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For seniors Miriam Goodman, Mayumi Watanabe and Claire Nedderman, music was never just a hobby. Growing up with a dad that collects vinyl records and CDs, Nedderman has always been a performer; whether that be singing, acting or dancing. Since Goodman started playing acoustic guitar at 13, music has just “clicked” for her. Watanabe has been passionate about music forever – a real passion that has lasted longer than anything else.
At the end of the summer of 2024, the students brought their love of music together to form their all-female band, “Electric Kitty,” alongside Via Storms, a Nathan Hale High School senior. With the four band members being longtime friends or having met each other through the School of Rock, a performance-based music education program, the group has had ample experience collaborating and performing together.
“Playing with other people has opened it up so much,” Goodman said. “I feel like there’s so much more to music when it becomes a collaborative process rather than a solo activity.”
Although the four musicians joined School of Rock at different points in their music paths, all echoed Goodman’s sentiments about the benefits of playing music in a collaborative manner.
“I just love music, and I didn’t realize how much I loved playing it until I started playing in School of Rock with a band,” Watanabe said. “It makes it a lot more fun, and easier to learn, and it motivates me to make progress.”
With numerous riot girl covers under their belts, the band is currently in the process of finding their sound and footing as a new group. Taking inspiration from 90s music and bands like The Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine, they hope to produce music with a shoegazey, ethereal sound with Goodman on guitar, Watanabe on bass, Storms on drums and Nedderman on vocals.
“[We’re] learning the ropes of organizing, learning how to play music together and fit all the parts together before we dive further into it,” Goodman said.
Being in an all-female band – as opposed to the co-ed bands they play in at the School of Rock – makes the experience feel like “a sisterhood,” as Nedderman said.
“I have so much to say about being a woman and all the things that come with it,” Watanabe said. “And I feel like that helps us write our music.”
As Goodman shared, the music community and culture is something that has always resonated with her.
“I just feel like music is the kind of thing where there’s both room for creativity and fun, but it’s the kind of thing that you can discipline yourself with,” Goodman said. “I feel like there’s so much confidence, vitality and creativity that come out of performers and people who make music, and I’ve always been driven to be like that and align myself with those same goals.”
Even though Watanabe and Goodman want to keep music separate from their career paths, they hope to continue playing and performing after high school.
“If I ever stop loving music, something has gone seriously wrong,” Watanabe said. “That’s been my passion forever, like my real passion… I haven’t really liked anything else so consistently for so long.”
In the meantime, this close-knit group of musicians is focusing on finding their sound, building their band and finding a stage to perform on.
“Our biggest goal right now is that we just want to play a show, we want to have that experience [as a band],” Goodman said.
More than anything, the community that comes with collaborating with a close-knit group of friends like this keeps Electric Kitty motivated and inspired.
“These are my best friends and I feel like we really work well together and it makes playing music so much more enjoyable,” Watanabe said.
