Ariana Grande has never been less apologetic than with her most recent album, “Dangerous Woman.” Last July, the tween-pop singer was caught on a bakery’s surveillance camera licking a doughnut she did not buy and then proclaiming “I hate America.” Grande’s words generated massive backlash from people who accused her of shaming overweight Americans. Grande […]
Author Archives: Shreya Aiyar
Spring Sing through the years
1945: The beginnings of Spring Sing The first Spring Sing was held on May 18, 1945, at the now-demolished UCLA Greek theatre. Created by then-ASUCLA director William Ackerman, the competition was advertised as a showcase for “Top Bruin Vocal Talent” and featured singing groups made of UCLA students. Contestants created groups of anywhere between 10 […]
Former winner inspired by Spring Sing experience for music career
The deadline for Spring Sing 2011 entries was fast approaching, but Courtney Randall still hadn’t finished composing her song. Randall, then a first-year student, tried to rhyme lyrics and fit them over a guitar melody in her dorm room and in the middle of monotonous lectures. She had procrastinated on her Spring Sing entry, and […]
UCLA student-curated art show explores stereotypes of the Black body
The pieces were set and the theme decided, but Hanna Girma still couldn’t think of a name for her debut art show. The fourth-year world arts and cultures student had worked with eight artists, some of whom were acquaintances of her professors and some her personal friends. They had responded with disparate works, such as […]
Caring for the caregivers
For many medical school applicants, being a doctor means caring for the people who need help and fulfilling dreams of serving the community. But about 400 physicians die every year by suicide, and almost 50 percent of medical students reported feeling emotionally exhausted and less empathetic toward their patients. News reporter Shreya Aiyar, opinion columnist […]
Album Review: ‘Spring’
Springtime is here and with the flowers blossoms the angelic voice of Lee Su-hyun. Lee Su-hyun and her older brother Lee Chan-hyuk – together, the brother-sister folk duo Akdong Musician – last graced the K-pop scene with the group’s 2014 debut studio album, “Play.” “Play” was also released in the spring – Lee Su-hyun’s airy […]
Trans Chorus provides space for singers to express true colors
Lulu Malaya Prollamante usually didn’t have time to practice her singing during her undergraduate years at UCLA. She was too busy studying for classes or participating in and leading a transgender advocacy group at UCLA. But a small part of her ached when she walked past the Bruin Walk preachers chanting about the sins of […]