POPulus: From the studio to The Studio

Troy’s popular music ensemble showed off its range and diversity at its most recent concert at The Studio on Troy’s Downtown Square. 

Unlike the other ensembles at Troy, like the Symphony Band or Jazz Ensemble, which specialize in one specific genre, POPulus limits itself only to modern music. Whether one likes hip hop, R&B, pop, rock ‘n roll or country, everyone will hear songs that they like at a POPulus concert, because the students are playing what the audience likes. 

“[It] really shows a different side of you than it does just putting on a face and being a vocalist or being an instrumentalist,” said lead vocalist Maggie Hammonds, a senior music industry major from Elba, Alabama. “You really get to show who you truly are, being able to pick your own song.” 

Another member of the band, Eli True, a music education major from Bainbridge, Georgia, said having the freedom to play the music he enjoys makes him think a little differently about the music he listens to. 

“You'll play a playlist that you usually listen to, and you'll hear the songs in a different perspective,” True said. “You're usually just thinking of the song and humming along to it, but now you're listening to it, being like, okay, this person could sing that part, and this drum part would be good here.” 

Despite having the ability to play whatever they want, often the members of the group will find themselves creating and fitting into a theme, whether intentionally or not. The Studio’s smaller, more intimate environment inspired them to play some more low-key, mellow and slow songs. 

“It’s a more intimate venue, because the studio is a little smaller, and so they pick really special songs for them, some that can be scaled down, and some in smaller groups,” said Troy’s Music Industry Program Coordinator Dr. Chandler Bridges. “When you're in a small venue like this, you really can feed off the crowd, and their energy really propels the artists and students to be able to excel.” 

In every good show there is balance, so even though there was an emphasis on the more emotional, lower tempo songs, the group didn’t fail to deliver on the fast-paced, upbeat hits either. 

“Live music is the best music,” True said. “Everything in the studio or over a recorded track is good and golden, and you can groove to it but there’s nothing like feeling the music and standing there watching it being played. 

“I feel like what makes it special is the balance. You have to have soft when you have loud and, you know, when you have R&B you got to have some country stuff on the other side.” 

For Bridges, though, whether the songs are fast or slow, soft or heavy and no matter the genre, he just loves to watch and help the students have fun, experiment, and get better at the music they love. 

“Every day I get to be a part of this group is just amazing,” Bridges said. “That's the energy and the excitement that they bring when they come to the rehearsal, especially these songs that they've chosen – and we even had a few original songs in tonight -- you know, really special songs to them.” 

POPulus isn’t just for music industry majors; any student musicians can audition to be a part of the group. The auditions for next year begin this summer, starting on May 5.