Students can get “A Taste of Chicago” as three young musicians from the area perform 6 p.m. Thursday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Cydne Garrett, the University Board Mainstage coordinator, said she knows singer Christian “Christian JaLon” Funches and rappers Ausar Bradley and Femi “Femdot” Adigun personally.

She said she is excited to feature them in “A Taste of Chicago.”

“They all have a different sound and vibe, but it’s all motivational and inspiring,” Garrett said.

Adigun attends DePaul University and Bradley is a student at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.

“I know (Adigun) from high school,” Garrett said. “He was always so sweet and humble.”

Having remained friends since then, Garrett expressed amazement at how much Adigun has grown as an artist.

“He even performed for my little brother’s birthday party, and now I have to book with his manager,” she said.

Garrett met Bradley by networking at a listening party for his inspirational music project, “The Six Page Letter,” over the winter holidays.

The idea for the project came from an uplifting letter a friend wrote Bradley during his time of need.

“I met a lot of cool people and Ausar (Bradley) was one,” she said. “He’s also very sweet and humble and super funny.”

Funches has her own YouTube channel where she goes by the handle Christian JaLon.

She had made 70 videos, the bulk of which feature Funches singing cover songs and original music.

Garrett said she has known the 19-year-old from a young age through social media and will finally meet her face-to-face Thursday.

“She’s so very talented and I’ve watched her grow so much,” Garrett said. “Her spirit is beyond beautiful and will speak so much power and inspiration into your life.”

Garrett said she plans all Mainstage events personally but receives plenty of help from her 10-member committee.

“(They) work so hard to help me with ideas and assisting the day of the event to make sure all goes as planned,” Garrett said.

“A Taste of Chicago” is not to be confused with its namesake, “The Taste of Chicago,” a food festival that clogs the city streets every summer.

“I came up with the name because they represent Chicago as some of the strongest underground artists from the city,” Garrett said. “We get a taste of each of them… These artists exude positive energy and most people can feel that.”

Mallory Kutnick can be reached at 581-2812 or mbkutnick@eiu.edu.