It could be argued that what makes the collegiate talent show that is Spring Sing so dazzlingly, heartwarmingly and eardrumpoppingly fantastic is the wide array of arts ““ from dance, to theater, to video ““ it houses.
But let’s not forget what the night’s George and Ira Gershwin Award recipient, Lionel Richie, is really coming to see: the music.
With a cast of characters as diverse as our city-sized campus, this year’s lineup promises to represent the musical trends at UCLA.
Performers will be judged at the Los Angeles Tennis Center in the hope of becoming the next Bruin idol and continuing one of the most lasting traditions on campus.
The list of performers this year includes second-year musical theater student Katie Boeck, who wooed the crowd with her solo act last year, receiving the honor of best overall entry. Boeck’s sound is a self-described synthesis of various unrelated elements emerging from an equally varied selection of influences.
“I would describe it as a sort of fusion of pop and folk and jazz,” Boeck said.
“I grew up with bluegrass and folk music. I was really into Joni Mitchell and more recently jazz and some electronic music. I think certain chords that I’ve experimented with had a more eclectic sound in that way.”
Boeck is set to return with another original piece she said carries less political weight than her contribution last year but more daily relatability.
“Last year it was really message-y, kind of political, but this year it’s just a fun song about relationships. It’s not so preachy, just a fun song,” Boeck said.
Boeck’s competition this year will include Kalil Wilson and the Soul Providers, a 12-member soul band that embodies the tradition of organizing a band specifically to perform at Spring Sing.
The group is made up of a four-person horn section, guitarist, bassist, organist and drummer, as well as a lead and three backup singers.
While the talents in this group may be widespread, the uniting factors are the interests; every member is a music student and loves Stevie Wonder.
“We all love to perform and play, and we all are huge fans of Stevie Wonder,” said Berkeley Everett, a fourth-year ethnomusicology student and band member.
“We took influences from him, as well as more modern influences like John Legend, and elements from our own backgrounds ““ some are classical, others are jazz ““ and brought it all together.”
The band will be performing an original composition they hope will show their broad range, as well as their love for the art.
Performing alongside the likes of Boeck and other stylistically unrelated groups, the Soul Providers will have the opportunity to experience a diverse performance dynamic. To them, the night is not about a certain type of music, it’s about being a Bruin.
“(Spring Sing) is a great opportunity to get together musicians who wouldn’t otherwise get together. It’s like a big family experience for all of UCLA,” Everett said.
Spring Sing began under the wing of William Ackerman, when the cast was mostly made up of fraternities using the event as a medium to woo their sorority counterparts. Over time other performers joined in on the fun, but fraternities and sororities represent remnants of the history of the event.
Among the groups representing UCLA’s Greek organizations this year will be the Delta Gamma sorority and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, performing together as they did last year when they won their category. The Delta Gamma and Pi Kapp coupling occurred when the groups decided to join forces in an effort to make their presence felt on campus.
The group will be putting its own twist on some familiar songs as a part of its performance. Its song and dance routine will tell a story about student life.
“There are multiple songs that are recognizable, but we changed the lyrics to go with the story line,” said fourth-year English student Melissa Di Luigi.
“It’s like a mini-musical.”
Another group slated to compete is 3:26, an ensemble made up of a violist, pianist, singer, rapper and beat boxer.
The group was also among the few that formed specifically for UCLA’s musical gumbo, auditioning its pianist only three days before Spring Sing tryouts.
Its piece is an original fusion of sounds, much like the other performers’.
“It’s a capella R&B mixed with hip-hop. A rap song with a singing hook,” third-year applied math student and rapper Brandon Contreras said. “I wrote the verses a while back, and when we all met we just brought our ideas together through a lot of trial and error, trying to find what sounded good.”