From family jam sessions to the music halls of Brigham Young University, Mormon Times Summer Showcase semifinalist Jared Halley expresses his love for people through his music.
"I find the best topic to write about — and one of the best others can relate to — is love," said Halley, 23, a Dublin, Ohio, native. "Whether it's being in love, or fatherly or motherly love or even eternal love."
The BYU junior wrote his submission song, "She Stops the Time," to express his feelings for his fiancee, Hillary Cluff.
"It is one of the many that I wrote for my fiancee," Halley said, "and I love performing it because it reminds me of her and how I'm so blessed to have found her when I did."
Halley developed his love for music singing with his family.
"Basically everyone in my family sings," Halley said. "We still get together to jam songs by John Mayer, Rascal Flatts and Josh Groban … and my songs, too."
Halley said he realized the power of music to move people when he saw the popular Broadway show "The Phantom of the Opera" as a young boy.
"I remember feeling like crying," Halley said. "I loved how the music touched my spirit and spoke to my soul."
Halley sings, plays piano and jams on his Fender guitar in a range of styles varying from country to classical pop.
While Halley said he is grateful for opportunities to perform, he said the greatest way he can express love for his future family is to be there for them.
"Being on tour all the time would be hard," Halley said. "I will be doing more writing in my future, because as a business it is easier on the family than traveling all over the place as a performer."
In Summer Showcase, there are three rounds of voting that will determine 12 semifinalists. The musicians who have the top six videos at the end of final voting will be featured at a live concert in Utah. The top vote-getter, who will win a $5,000 first prize, will be announced at the concert. Second prize will be $2,000 and third prize will be $1,000. For more information, go to www.mormontimes.com.
E-mail: cwarren@desnews.com