CREDIT: STUDIO KUEFNER
Kira Longeuay is an up and coming singer-songwriter in Fanshawe's Music Industry Arts program.

Honest lyrics with a catchy melody are an idea that seems to clash with the radio stations in this 130 beats per minute generation.

Twenty-one-year-old self-taught singer-songwriter Kira Longeuay is confidently venturing from venue to venue, breathing life back into that once mainstream logic. With an indie rock sound influenced by popular acts like Dave Grohl and Dallas Green, Longeuay has found a steady following with support that believes in both her music and message.

“My inspiration comes from the people I grew up around,” she said. “My dad and his friends sitting around a campfire on the weekend playing the songs they loved and then going back to the jobs they didn’t necessarily like on Monday hitting repeat. I have always been told if you do something you love, you will never work a day in your life.”

Longeuay also credits her knowledge to Fanshawe College and the Music Industry Arts program.

Over the past 30 years, the music industry has gone from making a living off one skill to learning all skills or making no living at all. The two-year diploma has been praised for readying students for every aspect of the industry including: management, live sound, production, engineering, entertainment law, theory and business.

“I always knew I had a passion for song-writing, but before this program I was severely limited to resources and knowledge that would help me turn that passion into a lifestyle,” Longeuay said. “After only one year of Music Industry Arts, I have learned not only how to promote my music but I have learned how to protect myself in an industry where stealing is common practice.”

What makes her stand out from other artists is her love for community involvement, helping coordinate charity and awareness events around London since early 2014. She has formed networks with venue owners through this opportunity and has gotten experience not only playing with artists but also helping their passions come to life.

“The amount of contacts I have made from volunteering my time around London is honestly breathtaking. And the Music Industry Arts program here at Fanshawe has allowed me to pave so many paths through school, while being flexible enough to go out into the community,” said Longeuay.

A program that can hybridize both education and experience is something that should not be overlooked by future students. Longeuay has had a busy summer, releasing her first single “It’s Alright” and playing gigs at the Blackshire pub, Home County Music and Arts Festival, East Village Coffee House and Fire Roasted Coffee House.

She was also a London Covers finalist, performing in the top five for a panel of judges, at the London Music Hall. You can also check her out on Facebook at facebook.com/ kiralongeuay for updates on shows, releases and everything else music related.