As students flooded into the auditorium, looking for their seats, a new melody with a familiar voice played over the speakers that caught many students’ attention. This wasn’t any song produced by a big label or written by professional writers––this song was completely written, produced, and performed by junior Jordan Drisdell.
Drisdell, a student new to Parker last year, has become deeply immersed in the Parker community. He is involved in multiple extracurricular activities, such as serving as co-founder of the Christian Student Alliance (CSA), co-head of the Black Student Union (BSU), and participating in the Advanced Choral Ensemble (ACE), also known as Grape Jam. Drisdell transferred from the Chicago Academy of the Arts to Parker at the beginning of his sophomore year but has continued to pursue music despite his departure.
“CHASING,” written, produced, and released on all streaming platforms under the name “Jordan Bentrell,” is Drisdell’s first official release, even though his love for music has been persistent throughout his entire life. “I got my first laptop when I was around 5 or 6 years old, and one of the first apps I began using was GarageBand, literally making anything.” He also began his singing and vocal journey around the same age, taking inspiration from icons of the music world, Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey. The COVID-19 pandemic was a true turning point for Drisdell, though, as that is when he started to mix, produce, and sing covers to songs, using all of the skills he had accumulated over the years.
“For me, every original song I’ve ever worked on starts with mumbling out a melody. Whether actually at my home studio setup, or on a voice memo, if I have an idea, I try to get it down any way I possibly can,” Drisdell said. Specifically for “CHASING,” Drisdell’s process started with the instrumental component, beginning on July 29, 2025. Building off the instrumentals, he focused on creating background vocals with harmonies that complemented them. Once he was satisfied with the harmonies, which are prominent in how the song is built, he moved on to writing lyrics based on his “mumblings” from voice notes. When writing the lyrics, Drisdell discovered his true inspiration and reason that the word “CHASING” caught his eye. “Everything I talk about throughout the song is this idea of unrequited love but completely fabricated by my imagination.”
Drisdell also shared some struggles with the production of the song. “The process was relatively smooth, aside from the middle section of the track. I didn’t know what harmonies I wanted to create, I couldn’t figure out what lyrics fit in that part,” Drisdell said. Having difficulty with this section, he planned on leaving it blank and moving on with the rest of the song. “But when a song is only two and a half minutes long, you need to fill the entire thing up. So I just tried to work at it every day, and when it felt right, it felt right,” Drisdell said. After spending three months working, editing, and modifying parts of the song, “CHASING” was officially released on September 12.
Drisdell, although excited for the release, had worries about his song being available and known to the public. “It’s weird because I shouldn’t care about what people think, but it’s always at the forefront of my mind,” he said. Though nervous for the release, Drisdell was treated with positivity from the Parker community. “I felt extremely loved by everyone, especially at Parker, regardless of my relationship with them. All of the support I received from my friends and teachers, who somehow heard it, was astounding” Drisdell said.
Senior Ewuraesi Korankye is one of the students who found Drisdell’s talent to be impressive. “It’s not every day that you see young people work so hard at something they are passionate about, especially to the extent of something as bold as releasing their own song. Jordan has so much talent, and it is so evident through the beat and the lyrics of the song,” Korankye said. As well as the support from the student body, Christian Jackson, Upper School choir teacher and Drisdell’s ACE teacher and advisor, describes his talent as “rare…It is deeply exciting to hear a student utilize their passion for music in their own creative way. Seeing Jordan combine his talents with his learning is touching, rewarding, and makes me proud to know him,” Jackson said.