Aggie Voice grants students opportunities for artistic growth
On Jan. 10, USUSA hosted Aggie Voice in the TSC. Weeks of Welcome events give students the opportunity to further their involvement and showcase their talents. This year’s Aggie Voice was no exception.
With over 10 different musical acts and three guest judges, Aggie Voice provided entertainment for the USU community while simultaneously giving contestants the opportunity to showcase their talent. Contestants also received commentary and feedback on their individual performances.
Isaac Raines, a junior pursuing a major in nursing, initially attended Aggie Voice to support some of his friends. He left with a new mindset behind the meaning of music and an insider’s look into the talent at USU.
“I’ve always loved listening to music, but I’ve never really been drawn to smaller artists,” Raines said. “I felt like Aggie Voice gave me that exposure to different talents that are at USU. I honestly felt like some of the performers could be something big one day.”
Audience members watched a short introduction video about each contestant before their individual performances.
“I really liked how we were able to see what makes music so important to each person that performed,” Raines said. “I feel like it made me realize how important music is to the performers and the audience members. I really thought it was cool to get some insight into each person’s story.”
Madison Ware, a student majoring in music therapy, has performed at WhySound, PoBev and other various gigs around Logan during her time at Utah State.
“Since my time at USU is coming to an end, I view these opportunities to perform as a chance for closure,” Ware said. “I want to do as much as I can while I still can.”
Ware was a top three finalist and had the opportunity to perform twice. During her second performance, she performed an original song.
“Writing music means so much to me,” Ware said. “I’ve been interested in music since I was really young, and the process of writing music has really helped me heal from some hard experiences while also being able to tell my story to others that can relate to it. I was so happy to be able to perform my own music at Aggie Voice and various other gigs.”
During the finalist’s performances, Libby Prusso performed a rendition of “She Used to Be Mine” from the “Waitress” musical. Her performance won her not just the Aggie Voice title, but also a chance to further her opportunities as a musician.
Seize the Night Records is a recording studio local to Logan that aims to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. With their sponsorship of Aggie Voice, the winner received a free recording session.
Prusso celebrated afterward with family and friends, and her fans are awaiting the results of the recording session.
Andrea James, a first-year student, attended the event and was immediately shocked by Prusso’s vocal range.
“I love the song ‘She Used to be Mine,’” James said. “Something about Libby’s voice just brought the lyrics to life. I would love to be able to listen to her music on Spotify.”