Maggie Niemann ’18 and her band, 7 Planets Like Earth, will be opening Whittier College’s first-ever Whittfest. Through a battle of the bands style audition, the band was selected to be one of the opening acts. “Through this event I can show my Whittier College community the side of me that reflects best who I am and what I love, which is performing and singing,” said Niemann. “Finally, I'm making my way out of the Arnold Hall practice rooms and back onto the stage. I feel grateful to share the stage with six other amazing musicians and creative minds.”
Neiman is in the Whittier Scholars Program and majoring in sustainable development and with a minor in ethnomusicology. The other members of the band include Antonio Rodrigues on the bass guitar, Mason Hammond ’19 playing lead guitar, trumpet player Elias Hosseini ’19, Derek Janoksi ’19 on the saxophone, Dylan Rockenbach ’19 rocking the trombone, and Hakon Harstrup ’17 playing the drums.
With a foundation in musical theatre and years of songwriting under her belt, Niemann earned a talent scholarship to attend Whittier. Over the past three years, she has been receiving classical and contemporary vocal training from artist-in-residence Melissa Landis. Neimann is currently working on a record featuring original music and lyrics composed by her.
Whittfest is Friday, April 7 at Memorial Stadium with headliner Grammy Award winning R&B/Hip Hop artist, T-Pain.
