Students will perform their own original songs with the accompaniment of either a guitar or piano at the Singer/Songwriter Contest at 7 p.m. today in the 7th Street Underground.

So far, 13 people entered and will be judged on overall sound, stage presence and how involved the crowd is in the performance.

“I decided it would be a good idea to do something for the acoustic people who make up their own music,” said Lauren Phillips, Mainstage coordinator for UB.

Sean Ballard, a freshman undecided major, learned about the contest a UB representative asked him to enter during one of the Open Mic contests.

He learned guitar his sophomore year of high school and has been writing ever since then.

Ballard will perform a song called “Writers, Painters, etc.” about how people put on fronts when they are scared to let themselves go.

Ballard said he gets most of the inspiration for his songs from experience and the topics of his songs vary.

He has played shows since his junior year of high school.

Ballard likes the fact that the contest is an outlet for performers.

Another contestant is A.J. Schubert, a first-year graduate student in technology.

Some songs he has written are “Daydreaming Fool” and “Hold On.”

Those are two of his favorites songs as well.

Schubert likes the originality aspect of the contest.

“I thought the Singer/Songwriter Contest would be fun,” he said. “I like how this one was geared just towards original music.”

Schubert said he likes to write happy, upbeat music even if the topic is a downer.

“Not all songs are sad, but there are a lot of sad songs on the radio,” he said. “I like to look at the bright side even when a situation isn’t the most positive.”

Schubert has been writing and performing songs since his senior year of high school and playing guitar since his freshman year of high school.

He is also in a band called the Baker Street Band.

The contestants will win 10 hours recording time with producer Jim Thompson.

Thompson is also a songwriter whose songs have appeared on Top 40 Radio and in various movies.

He was also the producer for a girl who went onto “American Idol.”

Thompson said this time would be spent recording one song for distribution.

“There’s a good amount of singers and songwriters in the area,” Thompson said. “Whoever wins can come down to my studio in Springfield and have their song produced in a professional light.”

There will be a six-minute time clock for the performances.

Phillips said this contest would be set up similar to UB’s “So You Think You Can Rap?” contest, only in a more acoustic setting.

Kailin Garrity, a songwriter from New York City, will open for the contest.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or at haholm@eiu.edu.