When asked what advice she would give to students pursuing their dreams, junior music major Analise Buker said, “Don’t be afraid of anything.” A student at Stony Brook University and an aspiring singer, Buker has learned that the best way to follow her dream is without fear. The pop/alternative singer spells her artistic name, Annelise. She has been performing since the age of five, when she made her debut at a school talent show singing “Listen to Your Heart” by Roxette.
Influenced by classic and modern artists alike, Buker modeled her musical career after the success of singers like Freddie Mercury, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish. When asked about her biggest inspiration, Buker referred to the “King of Pop,” Michael Jackson. Buker considers Jackson to be “one of the greatest entertainers of all time” and credits his interaction with his audience as a reason why she worked to become comfortable singing in front of crowds and pursue a career in performing.
Now working on an EP, Buker released two singles entitled “Deeper Roots” and “Turn You Cold.” Buker revealed that the lyrics in her songs are inspired by her own life experiences: “I’m only 20 years old. I’ve lived a short life. I’ve learned a lot of significant lessons in this life and I just want to make people feel like I feel when I sing.”
In addition to music classes and focusing on developing her career, Buker takes education classes to be a middle school choir teacher. Looking back on her adolescence, Buker remembers performing Michael Jackson’s “Ben” in the fifth grade. She believes that this performance was a turning point in her journey to stardom as she began to mature as a performer and develop singing techniques that she still uses in her work today.
While Buker harbors undeniable passion and enthusiasm for music and learning about the art, she admits that simultaneously being a musician and a student can be difficult at times. “It’s hard for me to find free time — because of school — to write songs and take a second to play something on my guitar. But I’m able to do that here [at Stony Brook]. When I don’t have the free time, I can find a practice room here,” Buker said.
Buker proves that with determination and self-confidence, achieving an impossible dream might not be so impossible after all. For some, it might be difficult to imagine being a recording artist with experience performing in front of an audience of 10,000 people. After releasing two singles and singing the National Anthem during a Jets pre-season game, this is Buker’s reality. Today, after 15 years of persistence, Buker’s hard work has paid off as she transforms into the performer she has always envisioned herself becoming. Her two latest songs can be found on SoundCloud.
