GU music grads take their show on the road
Published: October 06, 2023
Author: Dave Bell
Though they’ve each been playing music for audiences since they were in grade school, there’s more at stake these days for Jake and Mikayla Hoult. Instead of being a passion or a college major, music is now their livelihood.
The Greenville University graduates (Jake in 2019 and Mikayla in 2020) recently returned to campus with their band to give a concert at Whitlock Music Center. For the show, the venue was converted into a state-of-the-art theatre, with double screens, a light show, and a catwalk extending into the audience from the stage.
“We are full-time in music now,” said Jake. “We’re going full-speed ahead and seeing how far we can go. Our opportunities continue to grow each year, and we’re working hard to reach more people with our music.”
They play at fairs, festivals, and private events in the area, and have a recurring gig at a dinner theater in Indianapolis. But they want to keep forging ahead.
“We try to pursue all the opportunities that come our way,” said Mikayla. “We never know what doors will open when someone hears us and likes what we do.”
The couple first met as teenagers when Jake, a senior at Casey (IL) High School, invited 16-year-old Mikayla to join his country band as a fiddle player. “I didn’t even know she could sing,” he said. A romance developed between them, and two years later – just after her high school graduation – they were married.
“We had the same values and many of the same goals for our lives,” said Mikayla, a native of Olney, IL. “It all lined up.”
She was raised in a musical family and was immersed in music from a young age. Her father was the worship leader at their church, and he encouraged her to pursue music. She began playing the violin at age 7 and added the guitar to her repertoire at age 11.
As they prepared for college, they toured Greenville University together and fell in love with the Music Industry Studies program.
“Being at a Christian school was important to us,” Jake said, “And Professor Gary Erickson helped us to see how an education here could prepare us for a career in music. When we came, we were strictly country, so some of the things we did here exposed us to different kinds of music and prepared us to manage our careers better. It was a fantastic school for us because we became better artists here.”
For Mikayla, a stint as the singer for the GU Jazz Band expanded her comfort zone and confirmed that the country music genré was where she wanted to land. They also honed their skills in Christian music by serving as worship leaders in a church in Edwardsville during their college years – a role they continue today as they lead worship in a church in Charleston, IL.
As they’ve launched out into a full-time performing career, the Hoults have learned some valuable lessons.
“Don’t give up,” advised Jake. “It’s so easy to get discouraged, but you must keep pushing ahead and hone your skills. Take advantage of opportunities that come up. You must do your best at every show; you never know who might be in the audience that could make a difference in your career.”
“Mikayla added: “For us, it’s important to maintain your enthusiasm. In a show, it’s not just how you sound; it’s also important to project that you’re having fun. God has blessed us so much to get us to this point. If we’re doing His work and living for Him, we’re confident that He’ll continue to guide and bless us as we go forward.”
