From the basement of band member Aubrey Senter’s house, the banging of drumsticks on the metal symbols, the sound of belting in the microphone and the roaring of the guitar can be heard from a mile away.
The band includes a vocalist, a bassist, a guitarist and a drummer. ‘Whatever She Is’ formed in August 2023, and they have been playing shows for about five months now. Sophomore singer and songwriter Aubrey Senter was friends with two of her bandmates before they originally formed ‘Whatever She Is.’
“Jack [guitarist], Ollie [bassist] and I were friends before we started ‘Whatever She Is,’ and we met Ethan [drummer] online,” Senter said. “It’s hard to think of a time where we weren’t all creating music together, but I know that was really only a couple of months ago.”
Sophomore Ollie Sammons said that despite minor struggles initially, the band quickly found all of its members.
“I’ve always wanted to be in a band, so when my friend Aubrey approached me about starting one, things kind of fell into place,” Sammons said. “We had me on bass, Aubrey on vocals, and our other friend, Jack, on guitar. It took a little while to find a drummer, but after putting out a flyer on Instagram about needing a drummer, we found Ethan, who is our current drummer.”
The band practices in the basement of Senter’s house and her mother, Joana Senter, said she frequently hears the band practicing.
“As a mother, I have to say, It’s really thrilling for me, the kitchen is right above the basement, so anytime I’m making dinner or something I hear them practicing in the basement,” Joana Senter said. “It’s so much fun to hear their dedication and their talent.”
Sophomore Charlie Armstrong said he has enjoyed attending the band’s concerts.
“Their shows are actually really, really fun,” Armstrong said. “I found out about it, because I go to school with [Aubrey Senter and Sammons], and Aubrey was like, ‘Oh, we’re having a show, on Sept. 30,’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, yeah I’ll go.’ Aubrey has an amazing stage presence, and she really knows how to get the crowd connected and into it so that the shows are always really fun just like you’re a part of the show.”
Senter said she found a passion for songwriting and creativity because of the band.
“I am the front woman of the band, meaning that I write all the vocal melodies and lyrics and perform them on stage which makes it a thrilling experience, and a great outlet for my spontaneous creativity,” Senter said. “I write all the time, so the lyrics come pretty easily, but a challenge is trying to hone in on what I want to say and express that in a short chorus or song.”
Joana Senter said she is proud of the positive impact the band has had on their audience.
“Their concerts are so much fun because they’re positive, they’re inclusive, they sound great, their stage presence is great and as a mother, I’m just very proud and excited,” Senter’s mother said. “It makes me happy to see everybody having a good time.”
Aubrey Senter and her brother shared similar musical experiences, continuing their family musical involvement with bands and performing.
“I was fully ready for this commitment and eager to have something to put all of myself into, my older brother was always in bands when we were growing up, so I thought it was the coolest thing, and I had always dreamed of following in his footsteps,” Aubrey Senter said.
The band relies on each other, when it comes to creating music.
“The structure of having other people hold you accountable to create is a really comforting thing for me, even if it can sometimes get stressful,” Aubrey Senter said.
In addition to doing covers of songs for performances, the band also writes and performs original songs together.
“We have about five original songs as of right now and are in the process of writing two more, and it’s definitely an interesting experience working with other musicians and it can sometimes be difficult, but we push through it and get the songs where we want them to be and then it feels so perfect,” Aubrey Senter said.
When the band comes together to write their music, it is a collaborative process that takes time, Aubrey Senter said.
“The feeling of liking a song that you’ve written is really an amazing thing, and I find that feeling with the music we write,” Aubrey Senter said. “All of the band members are really great at what they do and I always get a giddy feeling watching us create new music.”
Sammons said he is grateful for the opportunities the band has provided for him.
“I honestly thought it wasn’t really going to go anywhere, but I definitely knew I wanted to experience it, even if it didn’t last,” Sammons said. “I’ve been playing bass for almost three years now, and rather than just sitting in my room practicing, I can actually perform and show people the music I create. I’m very glad it’s going somewhere, cause I definitely have learned a lot so far.”
Joana Senter said she is glad to see that the band has been a good experience for her daughter.
“In high school, you’re supposed to try things and see which ones have staying power and which ones are just sort of a passing fancy, but I feel like she’s getting a lot of reinforcement for the band,” Joana Senter said. “She’s successfully booking shows, the turnouts are good, the response is good and the band is good. I feel like [there are] a lot of positive things coming their way from this, so I feel like at least for Aubrey, it’s got staying power.”
