Soon to be recognized for her great talent vocally, junior Claire Leiter hopes to release an album this winter of the Christian rock genre. Gaining contacts from neighbor and musician Robert Savage, she has the opportunity to record her songs in a professional studio. “I’m still in the writing process right now. Once I get a good solid base, maybe just a few songs, I’ll start recording in the studio,” said Leiter.

An attempt to organize her ideas and expectations of an eventual album, Leiter has recorded music on her computer. Using Facebook to attract fans and receive constructive feedback, she has posted as many as seven songs this year that can be found in the network pages.

This junior has succeeded in writing and composing all musical material, every word paired with the twang of an acoustic guitar. Her written lyrics portray difficult situations in which one can turn to God for support, deriving from her own personal experiences. “I write about whatever I’m inspired by, which right now is my faith,” said Leiter.

A member of the “core team” at St. Raphael’s Church, Leiter works with youth ministers of the church community to help plan junior high retreats and serves as one of two selected vocalists in the Christian rock “house band.” Claire’s active involvement along with deep conversations of faith with friends have influenced her lyrics. A song of hers “I Don’t Understand” references various aspects of these profound discussions: “We were talking about our faith and the mind-boggling things it’s hard to find an answer to and the day after that I was inspired to write that song,” said Leiter.

Another song titled “Wake Up,” a fan favorite due to its upbeat melody, addresses the “vicious cycle” of poverty. After participating in a Chicago mission trip this past summer through nationwide program Young Neighbors in Action, Claire was inspired to express this particular experience: “It opened my eyes to what the reality is, looking from the inside out. I wanted to educate people about that,” said Leiter.

Through music Claire continues to express a message pertaining to her faith in God, a message many of her peers may hesitate to communicate: “My main goal is to have people look at things differently,” said Leiter.