On Friday night, Boise State students turned nerves into notes, transforming jitters and adrenaline into melodies that filled the air with raw emotion.
At the first-ever Bronco Singer/Songwriter Competition as part of Treefort Music Fest, students took to the stage to perform original songs. The growing talent of Boise’s student music community was on full display as students told personal stories.
The event, organized by Boise State’s Side B: Bronco Songwriting Collective, aimed to expand creative opportunities for all students, whether they were in the music program or not. A workshop held the day before the performance brought students together with experienced songwriters and members of the Idaho Songwriters Association to provide feedback, generate ideas and help finalists refine their pieces before stepping onto the stage.
For many of the finalists, the experience was a defining moment — an opportunity to perform original work in front of peers, faculty and a festival audience.
Christine Nygard’s performance of “Shivering” was one of those moments. The piece explored the uncertainty of entering adulthood with vulnerability and depth. Her performance included fellow student Kitchen Sanderson on flugelhorn, a partnership that arose through the competition itself.
“I don’t think I would have reached out to him if it wasn’t for this opportunity,” she said. “It motivated me to make it happen.”
Beyond performing, Nygard saw the competition as a snapshot of the creativity flowing through the local music scene.
“Boise is a living and breathing creative ecosystem, and it starts really blooming around this time of year,” she said. “Being involved in the music scene as much as I can, I felt more and more inspired after each performance I witnessed at Treefort. My professors, peers, fellow musicians and creatives made me excited for what’s to come for music at Boise State.”
Another finalist, Andon Jay, brought a distinct emotional texture with his song “Mr. Melancholy Wants to Rule the World”, which explored inner struggles through the perspective of a personified emotional state. The character of Mr. Melancholy, drawn from the film “I Saw the TV Glow,” serves as a symbolic “big bad” within the show’s mythology, representing an ever-present threat the protagonists must face.
“It’s like an internal conversation… refusing to feel big emotions, but it grows into something uncontrollable,” Jay explained.
Jay, performing with his band ECHOBLOOM, will join Nygard again on May 5 at The Olympic Venue in Downtown Boise.
For first-place winner Arie VanDenBerg, the competition was a whirlwind of nerves, excitement and validation. His song spoke to a period of burnout and uncertainty during the semester, ultimately delivering a message of perseverance.
“I was down at school … my classes were really hard and I was just struggling,” he said, in reference to the song’s inspiration. “The song was a metaphor for getting through that feeling, showing that there’s always hope out there.”
VanDenBerg said he didn’t expect to win, which made the announcement feel especially rewarding.
“It was just an overjoyous feeling. A big confidence boost for me,” he said.
Even in the moment of recognition, VanDenBerg emphasized the camaraderie that shaped the evening. Instead of rivalry, the competition was marked by encouragement and collaboration, with friendships and connections emerging as a major takeaway for participants.
“It really didn’t feel like we were competing against one another, ” he said. “We were all together, supporting each other.”
The competition offered practical incentives that support student artists’ next steps, including a one‑year $1,000 Love MISSA Songwriting Scholarship and a professional recording session for the winner. Other finalists were offered additional recording opportunities.
For VanDenBerg, the night was a source of motivation for what’s next. He plans to use the momentum to book more local gigs, record new music and continue building his career as a local artist.
The Bronco Singer/Songwriter showcase was a moment for artistic affirmation, a celebration of student voices and a launching point for continued creativity at Boise State. For these students, channeling their emotions into sound marked the start of a much larger journey.
