By James Mercadante
Staff Writer
The small, yet cozy stage in the Traditions Lounge was set with three microphone stands and a soft-pale blue light that illuminated the space while students filed in and patiently waited for student musicians to take the stage at CUB Alt’s Student Soloist Night on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m.
Students had the opportunity to showcase their musical abilities through both covers and originals pieces. As the crowd grew larger, the soloists prepared for their performances by warming up their vocal cords or tuning their guitars, which made some audience members eager for the set to start.
The first soloist was Jared Pinkham, a freshman speech pathology and audiology major. He covered two pop songs a cappella. Pinkham’s first number was “Latch” by Sam Smith, and his second choice was “One Last Time” by Ariana Grande. Pinkham used his light and airy voice to encapsulate the falsettos that both Smith and Grande exercise in their musical repertoires.
Next up was Luke Ambrose, a sophomore psychology major, who hopped on stage with his guitar in hand. Ambrose’s delicate vocals highlighted the rawness of Rex Orange County’s sounds. His first song was “Australia Street” by Sticky Figures. He also gave his own renditions of “41,” by Dave Matthews Band and “A Song About Being Sad,” by Rex Orange County, which was a crowd pleaser.
Ambrose also performed an original song titled “Perfection,” which expressed his feelings for a girl he had admired.
“Her name is Perfection,” Ambrose sang. “She’s a perfect girl.”
His performance and original lyrics resonated with the crowd. Students in the audience were either dancing, singing along or recording the show to support the performer.
The last performance of the night was junior psychology major Jillian Brueckner and junior finance major Ryan Fields, who performed as a cover duo. They first sang “Take Me to Church” by Hozier, and Fields displayed sonically beautiful vocals while Jill matched the same talent.
Brueckner said that she was sick earlier that day, and notified the crowd she “took so much cold medicine that (her) hands feel numb.” However, the audience could not discern any hint of illness when she sang, as her voice was clear, fluid and in complete control of vibrato.
When they performed “Shallow” from the “A Star is Born” movie soundtrack, she belted the chorus and captured the raw vocals of Lady Gaga. Both Brueckner and Fields used harmonies to blend their voices together, which proved the duo to be a great match.
