MEET OUR GRADUATES: Songbird Making Her Mark in 音乐 Industry

Psychology major Jessica Zeltzer is crisscrossing the country to make her dreams of a music career come true.

泽尔泽一直在写作, recording and performing her emotionally charged music while attending school and bouncing between Los Angeles, 纽约州和esball官方网.

The 23-year-old songstress says she would have it no other way.

“音乐 has always been my priority,她说。. “I’ve taken every form of theater and music class you can imagine. The first time I heard my voice over the airwaves, it sent shivers down my spine. That was when I thought to myself, ‘This is what it feels like to be an artist.’’’

Zeltzer, who uses only her first and middle name, Kaela, 专业, signed a performance artist development deal with Siri 音乐 Group, 果园索尼音乐集团, in 2021. Her latest single, “Crying,” was released in March. She’s scheduled to perform the song on “Good Day New York” on May 19.

“Crying’ is a song I wrote about feeling like I lost my sense of self after a breakup,” Zeltzer says. “I was calling my team and record label every day and they were pushing me to put the pain I was feeling into a song. I was literally crying in the recording booth while I was singing the song.”

Zeltzer was nine years old when she started writing lyrics and has copyrighted more than a dozen songs since then. 一位女高音歌唱家, she was classically trained by vocal coaches and performed with the HaZamir International High School Choir and the Barrington High School Choral Ensemble.

Zeltzer says she decided to enroll at Rhode Island College after hearing about the success of its psychology and music programs.

“I’ve put a lot of hard work in my schooling and I’m glad to see it pay off by graduating,她说。. “I had amazing professors who were supportive of my journey. They were so accommodating of my schedule, which got busy sometimes between performances and meetings.”

埃里克·克里斯坦森, a RIC adjunct faculty member who taught Zeltzer how to play guitar, 说她是个真正的天才. “She has the voice, attitude and determination to succeed in the music industry,” he says.

Zeltzer says she intends to weave what she’s learned from her psychology courses into her career. “Knowing how the brain works is especially important in the music business,她说。. “It gives me insight into why people act a certain way. When I have to take on difficult conversations, I’ll know how to maneuver.”

Zeltzer’s creative process involves constantly writing lyrics in her notebook or on her phone. She counts her ability to be emotionally vulnerable as her biggest asset.

“It can be either happy or sad emotions, but I use both to fuel my music,她说。. “Sometimes it’s scary to put your stories out there into the world. But that fear can be beautiful, as well.”

Zeltzer has won several awards for her music, including the Texas Ultimate Shorts International Romantic 音乐 Video Award and Best 音乐 Video Award from Los Angeles Films. She’s performed live at iHeart Radio and appeared on platforms such as 音乐 Choice, 潘多拉, Fab TV和BMI音乐周一.

If she weren’t a singer, Zeltzer says she’d contemplate becoming a psychologist.

在这一点上, it’s hard for me to think about anything other than being a singer because I’m focused on my career,她说。. “This industry is not easy, and I know there will be times when I fall and must pick myself back up. But at the end of the day, I will always push through and grow from whatever happens.”