On Tuesday night, a UA student singer and songwriter took the stage on the rooftop of Rounders. Bailey Coats, a sophomore marketing major, performed with backup dancers and a full band as she sang a set of popular songs, with a few of her own creation mixed in.
This concert was Coats’ first in Tuscaloosa this year, and she designed it to spark the interest of her fellow students. During the concert, she released her new music video as a surprise for the audience.
“This concert has been in the works since July,” Coats said. “So, this has been a planned out, very, very orchestrated thing. This is something we are so excited about because we are finally getting to really show Tuscaloosa and the students on this campus what I’m really all about and what I believe.”
All proceeds from the show were donated to the Red Cross, an organization that impacted the lives of those close to Coats.
“I actually lived in St. Petersburg, Florida for 7 years before I moved back to Birmingham,” Coats said. “And whenever Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma hit, I saw family and friends who were devastated and hit by the hurricanes. So, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what can we do to help?’ And the Red Cross is such an amazing organization that helps out with hurricane relief and also many other projects, as well.”
Students in the crowd seemed to enjoy her music and the show itself.
“I thought it was awesome,” said Avery Adams, a freshman majoring in advertising. “I thought she was very good and very professional.”
Coats wanted to entertain the audience, first and foremost. She encouraged crowd involvement throughout the show, even singing “Happy Birthday” to one lucky fan.
“I just hope (students) have a good time, honestly,” Coats said. “I just hope they enjoy it. It’s about making people feel something, and if you don’t leave a concert energized and excited and just grateful that you went, then honestly I probably shouldn’t be a performer anymore. So, let’s hope I do a good job with that tonight.”
Audience members noticed the entertainment-driven atmosphere of the concert.
“I thought she had a good voice,” said Alexa Rojas, a freshman biology major. “The crowd seemed really into it.”
Coats plans to continue growing her music career throughout the next year. She is working on new albums and music for 2018 and lining up more concerts for the future.
“We are really excited,” said Coats. “Ultimately the Lord knows what the future is going to hold. I’m just going to continue to do what I love and be so gracious with the team around me and see what we all have in store.”
