What started as a decision to form a band at a Halloween party in 2020 has blossomed into a pop-funk music band that has now released four singles. “Cake in a Bowl,” consisting of eight Texas State students, has strived to create an outlet for listeners to hear unique tunes and provide an example for young performers to do the same.
Nick Speer, music education sophomore, and Collin Winters, music education sophomore, met in middle school jazz band; Speer playing bass and Winters playing drums. It’s evident for them and the rest of the six members in this band that producing music and finding an outlet to do so was their natural next step.
Soon after the two chose to form “Cake in a Bowl,” the band added new members, including Garrett Iler, music education junior and saxophone player for “Cake in a Bowl,” who met Speer and Winters in high school, and Kole Eliot, music education sophomore, who plays drums and met Winters through the Bobcat Marching Band. Besides these four members, there are four others, all of which also attend Texas State.
Speer stated that they have the group that is perfect for the band and they were able to find the missing pieces through Texas State and the Texas State marching band.
“I have never thought about not being a member of Cake in a Bowl,” Speer said. “There’s just never been a moment where I was like, ‘maybe I don’t want to do this.’ It’s just so rewarding.”
One of the unique things about the band is the name. “Cake in a Bowl,” originated from Speer’s habit of putting cake in a bowl with milk, which members of the band noticed during a rehearsal. From there, the name stuck.
Another unique thing about the band is the blend of saxophone members, adding a funk feel to the band’s songs, which the band members described as “pop funk,” though the band members chose to not settle on just one category, allowing more musical freedom and uniqueness to the band.
“I just hope to inspire someone to do something weird, because we’re not really like a normal rock band,” Iler said.
Though the band has some struggles due to distances between band members when the school year is over, each member of the band wouldn’t have it any other way.
“If you’re doing something you’re passionate about and things are going rough and you really feel like giving up, I think a good way to get around that is thinking about the past and thinking about the things that have gone well and reminding yourself that this is why I do it,” Speer said. “This is the reason that I need to keep doing what I’m doing, even though it’s tough right now, because it’s all worth it.”
Eliot also believes that his time in the band has been rewarding and advises for those considering taking part in something like a band to make sure they’re content with whatever they choose to do, like he is.
“Just make sure whatever you’re doing, you’re finding the joy in it, so that it doesn’t become useless,” Eliot said. “If it’s useless, then there’s no point and then you’re just not having fun and it’s all about having fun and being happy.”
The band and its members’ positive feel is easy to feel through their “pop funk” and high-energy feel of their music, including “Rewind,” released on all streaming platforms in April 2023. The song has over 1,800 listens on Spotify. Winters described this song’s inspiration as a relationship he wishes he could “rewind” back to.
“Cake in a Bowl” also released a new song named “Paradise” on June 24, which was inspired by the disconnection from real life the band felt while visiting Purgatory Creek in San Marcos to take promotion photos. The band describes this song as pop and includes lyrics like “All the things we said, they wrapped around my head.”
To keep up with “Cake in a Bowl,” follow them on Instagram @officialcakeinabowl. “Cake in a Bowl” is also streaming on all platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora and Youtube Music.
