A cappella teams are all about group effort, but on Friday, May 14, three members of campus a cappella groups will be taking the Spring Sing stage as solo performers.
This year’s Spring Sing solo acts are Leena Culhane, returning three-time winner Katie Boeck, both from Awaken A Cappella, and DJ Harper of ScatterTones. All three singers have a distinct voice and musical style that will become apparent as they rock Pauley Pavilion, but they have one thing in common: they all possess the musical prowess necessary to take the stage at this year’s Spring Sing.
Culhane, a second-year theater student from the San Francisco area, cites her hometown as being invaluable in her musical development. She sang and performed from a young age, forming bands and playing local open-mic nights by the time she was in seventh grade.
“I sing because it’s a way for me to tell a story,” Culhane said. “Everything I sing comes from me, but sometimes I’m able to tell a story through a different lens. It’s almost like I’m stepping into a different body, but I still get that release.”
On campus, Culhane is involved in the theater department, an interest that she has pursued since childhood.
Culhane’s music is a blend of many styles and genres, anchored in her melodic and soulful voice.
“Her musical style is hard to describe,” said Matt Jones, a fourth-year theater student who often jams with Culhane. “It’s definitely soulful, kind of folky, creative and really open-minded.”
This will be Culhane’s first performance in Spring Sing, and she said she looks forward to having her voice heard by the UCLA community.
“At Spring Sing, you can expect a four-minute glimpse into my life as an artist and as a human,” Culhane said.
Boeck, a native of California’s central coast, is a fourth-year theater student. Her father was a country singer, and as a result, she has been exposed to music for most of her life.
Throughout her middle school and high school years, she performed at local venues, participated in musical theater and recorded her first album when she was 16.
According to Boeck, she is inspired to write songs by observing things in her everyday life. She sings because it is an outlet for her feelings and ideas about what she observes.
“I have a lot to say, and I like saying it in a way that people can take or leave,” Boeck said. “It’s not me standing on a soapbox preaching; it’s me artistically expressing how I feel.”
Boeck cites singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell as one of her main influences. Boeck is also a singer-songwriter, but her musical style is not easily defined.
“Her music is eclectic,” said Professor Jeremy Mann, Boeck’s personal mentor and director of singing for the Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program at UCLA. “It is a unique blend of jazz, R&B, country and folk, all underscored by her dedication to songwriting excellence.”
Boeck is no stranger to Spring Sing, having competed and won in the solo and overall categories for the past three years. However, she stressed that her approach to this year’s competition has been a break with her previous traditions.
“My song this year is different,” Boeck said. “I don’t think that people will expect it from me. It’s not about winning for me this year; I want to make that clear. It’s completely about the music, the song and the whole experience.”
Harper, a second-year music and neuroscience student, was born and raised in the Ventura County area. His father encouraged him to start singing at the age of three, and he began to record in studios at the age of eight, even lending his vocals to the popular P.O.D. song “Youth of the Nation.”
As a multi-instrumentalist, Harper said he enjoys singing because he believes it is the most effective way to convey his message to the audience.
“Singing is infinitely more expressive than any instrument could possibly be,” Harper said. “You can’t form words with an instrument. With the human voice, you can convey emotion and express ideas. There’s really nothing like it.”
Harper’s singing talent is not only confined to his solo work. He is a member of the campus a cappella group ScatterTones, and also lends his voice to the Campus Crusade Worship Band.
Harper describes his music as acoustic pop-rock. He sings with a light, conversational tone, reminiscent of popular acoustic artists such as Jack Johnson.
“A lot of my songs are about love,” Harper said. “I’ve never felt a stronger emotion. I find it hard to write about anything else.”
Harper has known of and dreamed of performing in Spring Sing since high school, but he said his motivation to perform does not stem from a desire to have his name well-known.
“I just want people to know my music,” Harper said. “I don’t care if people know my face or my name. It would be the coolest thing to have people be able to sing along to my music even if they don’t know I wrote it.”
With such a high degree of talent, it’s anyone’s guess who will be taking home the prize Friday night.
“There is so much talent in the show this year,” Boeck said. “People are getting better and better and they’re just coming out of the woodwork. UCLA is handing us this opportunity that I don’t know exists at any other school. It’s incredible.”