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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    This bee does more than buzz

    Jenn Rees is a graduate student and enjoys spending her off time playing guitar
    and singing.For Rees, performing is an outlet that allows her to express
    herself in a healthy way.
    Photo Credit/Heather Jewell

    Taco lovers got to enjoy dinner and drinks, along with a performance by a local artist. Graduate student Jenn Rees performed classic covers this past Saturday, August 22 at Tacos and Beer as Mumble Bee Acoustic.

    According to Rees she is “allergic to anything that stings.” While recording at a friend’s house one day, she was outside on a swing, writing lyrics when she hit a can that had bees inside of it. Rees was then chased around the carport by the flying insects while her friend laughed on the sidelines. After the incident, they picked up the habit of calling her “Bee.” Rees also admitted that she is prone to mumbling and adding those two things together created her stage name, Mumble Bee Acoustic.

    “It just kind of all came together,” said Rees.

    When she isn’t performing at venues like Tacos and Beer, Cate Street Pub or The Republic in New Orleans, Rees is a graduate student in the applied sociology program.

    Reese began playing guitar when she was eight years old, and has not put it down since.

    “I’ve always sang,” said Rees. “It was the only way I could get people to listen to me.”

    During a dark period in her life, Rees says music was the only healthy crutch she had.

    “It’s not even a crutch, but an outlet,” said Rees. “Music has always been there for me.”

    Rees also writes her own, original music, but doesn’t perform it. She would like to release an album and she is talking with various artists to do so as far out as Houston and California.

    Rees would also love to play with a band.

    “The energy is completely different. This is fun, but it’s emotionally exhausting,” said Rees.

    According to Rees, keeping the attention of one person is difficult at times and keeping the attention of 50 people is much more difficult, especially when alone. She believes keeping true to yourself as a performer is important.

    School is her number one focus at the moment, but she would not want any strain on her relationship with her girlfriend, Ally, from over-performing.

    “Ally is an early childhood education major and that’s the only reason she can put up with me, because I’m just a giant kid. But it works,” said Rees.

    Depending on the day and venue, most covers she performs may be from the 90s or other types of songs.

    “90s are fun, and everybody knows them,” said Rees. “Performing is how I work out things. If I’m stressed out, playing something that I can belt out just feels right.”

    Rees also has closing advice for aspiring artists, or people who are just going through a hard time.

    “This is going to sound so lame, but honestly, do what you have to do. For me it was picking up a guitar, and singing until I had nothing left in me,” said Rees.

    Rees has a piano in her house and said she will sometimes walk in, drop her bag, and just start playing if she has had a rough day, and once it is all out, she’ll go upstairs to work.

    “Don’t ever stop because when you stop, you do an injustice to yourself,” said Rees. “Outlets like music offer constant growth, and change is the only constant in life so embrace it.”

     
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