From Quiet Child to MacPhail Rockstar
Music therapy client Adebiyi Adekola embodies the pure joy of making music.
Adebiyi Adekola has an irresistible energy. His wide, bright smile lights up every room he’s in — especially when he’s singing with MacPhail’s Rock On music therapy group. When Adebiyi takes the mic, his vibrant voice perfectly channels beloved millennial bands like the Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, Destiny’s Child, and his all-time favorite, Boyz II Men.
Adebiyi has been coming to MacPhail for 15 years, starting with piano lessons, then joining Rock On when it started in 2013. He bounces in every Monday night for his back-to-back classes, sporting pink jeweled headphones and greeting everyone he meets with his signature smile.
As young child, Adebiyi was quiet and withdrawn, preferring to keep to himself. His parents sought professional support when his speech didn’t develop as expected. When they and his providers noticed that he responded to music, they nurtured his interest. Now, “Music is his life,” says his mother Kehinde. “When music is on, he has brightness in his eyes.”
Kehinde credits Adebiyi’s classes at MacPhail with helping him build coordination, learn to work together with others, and become more mature. Most importantly, she says, “He is very proud of himself. When he has a recital, he invites his old friends, and they all come because of him.” Adebiyi confirms that he lives for the stage. “I would feel comfortable performing in front of a million people,” he says. “I never get stage fright.”
MacPhail music therapist Ella Terman describes the joyful spirit Adebiyi brings to Rock On. “Adebiyi is a rockstar! He always comes in with a smile and excitement to jam with his peers,” she says. “He is a supportive and kind light in our group. He does a great job of cheering on his fellow bandmates.”
For Kehinde, watching her eldest son express himself through music has been transformative. “When he was a child, he couldn’t say ‘mom.’ That was very difficult for me. Seeing him singing and playing piano with other people is something I didn’t think would ever happen,” she remembers. “There was a time when we didn’t know where to turn. We turned to MacPhail, and they helped him. Now, MacPhail is his second family.”
Adebiyi plans to keep coming to his lessons every week without fail. So if you’re in the building on a Monday night, keep your ears tuned. If you’re lucky, you might catch the melody of “I Want It That Way” as Adebiyi shares his radiant enthusiasm for music with the world.
