Photo by Michelle Li
Live and Local with Aaron Keck
“Despard’s music blends folk with soul, with lyrics that draw poignant parallels between the personal and the political. She made her debut in 2018 with the single “No Goodbye Now,” but “You Started A Fire” is her first EP.”
Photo by Alyssa LaFaro
Endeavors
Q: When you were a child, what was your response to this question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
A: I’ve always wanted to be a singer. There are countless home videos of me performing for my parents with a plastic microphone. I started taking voice lessons at 10 and sang in talent showcases throughout elementary school. In middle school, I sang in the choir and participated in every masterclass and workshop I had time for. By the time I got to high school, I was studying music seriously and decided I wanted to pursue it as a career…..
Photo by Spencer Zachary
The Daily Tar Heel
Rachel Despard grew up surrounded by music, from bluegrass to indie rock to soul. Now a senior at UNC studying music, Despard has found a unique identity in her songwriting and her sound…..
Photo by Spencer Zachary
Carolina Connection
The Carrboro Music festival was this past weekend, September 28 and 29. Almost 200 Triangle area performers from singer-songwriters to punk bands put on a show in local restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and even on the Town Hall lawn. This year marks 22 years of the festival, and it also marks the first year UNC student Rachel Despard and her band have been a part of it….
Photos by Michelle Li and Spencer Zachary
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