Student Spotlight

How did you get involved with music and singing?

I’ve liked singing since I was four years old. Then, in fifth or sixth grade they were having band auditions and I decided I wanted to be in band because I’ve always been interested in music, but I haven’t done choir yet. So, I auditioned and made it into band and later decided that band wasn’t for me. From 7th grade until now in 12th grade I’ve been in choir because choir is something that I really do enjoy.

How long have you been in choir?

I have been in choir for 6 years.

What groups have you been in?

I was in the choir at AOI and was a member of Southern Synergy, the a cappella group my 8th grade year. I was also in the Mississippi Boychoir from 7th grade until 9th grade and I have been in Varsity Choir, Madrigals, and Total Sound here at the high school.

What’s the most recent event you participated in?

I participated in SICC (Southern Invitational Choral Conference), MSU Choral Colloquium last semester, and played a role in Vicksburg Theatre Guild’s production of “The Little Mermaid” last summer.

What do you love most about singing and music?

I like that I can improve every time I do something. I can improve every year and every year I get better at something vocally.

What has been your favorite piece of music that you’ve sung?

I would probably say it was the “12 Days of Christmas Confusion” that we did two years ago for Singe Feaste, it was really fun. I can’t remember exactly how it goes, but it was basically like the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” but mixed with a bunch of other Christmas songs that made it sound confusing, but it was really fun. I had this little solo part in it where I jumped out and sang it.

What has surprised you the most about singing in a choir?

Going into choir I expected not to have many friends because during elementary school I didn’t have many friends, but I talked to people and now I’m friends with mostly choir kids and I like having them on my side.

How has singing affected your life and school career?

I feel like if I had never joined choir, I wouldn’t be as social as I am because I didn’t really talk to anyone in band except for my brothers and I didn’t do much anything else except sports, but I quit after two years.

Do you have any advice for people who want to join choir or who are new to choir this year?

Do not give up no matter how hard it gets because there have been so many times that I’ve wanted to give up in choir. Multiple times I have wanted to quit this, quit that, but I decided to stick with it and here I am today in 12th grade, still in Total Sound / Madrigals and I’m better than I was.

Anything else you would like the world to know about Jaylen Smith?

I’m a theatre nerd!

How did you get involved with music and singing?

I really think that I was just put in the middle school choir and I just haven’t left. The counselors made good decisions. I love choir.

How long have you been in choir?

I started in 7th grade and am a Senior now.

What groups have you been in?

I was in the choir at AOI and was also a member of Southern Synergy in 7th and 8th grade. I’ve been a member of Varsity Choir, Madrigals, and Total Sound while here at the high school.

What’s the most recent event you participated in?

I participated in SICC (Southern Invitational Choral Conference) and the show choir workshops.

What do you love most about singing and music?

I love the emotion that it takes and the personal feelings that singing emits. I like singing and feeling really connected to the piece and to the rest of the choir as one voice.

What has been your favorite piece of music that you’ve sung?

It would have to be “Sing We Now of Christmas” this year

What has surprised you the most about singing in a choir?

Loving it as much as I do. When I used to think about choir, I used to be not as excited or as happy about because I was just uncomfortable.

How has singing affected your life and school career?

I feel like choir has made me a more social person and that says a lot because I don’t really like socializing with people, but choir has helped me be myself. I feel like it’s made me more of an individual and helping me know more about myself.

Do you have any advice for people who want to join choir or who are new to choir this year?

Yeah! Don’t quit. And also, I feel like people should know their place in a choir and understand that they’re just one big voice and there is no one individual person in choir.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I wish currently that I was at home with my cat Steve. I miss him and I love him oh so dearly.