definitely an alto so Adele’s songs sound good with my register. Also I am a fan of The Fray. I really enjoy songs that speak to the audience and have a clear message. It makes the artist seem more real and less in the limelight. When I perform I try to bring my emotion the song.
How did you meet the other band members? I met Kris through New Student Orientation last summer where he was my “boss”. I saw him more as a friend than a boss, though he was still very effective in his position.
I met Pavan and Ryan on a Friday night after being asked by Kris on a Thursday at 11pm if I wanted to sing in a band. Out of the blue he calls and says “I’ve got a group of super talented musicians who needs a singer. Would you be interested?” I obviously said yes, and the next day I met with Pavan and Ryan to work on the set list and the rest is History.
I met Quinten or QT at our first practice as a group in Kris’s freezing cold basement. And he said “I’m so jacked that you’re here, I’m jacked to have a female lead.” Thanks QT.
What are your thoughts on the other band members? I think that the guys are great. It’s really nice to have such an awesome group of musicians to back you. It makes my job MUCH easier.
What makes this band different? I think that because everyone is so talented, we are able to be a very versatile group and add our own flavor to popular songs. We also have very good group chemistry, which makes us a great band for live shows.
Are you excited about the first show? I am very excited for the first show. Performing is something that I was meant to do. My whole life I’ve loved being on stage and in front of an audience. So I can’t wait till the lights are up!
Are you nervous? Nervous isn’t in my vocabulary.
What is your favorite song to play? I really love “We Found Love” because Rihanna songs are a lot of fun to perform and as a singer you can really get into them.
Thanks for your time Sarah! Ampers& will play its first show at The Bluebird in Bloomington, Indiana on Thursday, April 11th at 10PM. Cover is $5. The Bluebird will be running its $1 Pints/Wells promotion that night. Keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter for more Ampers& news.