After graduating from highschool, songstress Marisa Law realized she needed an outlet to showcase her vocal talent and musical ambition. Like many artists, Law saw YouTube as the perfect creative platform: “I was really used to performing all the time,” says the fourth year commerce student on her decision to take her vocals from the stage to social media. “I just found myself not having as many opportunities to sing, so I figured it would be a great opportunity for me to perform songs that I like, but in my own way.” Law’s YouTube channel features covers by some of her favorite artists, including Adele, Ingrid Michaelson, Sara Bareilles, and her childhood idol, Christina Aguilera – artists you can expect to hear her cover at the MUSE X McCafe Acoustic Session.

In the Queen’s community, Law balances academics with her passion for singing, performing in a co-ed a cappella group, the Trillers: “Being at university, you get caught up in life and school and trying to figure out your career path. But music is a outlet that lets me reflect on myself, and channel my inner emotion. I’m really passionate about singing, and love to do it just for the sake of doing it.”

Read up on what Law has to say about performing, the power of music, and her most "creative" endeavour to date.

How she got her start in music.

I got my start in music when I was 10. My elementary school formed a choir for the first time when I was in grade 4 and I was lucky enough to be part of this choir for a few years. My love for music can definitely be attributed to my elementary music teacher – she introduced us to all the classics and showed me how rewarding music could be.Her creative outlet:Music is definitely my creative outlet. I love singing songs that I can relate to and put my own spin on. In my spare time, I write songs that reflect my life experiences, which is a great way to break away from the craziness of everyday life. Another creative outlet for me is fashion. I actually started my own entrepreneurial venture, creating a boxer shorts line. I designed, sourced and manufactured these fashion boxer shorts, which was really fun!The most rewarding part of being an artist:I think that music illuminates the human soul; it allows us to bring out our passions and is a powerful method of communicating. For me, music is most rewarding because it is an outlet which can be better than the spoken word. Being able to write, perform and share sentiments that reflect my greatest beliefs is something that I love to do. As well, being able to use music to help someone, or impact them in a meaningful way is truly rewarding.Pre-performance nerves:Right before I perform, I actually get really nervous. My heart races and my palms get sweaty. But once I start singing, it’s like all of the stress goes away and I reach this state of calmness instantly. I often forget that I’m performing in front of people. It’s a bit of a roller coaster ride!Her most “creative” endeavour to date:One of my covers on YouTube reached 12,000 views within the first few days of being posted.  I had posted other covers before but they did not get nearly as many views.  I was proud of this personal accomplishment, as singing is something that I love to do and I was encouraged by the support that I received. You can check out Marisa's amazing YouTube channel here. Catch her performing on Sunday at the MUSE X McCafe Acoustic Session. Yours creatively,Abi Conners, Online EditorPhotography: Emilie Nolan