Aaron Daane, a senior audio arts major who performs under the stage name “aaron’s book club,” has been named a finalist for the $20,000 JAMBALOO Music Prize, a Dallas-Fort Worth-based competition recognizing independent artists.
The contest is judged by 15 anonymous music industry professionals, with winners selected through a combination of judges’ scores and public voting.
Daane said he was excited to be named a finalist but trying not to look too far ahead before the winner is announced June 6 at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas.
His latest album, “Doggies,” marks what he described as a shift toward a more acoustic and indie-focused sound while exploring themes of anxiety, relationships and growing up online.
“The album is kind of a Debbie Downer,” Daane said. “I was pretty depressed and doing really bad in school, and this was like my therapy, a way to not keep my emotions bottled up”
Daane, who is switching his major to music, said making music has long been a way for him to process emotions and cope with difficult periods in his life.
His love of music goes back to childhood. Daane’s father was a bass player, and his first memories of music were seeing instruments laying around the house.
“I was kind of an iPad kid, but instead of like Angry Birds, I was on GarageBand just messing around,” Daane said. “The biggest part that my childhood contributed was like doing everything on my own.”
Philip Seward, professor of instruction in the School of Audio and Music and coordinator of curriculum and vocal composition, said Daane is talented, good at both playing and production.
“Aaron is also generous with his time and makes sure to help out other students in class when they’re struggling,” Seward said.
Ben Sutherland, the interim director of the School of Audio and Music said Daane’s success is evidence of what Columbia faculty already see, “which is spectacular creative, original voices.”
“I think the music community is very powerful and really think that others will feed off of his energy and do great things,” Sutherland said.
Daane said that he hopes his love of music will inspire other students to pursue what they love.
“My freshman year of college I was just grinding on social media trying to get my music out there,” Daane said. “It was the worst sleep schedule I have ever had trying to stay up every night.”
But he said he knew he’d never quit.
“I’ve never thought that I could do anything else, which seems cheesy and stupid, but I just knew I was meant to do this,” Daane said.
Copy edited by Samantha Mosquera
