Erin McKeown shatters stereotypes. She does not listen to music very much nor does she fall into one category of music.

 “In several distinctive ways- voice, dynamic subtlety, and sheer songwriting ability- Erin McKeown is in a class of her own.” Said UK newspaper, the Sunday Times.

 

Singer-songwriter Erin McKeown along with Jenn Grant will play the M-shop Friday, February 8^th at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for the public with a $2 day of show increase.

McKeown was introduced to music at the age of nine through piano,

 

“It was just something I did. It’s like when you play a sport or something. It’s just something you’re supposed to do,” said McKeown.

 

Her interest in music really took hold when she attended a summer camp.

“When I was about 12, I went to a summer camp for science. And at that summer camp ironically is where I learned to play guitar,” said McKeown “I learned basically by playing camp songs that we sang at night together. Standard American things like Indigo girls or Paul Simon”

The process of songwriting was very familiar to her, as she had been writing short stories and poems for years,

“…When I learned to play guitar it just made sense to start writing songs” said McKeown “But I never ever thought I’d be a songwriter until I went to college.” 

Contrary to the musicians’ stereotype, McKeown attended Brown University to pursue a career in science,

“I went to college to be a scientist, and shortly after I got to college I was like ‘oh, no I don’t want to be a scientist anymore,” said McKeown.

 

McKeown was now at a crossroads, facing a similar situation many students face. And emerged with a degree in ethnomusicology, the study of music from a cultural point of view.

 

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I actually think people should go to college,” said McKeown “I work with a lot of young women…I try to encourage all the women I work with to go to school. I think it makes you a better writer…and you might go someplace that is different then where you grew up, you might have different experiences that are going to make you a better writer and a better human.”

Manifestra, McKeown’s latest album combines her love for justice and music,

“I was always someone who paid attention to justice…it’s always been apart of my personality. And for years I never brought it to my music before. So a few years ago I brought it into my music and I did that because I felt like I had to.”

The Ames music scene has a wide mix of of male and female artists, and SUB makes sure to include a mix of both when booking performances,“me always like to have a female presence in the M-shop,” said George Potter, M-shop director. “Her sound is fitting to the M-shop, she has a raw sound.”