Kay Clifford, the voice

Growing up, sophomore Kay Clifford was constantly surrounded by music. Whether it was putting on performances for family members during dinner or simply listening to the music that her parents put on around the house, she was immersed in it.

There have been some key indicators since Kay’s youth that have foreshadowed her excellence in music. “She got a guitar for Christmas when she was probably about 6, and she wouldn’t let it go,” says Martha, Kay’s older sister. “At first, she would just randomly strum the guitar and sing made up lyrics on the spot, but later on she started to learn songs and her voice matured.”

“I think I definitely started to recognize that music would continue to be a big part of Kay’s life when she was very persistent in continuing with her music. She would play her guitar in her room after school for hours, or would go into the basement, where our equipment is, and sing along with karaoke tracks or play for herself.” Martha added. “Kay has always made music a priority in her life and continually keeps up with it. It’s been really special to see her grow up along with her voice and talent.”

And in her 15 short years, Kay has grown her musical talents tremendously. She has taken voice lessons for about seven years, she is a member of Choir and Bel Cantos, and has been playing songs with her sister in their basement for as long as she can remember. She’s learned new guitar skills, and has picked up some piano and ukelele along the way.

When it comes to performing, Kay has earned many opportunities for herself. In middle school, she participated in each of the three musicals. She has participated in two plays with the Citadel Theater, and she was a part of the 2020 LFHS musical, but unfortunately, it was canceled due to COVID-19. She also has participated in many of the talent shows throughout middle school and high school. But the largest of these performance outlets has been her own band.

In 2015, Kay and Martha started Looking for Jane. Soon after, Ryan McFadden joined on the drums, and since then, they’ve been performing at events non-stop. In 2018, they were asked to sing the National Anthem at the Lake Bluff Fourth of July Parade – and if you weren’t aware, the usual attendance is between 8,000-10,000 people. Kay was just 13.

They also were asked to perform at a fundraising event in Columbus, Ohio, for the organization “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” The organization’s goal is to support families who have suffered through miscarriages. While this event was a handful of years ago, it’s had a lasting impact on Kay.

“There was a woman – I remember this so vividly – right in the front row, that was just crying. It was so hard to not cry while I was singing,” she said. Kay details how emotional that event was for her, as she realized just how deeply her music could move people. Kay was just 12.

For the past four years, Looking for Jane has performed in the Swamystock Music Festival in Wisconsin during the summer. Kay was 11 when they started performing at this event. They also performed at Beachapalooza as one of their very first events. Kay was 10.

Talk about talent.

Even with all of these major performances, Kay says that watching their band grow has been the most fulfilling accomplishment of them all. Through the five years of Looking for Jane, she says that “we’ve[they’ve] grown so much … it’s become more fun than stressful. When we play things together, I’m just so excited to play – I’m not stressed about it anymore.”

But with Martha being a freshman in college and Ryan following close behind, Kay says her goal for the future is to “find her own sound” and continue in the direction of songwriting. Considering the success she’s found thus far and the way she fully commits herself to her musical growth, the groundwork has already been laid for a successful music career.