Balancing school work with extracurricular passions can be tricky in college. However, Bailey Coats, a UA sophomore, gets the best of both worlds. 

Coats spends her free time writing songs and commuting to Atlanta to pursue her dream of becoming a famous singer. 

At a young age Coats fell in love with music, but only recently was she signed by Lujen Brands, an entertainment managing firm based out of Atlanta. Since then, life for the marketing major and vocalist has taken a dramatically different course. Her single was played at the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game.  

“The thing is, I feel like so many young girls get told that you have to do one thing or the other — you can’t just be your own person,” Coats said. “And [I’d like] to actually be able to show young girls that you can still pursue your passion and get an education because that’s the one thing that no one can ever take away from you.”

Coats writes all of her own lyrics, and she hopes others will be able to relate to the words.

“Everything that I write is authentic and real and genuine, and that’s what I think makes my music a lot more impactful,” Coats said.

Her manager, Matt Iudice, believes her inspiring message and genuine personality coupled with her talent have the potential of taking her all the way to the top of the charts.

“Bailey has the entire package,” Iudice said. “She’ll be an absolute superstar sooner rather than later.”

As of now, Coats is working to hone her craft with choreographers and vocal coaches who have worked with such prestigious names as Cher, Prince, Charlie Puth, Justin Timberlake and Shawn Mendes.

Her first single, “American Girl,” and its accompanying music video are set to be re-released during a concert at Rounders on October 17 of this year. Coats wrote all of the lyrics herself based on her life experiences.

“’American Girl’ is a lot more of a personal song about embracing who you are, and being different, and being yourself, and accomplishing what you want to do in your life instead of what everyone else wants you to do,” Coats said.

Admission to the concert will be $5, and all proceeds are to be donated to charity. 

“The concert will be unlike any show Tuscaloosa has ever seen,” Iudice said.

Looking to the future, Coats hopes to go on tour and release more songs in the coming year. When asked about her long-term goals, she does not immediately express the desire to be the next Beyoncé or have an entourage of screaming fans. Rather, she speaks of the impact she hopes her music can make on those who listen to it.

“All I really want to do is to know that I’ve made an impact on this world in some positive way, shape or form,” Coats said. “Where someone has said, ‘I had a bad day, but Bailey Coats’ music helped lift me up, or I can do this because she helped show me that I can.’”

Coats’s music can be found on iTunes, Spotify, YouTube and her website, https://baileycoats.com/.