Meet the Writer: Abbey Collins

Abbey Collins moved around a lot growing up.

She’s lived all over Texas and has even stayed in Nigeria and Canada. However, she’s found some roots in Waco, Texas, as a senior at Baylor University, studying communications. While the scenery and the people around her have changed every two to three years, she found one constant in the chaos: music. 

Collins’ parents idly listened to country and Christian music while she was growing up, but her own musical prowess was sparked by dancing around her room listening to Disney soundtracks.

Her knowledge of the radio’s top hits was expanded after she received her first MP3 player. Artists like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Shakira were popular choices. It was “endgame” after she finally received her first laptop. 

“I was on the Internet all the time looking for new music, downloading more, looking for new artists,” she says.  

Collins credits music-influenced media, such as High School Musical and Camp Rock, for her ever growing love of music as well. She also began playing the guitar in eighth grade. 

By the time she entered high school, her music taste expanded out to the alternative and pop punk genres. Her rotation included the usual bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco. She now mostly listens to indie pop and alternative pop.

“I unashamedly love pop music,” she says.

Collins actively tries to listen to genres outside of those that Spotify includes in her yearly wrap up, whether it be jazz-influenced artists or rap music. More than anything, though, Collins has a special place in her heart for artists with smaller followings or those simply doing something different. 

In terms of schooling, Collins didn’t enter Baylor with a strong idea of what she wanted to do in the future. The only thing she knew for sure was that college was a necessity. Her future still isn’t completely fleshed out, but she likes the idea of doing working in management, planning and/or PR for a music venue or artist.

She’s even considering becoming a tour manager. 

“I really love live music. It’s even better than just listening to music for me.” Her excitement for live music shines through when asked about her favorite concert. The alternative duo Twenty One Pilots takes the cake — she’s seen them live eight times. 

“I really connected with their music when I was young. It was very honest and they were singing about a lot of things that I felt like people weren’t really singing about in the candid way that they were,” she says. 

She first saw Twenty One Pilots perform in an intimate venue, which is a stark contrast from the arena she most recently saw them in.

“I think the most amazing thing about them is that at their shows they really write music and think about music from the perspective of ‘How are we going to perform this live for our fans?’” The various spectacles they incorporate into their shows is inspiring for Collins, bringing both smiles and tears. It’s experiences like these that influence what her future related to music may look like. 

Although she doesn’t want to pursue music writing as a future career, she doesn’t undermine the practice. 

“I definitely think that journalism is the basis for all communication. It teaches you how to write and how to effectively communicate with your audience. I think that’s really important within social media or just drafting letters to people within the industry or creating press releases.”

For her, the opportunity to write about music is also an opportunity to learn about the music business and how to talk about it. She believes that trying new things and developing new skills are important in making someone more well rounded, even if they aren’t immediately related to a person’s desired career. 

If you want more insight into what shaped Collins into the music lover she is today, check out: Vessel by Twenty One Pilots, Walk The Moon’s self titled debut, Tourist History by Two Door Cinema Club, Bad Blood by Bastille, Fall Out Boy’s earlier works, and anything Prince.

You can read all of Abbey Collins’ work for CMN here.