By Elizabeth Coss
From the classroom to the stage, Candace Campana, the business operations specialist in the International Programs office at Youngstown State University, has released a new music album.
A graduate of YSU in 2014, she majored in business with a double minor in marketing and entrepreneurship.
Campana, who has previously released singles, digitally dropped her album, “Goodie Two Shoes Girl” Sept. 30, but will be hosting an album release party for her physical copies Nov. 18.
Campana said her life experiences helped her write and create the songs featured on the album.
“For songs like ‘Rise’ my own personal battles, my own depressions and anxieties and dark places … my own struggles helped craft songs like [‘Rise’] for sure and made it very sincere and was something I needed to hear,” Campana said. “On the flip side, really bad relationships. I never have any luck in that department … so, that makes like 80% of the album, which to me is a good thing.”
Campana also said the album bridges a gap in the music industry on non-judgment songs and lyrics. Society’s lens impacted her drive to write some songs on her album, especially when it came to relationships.
“Society is very much the hook-up culture, the party culture, the more wild the better, which is totally fine. I’m not judging anyone for how they want to live their life as long as they’re not hurting anyone … but it’s just not me,” Campana said.
Growing up on a farm has also brought in experiences for Campana to write and sing about. “Hay in my Hairbrush” another song on the album, takes a country twist from Campana who likes to also infuse rock and faith in her music.
“It’s all about the country life I live every day. I live on a farm, and I take care of all of the horses … more often than not, I have hay in my hair. I actually came to work one day and my supervisor … he was like, ‘You have hay all over your head. It’s bad,’” Campana said. “So, I started getting hay in my hairbrush, which I thought was a super fun spin for a country song.”
Having performed for Federal Frenzy, Campana said she enjoys performing local acts around campus as they help make her community ties stronger.
“I’m pretty involved in the YSU world, which is nice. Being [that] I work here, it’s also nice to be super involved musically,” Campana said. “It’s wonderful to have that home-base where you know everybody is willing and wanting to listen.”
“Goodie Two Shoes Girl” is available on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon, Pandora and YouTube. Campana’s album release party is scheduled for Nov. 18 at Westside Bowl in Youngstown, Ohio. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. More information on the release party can be found on Westside Bowl’s website.
