This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

Kennedy is a 19 year-old freshman/Journalism major at West Virginia University. She is a member and Social Chairman of Kappa Kappa Gamma (a collegiate women’s fraternity), and is highly involved on campus. One of her major successes in life is playing the guitar and singing/songwriting. Kennedy’s music style is “Pop Country” – her first recorded song “Summer Fever” was recently chosen as a top ten winner for a song writing contest in Nashville, Tennessee.

What made you become a song writer?

Growing up, I was lucky enough to be involved in musical theatre starting around seven years old, which definitely made me realize how much I loved to perform! Singing, dancing, and acting were all my sisters and I did throughout our childhood, just because we loved it so much.

During middle school I continued performing in musicals, and in the 8th grade we had a guitar “cycle class”. The teacher taught us a couple basic chords, then I’d come home to my guitar (that I begged to get for Christmas), and I started teaching myself how to play. I would practice by studying my favorite artists and how they moved their fingers. I just loved singing and I’ve always loved to write. I began to write about things that I was experiencing or going through.

A huge factor that had an impact on my songwriting was being a target of bullying. I was harassed by the older girls at my school in regard to my music, and it actually made me start writing more and more music because it was therapeutic for me. Playing and writing music helped me get through all of it. Singing and songwriting are the two things that make me the happiest; if something pops into my head or something affects me, it doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing – I will find a napkin and jot down lyrics or record a voice memo on my phone just so I can get a new song down!

What are your hopes and goals for the future?

I just really want to just keep singing and writing no matter what, in hopes that I can make someone else smile, help them get through a hard day, or just make someone happy by being able to sing-along or relate to my music. A goal for me is to empower those who have been or who are being bullied to stay strong and realize they’re not alone.

I believe people can achieve whatever they set their minds to and you can never dream too big. If I can make a positive difference in just one person’s life, that’s all that really counts at the end of the day. That’s what makes everything I went through so worth it.

What song of yours is your favorite?

One of my favorite songs that I wrote would probably be “Nothing of You” which is about my bullying experience and basically is a song about overcoming bullying. I think it just has a really positive message telling those who have been pushed down to stand back up and realize that they’re stronger than those who are putting them down constantly. In the song I say, “…thanks for bullying me…” because it really pushed me to be the best I can be – and now I can turn that negative experience into a positive one by trying my best to help others.

A lot of my other favorites are of course about boys! Being a teenage girl it just kind of comes with the territory! Many girls tell me they can relate to my songs, since we all go through break-ups and relationships. Whether I get my heart broken – as I wrote about in one of my songs, “Don’t worry about me”, or I’m reflecting on the fun memories that I’ve had, like in my song “My Kind of Crazy”, it’s always fun knowing that a boy has no clue when a song is about him – sometimes it’s even more fun when they do!

Do you have a role model or anyone that is your inspiration?

I really admire Taylor Swift as an artist and as a person. I can relate to her because we were both harrassed and we both used music to overcome those negative experiences. She’s such a strong woman and the fact that she was always so persistent and driven to achieve her dreams is such an admirable trait in a person. I look up to all of those people out there who try their very best to overcome hardships that they endured and those who never, ever, give up on the things they most want to accomplish. Anyone who can share that positive outlook with people around them is a role model to me!

Fun/Fast Facts- 

 Astrological Sign: Virgo 

Hometown: Kennett Square, PA

WVU Life- 

Year: Freshman 

Major: Journalism 

Clubs/Organizations: Active member & Social Chairman of Kappa Kappa Gamma 

Best/Worst classes so far: BEST- Mass Communications…so interesting!

WORST: ONLINE LIBRARY CLASS  

Favorite Restaurant in Morgantown: Mmmm…Los Mariachis!!

Favorites-  

Book: The Hunger Games (Series), Twilight (Series), William Shakespeare’s Hamlet!  

TV Show/Movie: Pretty Little Liars OR Gossip Girl (weakness) & The Notebook!  

Food: SUSHI!  

Song: “Diamonds” – Rihanna 

Make-up: Personally I’m a drug store cosmetic gal, but I love that Mac & Dior makeup (HINT MOM CHRISTMAS IDEAS)  

Music Artist: Taylor Swift 

Actor/Actress: Ryan Gosling/ Emma Stone  

Clothing Line: Nasty Gal

Sport to Play: Volleyball

Sport to Watch: Football & Basketball!  

Vacation Spot: Bahamas!

Random- 

Celebrity you would love to meet: ELLEN DEGENERES  

Hobby: Exercising, waterskiing, playing guitar and writing!  

Tell us a secret: I have a knife “phobia”. Seriously, if there is a knife remotely facing towards me I have to turn it away. I can’t even deal with it, it’s bad.  

Three words your friends would use to describe you: Outgoing, I put the “Pro” in procrastinator, & loyal!  

Couldn’t live without: My guitar! 

Coke/Pepsi: Coke! 

Cats/Dogs: DOGS!

Romance- 

Single/Taken: Flying Solo  

Ideal Date: Something different, adventurous… you boys gotta step it up for your girls!  

Qualities you look for in a guy: Someone who can make me laugh and who I can be myself around…I want a guy who’s crazy about me and treats me like a princess! 

Deal Breaker: Someone who won’t man up & commit – don’t expect me to be with you if half the time you act like we’re together and then you don’t talk to me for a week. Not happening! Also if you can’t be supportive of my music, then you’re not supportive of me!

Dream-  

Job: To be a professional singer/songwriter of course!  

Car: HOT Red Jeep Wrangler!

 Vacation: Bora Bora

Website: http://www.KennedyAnne.com

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Kennedyanne?feature=mhee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KennedySings