From picking up a guitar at 5 years old to winning a Golden Ticket on “American Idol” at 17, Sela Campbell was bound for musical success from the beginning. Now a first-year College student, Campbell has continued her music journey, but this time on Grounds as a singer-songwriter whose instrumental talents span from guitar, piano, violin and vocal performance in a cappella.
Originally from Northern Virginia, Campbell grew up in a household full of music, drawing inspiration from powerhouses like Dolly Parton and The Chicks. She attributes her early start to her parents who started her in guitar lessons at age 5, noting that they passed down a country influence to her.
“The first song I ever learned to play on guitar was ‘Jolene’ by Dolly Parton, because my mom was always listening to her. So I feel like it was just such a natural thing to me from a young age,” Campbell said.
Campbell noted that her passion and devotion to music growing up often led her to miss out on a typical teenage experience. Starting at just 12 years old, she played up to 200 paid shows a year, performing covers at three hour-long sets which sometimes consisted of three gigs in just one weekend.
Her years of dedication and early professional experience culminated in the first month of her senior year of high school, when she auditioned for “American Idol” and won a Golden Ticket to Hollywood. This awarded her the opportunity to perform for a set of judges which included Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, an experience she described as unreal.
“It was a really surreal experience, you know, being in front of those iconic musicians and getting to sing for them and hear what they have to say about you,” Campbell said.
“Tin Man” by Miranda Lambert was Campbell’s chosen song for the performance, and all three judges granted her a yes. She also received high praise, the judges noting her “Appalachian soul” and “incredible poise.”
Campbell kept pushing towards her dream and released two singles, “One Track Mind” and “Yellow Flowers” in 2024 before coming to the University. The former is about the experience of putting so much time and energy into her dream of pursuing music and the latter a classic country love song. Campbell noted that although it took her a while to get into songwriting, she gained confidence in her ability after the songs’ releases.
“Once I knocked those two out, that was like the foot in the door, and then ever since then, I've been writing like crazy,” Campbell said.
On her journey to Grounds, Campbell said that it was a childhood dream of hers to attend the University, which is her parents’ alma mater. Campbell expressed that since coming to school, she’s been able to fulfil this dream while also keeping up with her love of music.
Joining the Virginia Belles and being exposed to new types of music through a cappella has been a highlight of Campbell’s experience at the University. The Virginia Belles are the University’s oldest all female-identifying a cappella group and being a part of the group has allowed Campbell to expand her musical boundaries.
“I'm a country musician and that's what I've always done, but a capella is cool because it's introduced me to a bunch of different genres, and it's just a different type of singing,” Campbell said.
Campbell mentioned that her technical knowledge of music has also expanded since she got to Grounds. Growing up, she had only ever taken guitar lessons, but as a music major at the University, is now also taking music theory classes as well as private vocal lessons in order to further develop her voice.
Looking ahead, Campbell said her next step is to continue to write songs, which she has done increasingly since she came to the University. She plans to attend more recording and songwriting sessions in Nashville, Tenn., where she has been traveling regularly to collaborate with other writers and continue to make industry connections.
As a country singer and songwriter, storytelling is a large part of Campbell’s connection with music. She expressed that the ability of a song to tell someone’s story, whether that be her own or someone else’s, is her way of feeling that connection.
“I love those songs that paint pictures in your mind and tell a story,” Campbell said. “That's what I love so much about country music, you can tell so many stories through the lyrics.”
Balancing academics with a musical career might seem daunting, but to Campbell, it is more rewarding than it is tiring. She explained that time management is key, and when she is not studying or doing homework, she is playing guitar or songwriting.
This dedication combined with her confidence has allowed Campbell to make it this far, and she has no plans to stop now. While the competitiveness of the industry is often a struggle, Campbell has found that trust in herself is crucial.
“It’s really easy to feel lost or stuck in the shadows, but you just have to remind yourself that you have something important to say, and if this is what you want to do, you got to do it,” Campbell said.
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