Those who want to become rock stars usually make a demo, send it to record companies and hope for the best. Sarah Aument is not one of those people.
In fact, she did not even come to Syracuse University thinking she would be recording music, let alone playing shows around campus.
“We were just coming back from a show and we came back to my good friends’ dorm,” said Aument, a sophomore. “I was playing guitar, and Dan said ‘Ooh, let’s do this.’”
Dan Creahan, a junior at SU, is the head of O’Morning Records, a student-run campus record label founded last winter. “Her music was awesome,” he said. “I was like ‘hey, let’s start a record label. Let’s put this out.’”
“Last year was an experiment,” he continued. “We played a few shows, put out an EP for free and now we’re trying to run a real enterprise.” He went on to say that while no artists are officially signed to contracts yet, he hopes all four acts, including Aument, will get signed in the next couple weeks.
When asked if he viewed her as the lead act of the label, Creahan said, “It’s funny. When we started the label, that’s how we looked at it, and maybe I still look at it that way because she’s the most popular.”
Aument has taken her talent and newfound responsibilities in stride, getting over some early nerves she’s had since high school.
“I was always really nervous when I played,” she said. “And then all of a sudden because I was pushed to play so many shows, I stopped getting so nervous.”
Aument is currently recording her first studio album at the Diane and Arthur B. Belfer Audio Laboratory and Archive on the SU campus. Aument works with student recording producer Kevin Muldoon, a senior music industry major, who is recording her album as a part of his required work as a teacher's assistant for a recording class.
“My band was playing a show in March and she was opening, and I’m like ‘OK, I’m going to record you next year for my project.’ Win-win, right?”
He also said in the future he and his drummer plan to play live with Aument.
As for Aument herself, she said she has a deep connection with music in general, based on her family’s background. Both her parents played in a marching band, met and fell in love.
“Music is very much a part of me,” she said. “I’m trying to create a piece of art that marks a place in my life. What I write about, what I play, is very real. My lyrics are very connected to me.”
Though she doesn't know where her current project will lead her, Aument is certain this adventure will at least make for a good story.
“If anything, it’ll just be a really great journal for this time in my life.”
Listen to Aument's song, Couch Slouch or download the free MP3 here.
Student artist Sarah Aument is performing at Funk 'N Waffles on Friday Nov. 6th as part of the O' Morning Records Showcase at 8:00 p.m.
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