As the school year comes to a close, our graduating eighth graders are preparing for exciting new adventures in high school and beyond. For many of them, music has been more than a class or extracurricular activity. It has become a vehicle for collaboration, creativity, and confidence building.
We are fortunate to have several dedicated student musicians at FBRA. We caught up with graduates, Malia Bush and Jack Campbell, to reflect on their musical journeys at French Broad River Academy, the lessons they’ll carry forward, and the role music will continue to play in their next chapters.
Malia Bush, FBRA Girls Class of 2026
For Malia Bush, music has been part of life for as long as she can remember. A passionate vocalist since the age of three, singing remains her instrument of choice, though she also enjoys playing guitar and bass. Beyond developing musical skills, Malia says being part of a FBRA student band taught her the importance of teamwork and commitment. “Being part of a band means being a team,” she explained. “Almost like it’s a sport where everyone has a job and a commitment.” She also treasures the friendships formed through music, noting that playing in a band creates opportunities to bond and grow alongside others while having fun.
Looking ahead to high school, Malia plans to continue pursuing her passion through choir, musical theater, and voice lessons. With dreams of a future musical career, she sees high school as an opportunity to continue honing her craft. “The more I practice and grow my skill,” she said, “the more likely I’ll be able to do that.”
Some of her favorite FBRA musical memories come from performing at the annual Orange Peel concert. For Malia, what made those performances meaningful was the spirit of encouragement. “Everyone was cheering each other on and having a good time,” she said. It is a reminder that music is as much about community as performance.
When asked who inspires her, Malia pointed to singer-songwriter Taylor Swift for her unique songwriting and lyrical style, while also recognizing the influence of FBRA’s own music teachers. She especially admires Ms. Chan. She shares “Ms. Chan just jumps right into a song during assembly which really shows what a great musician she is. She has an amazing voice and she is so caring and humble about her performances”.
Jack Campbell, FBRA Boys Class of 2026
For Jack Campbell, music has been a seven-year journey centered around guitar, creativity, and performance. His experience in student bands deepened his appreciation for the collaboration behind live music. “In my experience, the more people you have, the harder it is to run,” Jack reflected, “but the more thrilling it is to pull off on stage.” Through his music classes at FBRA, he developed skills in teamwork and leadership that he knows will serve him well in the future.
That future is already taking shape in a big way. This fall, Jack will attend the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy, where he plans to immerse himself in music production, engineering, theory, ensemble performance, and original songwriting. With music as a career goal, he hopes the experience will help shape the next stage of his artistic growth.
One musical moment stands out above the rest for Jack which is his first Winterfest performance at FBRA. “It showed me that people really wanted to listen to me,” he shared. That moment of encouragement helped spark the confidence to pursue music more seriously which is proof of the power of a supportive community like FBRA.
Jack credits inspiration from legendary artists spanning the 1970s through early 2000s, including Neutral Milk Hotel, Elliott Smith, and Neil Young. Just as importantly, he recognizes the impact of his music teachers, who encouraged and supported him along the way.
As Malia and Jack prepare to turn the page to high school, it is clear that their musical journey is just beginning. Music has helped shape who they are and will undoubtedly continue to guide where they’re headed next.
We can’t wait to see where their talents take them.