Students Sing in Weevil Karaoke Contest

Photo by Eric Bell

The Winners - (left to right) Junior Yvonne Hinshaw, first-year student Tiffany Mathews and first-year student Adrienne Smith stand with their prizes after winning the Weevil Karaoke Contest. The Residence Hall Association hosted the event.

Arts & Entertainment Editor

   The Residence Hall Association held a Weevil Karaoke Contest in the John F. Gibson University Center Green Room Feb. 19.

   Each contestant chose two songs to sing from four genres, including classic rock, 1960s, country and pop, for the judges in the first and second round. Fourteen students signed up to sing, and five contestants made it to the second round.

   “They had fun,” said junior Brittany Pickett, RHA president. “They could care less if they could sing; they had fun.”

   Junior Yvonne Hinshaw and first-year students Adrienne Smith, Tiffany Mathews, Ashley Smith and Lindsey Drayton made it to the second round.

   The judges selected Mathews, Smith and Hinshaw as the winners. Mathews won first place and received an iPod nano.  Smith and Henshaw won second and third place and received baskets filled with assorted items from the Bookstore.

   “I love to sing,” Hinshaw said. “I’ve always been a karaoke fan.”

   Some of the songs selected at the contest included: “Breakaway” by Kelley Clarkson, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dog, “Leave the Pieces” by The Wreckers and “I Heard It through the Grapevine” by The Temptations.

   “I think they’ve been good,” said Karee Dowtee, graduate assistant at Royer Hall. “They’ve been very entertaining.”

   The crowd sometimes clapped along with the songs, cheered and sang along with the performers. The audience clapped along to “I Heard It through the Grapevine,” and one contestant continued singing despite technical difficulties with the screen not showing the words and the music cutting out.

   Over 120 to 150 students watched the contest.

   Judges for the contest included:

• Mitch Meredith, director of Residence Life
• Brittany Pickett, RHA president
• First-year student Alex Raybon, RHA vice president 
• Junior Holly Donaldson, RHA reporter

   The judges evaluated each contestant on appearance, originality, talent and stage presence from one to five with a top score of 20, one being the worst and five being the best.

   “I thought it went very well,” Meredith said. “I was definitely the hardest judge. I was the Simon of the group.”

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