By: Inbar Porat
Oh! Susanna. You play the song to anyone in the country and they can immediately sing the lyrics and dance along to the banjo. For Susie (short for Susannah) Speed, it’s a song that has haunted her and her name since she was young. The 15-year-old sophomore doesn’t play the banjo, but the piano. The soft keys of the instrument accompany her voice as she continues to pursue a music career and persona. Achieving a part in the upcoming musical, Curtains, involved in both Chamber Singers and the women’s acappella group, “Harmony in Heels,” Susie Speed has got it going on.
Along with the choral groups, Speed is also part of Women’s Chorale which is a course offered by the high school. She also takes voice lessons to perfect her artistry and spends about two hours a week working independently on her music. Speed also played the cello in her earlier years of elementary and middle school, but now prefers to perform with the piano. And not only is she actively involved with the music program at WHS, but she frequently uploads performances and covers on YouTube, gaining more views and subscribers every day. Speed hopes to be touring the country and/or world with a band in possibly 10 years.
She is aware of the hardships that occur in handling this career, but she remains positive of the future. Her number one inspiration, Kate Voegele, told her to keep writing and to keep singing. This is her salvation when reminded of the bullying she went through in 6th grade for her YouTube videos, and the future toils she will have to overcome. Along with the voice of her idol, Speed is surrounded by praise and support of both her family and friends. Her dad, previously a musician, actively helps and aids her whenever she needs it, while her mom is always present at every performance.
When she was 7, Speed wanted to be a hairstylist, fascinated by the design and beauty of hair. But after watching Hilary Duff rise to fame, she realized she wanted to be a star. As of right now, she does have a plan B, which would pursuing a career as a mental psychologist. If all else fails, she will have a backup plan to make an occupation out of. And Speed’s not just involved in music, in the fall she plays field hockey and is the Class of 2015’s treasurer. Along with a schedule filled with honors classes, she’s participates in a variety of clubs in the school. But at the end of the day, she knows what she wants to chase after, “as long as I am able to make music and make people happy with it, then I don’t really care too much about the money. I want to help people with my music.”
