Wonder Woman of the Week: Cam

The spotlight for this week’s post entered the hero’s journey when she left the safety of graduate school, to pursue a life-long dream in the music industry. She gave up a life in the field of psychology- in which she is a published journalist- to pursue her life-long dream of becoming a country singer. After releasing her first album- which succeeded on the shoulders of crowd-funded backing- this heroine of song broke into the country music scene with thunderous victory. She continued to establish herself as a musician and as a role model for people of her generation who face the same difficult choice between a comfortable life in the shadows of mediocrity or risking everything to achieve life goals. The Wonder Woman of the week is Camaron Ochs aka Cam.

Camaron Ochs (Cam) was born in Central California to an agricultural life. While she lived in the suburbs of San Francisco, Cam spent her childhood working on her grandparents’ ranch in the countryside, which would greatly influence her later life. [1] Cam’s future in the country music industry was endangered however when Cam entered school at Stanford for a degree in psychology. Keeping music as a hobby, Cam focused her efforts on earning her degree in psychology until a fateful meeting with her graduate adviser opened her eyes. Cam recalled the story during an interview with Billboard Music. She reported her adviser told her to picture herself at eighty years-old and asked what would she regret more having not done- pursue a career in psychology or music. [2]

The life changing encounter was enough for Cam to ditch a Master’s Degree and start a kickstarter. The singer launched a campaign to fund her first solo album raised entirely through crowd-funded donations. The album Cam Country was a smash in the music industry and rocketed Cam into country music fame. Featuring songs like “Mayday” and “Burning House,” Cam Country highlighted Cam’s upbringing on her grandparents’ farm, the struggles in her life leading up to the album, and the influences of growing up as a multi-lingual musician. [3]

Cam began an immediate rise in fame in the wake of releasing her debut album Cam Country in 2015. The same year, Cam received a nomination for a Grammy Award for her music. The singer was able to blend her family life and her own background in the psychology of emotions- Cam’s focus in the field- to create a style of music which could include a wide range of the emotional spectrum. [4] Part of Cam’s success in the country music industry is probably derived from her unique approach to the genre. The artist employs a style more in line with the pop music industry of emotional ballads tethered to the country music industry’s anchor of agrarian lifestyle. [5]

Camaron Ochs- aka Cam- is an important figure of her generation because her story encapsulates the existential crisis of Millennials. Many 20 something’s in the United States today are faced with the choice of continuing a life of education leading to a career in obscurity and a life of boring tax return paperwork and apartment rental agreements- or risking everything to dust off the old childhood dreams and pursuing a career in some impossible field. Cam chose to forgo a career in psychology to pursue a career in her life-long dream job of being a country singer. With the help of friends, family, and crowd-funding; not only did she release a solo album, but smashed into the industry as an ever-accelerating star.

Dauphine, Chuck. “Welcome to Cam Country: Arista Nashville Singer Has a Short Name, Potentially Long Career.” Billboard Music. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group; 16 April 2015. Web. 3 May 2017.

Hight, Jewly. “Why ‘Burning House’ Singer Cam Gave Up Psychology for Country Music.” Billboard Music. Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group; 25 September 2015. Web. 3 May 2017.

Shelburne, Craig; Leahey, Andrew; Newman, Melinda; Hudak, Joseph; Dunkerley, Beville; Gold, Adam; and Moss, Marissa R. “10 New Country Artists You Need to Know: Spring 2015.” Rolling Stone Magazine; 5 May 2015. Web. 3 May 2017.

“Country singer Cam on music journey and rapid success.” CBS This Morning. CBS News; 12 February 2016. Web. 3 May 2017.

“Bio.” CamCountry.com; nd. Web. 3 May 2017.