Freshmen Compete for ‘Idol’ Title

Freshmen vocalists left their midterm woes for microphones on Saturday night, entertaining an audience of nearly 200 in a Science Center lecture hall at the second annual Harvard Idol competition.

Leslie A. Barkett ’08 took home the title of Harvard Idol with her version of Kelly Clarkson’s “The Trouble With Love.” The honor includes a recording contract with Harvard’s student-run label Veritas Records.

“It was a fun experience to have under my belt,” Barkett said. Still, she added, she is wary of putting all her chips on a vocal career. “[The singing industry] is a fickle business and it’s tough,” she explained.

The event, organized by the Prefect Program, mimicked the popular Fox show American Idol. Like the show, film clips featuring each contestant were shown before their first performances, and a live interview was conducted afterward.

The competition started with open auditions in late November. Nearly 30 freshmen contended for 10 spots in the first round on December 11, but only three performers—Barkett, Chris M. Beavers ’08, and Alyssa M. Fabrizio ’08—progressed to Saturday’s finals after receiving the most audience votes.

Saturday’s contestants each prepared two pieces, the first being an “epic song”—a timeless hit—and the second being a song of their choice. They nailed their notes in front of their peers and under the scrutiny of three judges: vocalist Zachary R. Rainor ’05, Veritas Records founder and President Daniel Zaccagnino ’05, and last year’s winner, Amy M. Zelcer ’07.

The judges supplied a stream of feedback, but relied on the audience for the final verdict.

“It’s hard when people picked it apart, especially in front of everyone,” Barkett said. “But it was a thrill.”

The panel of judges doled out a range of compliments and criticism regarding each singer’s vocal range, song choice, and execution.

“You got to come with it,” Raynor said after a sedate first round of performances. “I’m still waiting for you guys to break out.”

Although everyone was solid this year, he added, the overall competition was weaker.

But according to Fabrizio, the judges’ criticisms can’t be taken too personally.

“You have to take it with a grain of salt,” she said.

Fabrizio started the night off with the classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and said that if she had known the judges would have wanted more enthusiasm from the performers, she would have chosen a more upbeat second song—instead of the ballad “Come Away With Me.”

But despite the judges’ opinions, each contestant had a slew of adoring fans and noisy supporters. Several audience members hoisted “marry me” signs and cutout hearts to rally for their favorite contestant.

Some Barkett enthusiasts even spelled her name in teal capital letters on their bare chests.

“I think you have more boyfriends than I do,” Zelcer teased.

But Saturday’s performance also featured more than just vocal prowess. Beavers—a competitive concert pianist—provided his own accompaniment to “New York, New York” and the country favorite “Who’s Your Daddy” by Toby Keith.

“It’s been way too much fun,” Beavers said. “I’m in love with performing.”

Beavers accentuated the different themes of his songs with a sequinned prom vest and a cowboy hat. Barkett strutted in fishnets and stilettos as she sang her first song, “I Love Rock and Roll.”

While the votes were being tallied, judges Raynor and Zelcer treated the audience to individual performances—giving the three contestants a chance to criticize their critics.

According to co-host Maura E. Boyce ’05, one of the prefect program’s directors of fun, this helped to show that the evening’s events were purely in the spirit of entertainment. “It’s a fun late-night activity that gives freshmen something to bond over as a class,” she said.

—Staff writer Ying Wang can be reached at yingwang@fas.harvard.edu.