At 17, Molly appears quite well-versed on the ukulele, the four-stringed instrument with a jaunty sound. Smaller than a guitar, the instrument is commonly associated with Hawaiian music. The name "ukulele" means "jumping fleas" (uku flea + lele jump) in Hawaiian likely because when strummed, the fingers mimic the movement of the jumping insects.

"It's like more of a high-pitch guitar. And it's weird like that. I sort of like that it's weird," Molly says.

Her song "I Want Caffeine" seems to resonate with the crowd clustered on the lawn listening to live music at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro. Like good coffee, her personality seems to strike the delicate balance between bold and sweet notes. This particular song, she wrote herself.

"They sort of just slap me in the face," she says. "I mean they HAVE to slap me in the face."

And yes this musician is a coffee drinker of the ice mocha variety ... "but sometimes I get something weird like a latte."

(photographed on Weaver Street between Main & Greensboro streets)