You may recognize this 19-year-old singing Canadasa国际传媒檚 anthem during Rockets games or at events strumming her grandmothersa国际传媒檚 beat up Gibson guitar.

Kelowna resident Rachel Layne took a semester off from her Bachelor of Arts English degree at UBCO to pursue a career in music.

sa国际传媒淚 just really wanted to focus on music, and while I was going to school, I mean I love English, but music is what I want to do as a career and I was sort of missing that at UBCO,sa国际传媒� she said.

The musician sings, writes her own music, and strums her grandmothersa国际传媒檚 guitar which at one point, belonged in a bar band.

For the last 10 yearsa国际传媒檚 Layne has been one of the opening anthem singers at Kelowna Rockets games. She remembers auditioning for them at seven, singing the Canadian anthem at her first game when she was nine.

Over the years, she sang national anthems for other local sports teams including the West Kelowna Warriors and the Kelowna Falcons.

sa国际传媒淪inging anthems is a way to get experience singing in front of a crowd of thousands of people, itsa国际传媒檚 one of the quickest ways to do so. Itsa国际传媒檚 still so incredible even after singing anthems for 10 years,sa国际传媒� said Layne.

Occasionally, the well-mannered musician travels to Vancouver to sing for the openings of the BC Lions and performs with a hired band, saying the opportunities are better for her to meet like-minded musicians.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 kind of far from where I live but I enjoy singing there too,sa国际传媒� she said.

Singing has been in Laynesa国际传媒檚 life for as long as she can remember. Her parents told her she sang at two years old around their house.

She speculates her musical gene couldsa国际传媒檝e come from a past relative, as her parents arensa国际传媒檛 musical.

She began with piano lessons and as she grew older, took up the guitar and began writing music. Layne records her music in her homemade studio, recording demo songs over guitar and piano tracks on an iPad in a closet.

sa国际传媒淚t works out perfectly,sa国际传媒� she laughed. sa国际传媒淵ou have the clothes and they sort of absorb the sound so you get that really clear sound.sa国际传媒�

For the summer, shesa国际传媒檚 been booking more gigs to break into the music scene but doesnsa国际传媒檛 plan on pursuing a record label anytime soon.

sa国际传媒淵ou can become an incredible independent artist and make a living,sa国际传媒� she said, adding theresa国际传媒檚 more freedom being an independent artist, however, with a label contacts are easier to gain.

For more information on her latest performances, check out her website at www.rachellayne.com or follow her on and .

Layne will be singing at the Civic awards in May.