Students unleash their inner pop-star at iCLU’s Lip Sync Battle
Photo by Aimee Barrera-Reporter
iCLU Radio’s Lip Sync Battle participants and judges pose together after the event concluded.
November 16, 2021
California Lutheran University’s iCLU Radio hosted a “Lip Sync Battle” on Nov. 5 and had a variety of student performances that included choreography, costumes, props, and lip syncing.
The event also included a red carpet photo area for students and performers to take pictures, a table with treats for guests, and an elevated stage area for students to perform.
iCLU Radio Co-President Austin Gregory along with DJ and advisor Spencer Fischer were the event’s MC’s. Together Fisher and Gregory entertained the audience with short skits or made commentary while the next act prepared to take the stage.
There were seven performances in the competition, not counting Gregory’s performance of “Party in The USA” by Miley Cyrus, because he was hosting the event and in-eligible for a prize.
Prizes included an air fryer, Apple airpods, speakers, and trophies for the participants.
“My friends Laura and Fallon actually made me sign up, because they were like ‘that would be fun for you’ and they told me that the winner got airpods,” said first-year competitor Amanda Janssen, who won the Judge Favorite Performance category of the night.
Janssen was dressed in a white denim outfit and purple hoodie combo and performed as pop singer Justin Bieber. She also had a crowd of fans cheer her on in the audience holding up Justin Bieber posters.
Janssen lip synced to a medley remix of Bieber’s hit songs “Baby,” “Never Say Never,” and “Boyfriend,” along with choreographed dance moves.
“I felt so good honestly, I love getting out in front of people and hope I can just make them happy or make them smile for a minute and if I did that then that’s great,” Janssen said, who’s inspiration for her lip sync performance came from her Halloween costume.
The guest judges for the “Lip Sync Battle” included communications professor Russell Stockard, Associate Professor and Director of Film and Television program David Grannis, Admission Counselor Amanda Souza, and Coordinator of Orientation and Student Engagement Leylani Orozco.
Guest judge Souza said that the performances were “very impressive” and “super fun.”
“I feel very energized after seeing everything and I was just really impressed with the amount of time that it looked like everyone put into memorizing the choreography, the lyrics, all of that,” Souza said.
Senior Cary Hale-Mounier performed “Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You)” by Chrstina Aguilara and won Best Overall performance due to leaving an impression on Souza with his choreography.
“Favorite performance has got to be Cary [Hale-Mounier], he did such an amazing job. I feel like his energy was super high, his choreography was amazing and he looked like he was absolutely in his element doing what he is meant to do,” Souza said.
The list of categories that were judged in the competition were Best Costume, Best Dance, Most Creative and Best Song Medley.
This article was updated Nov. 19 at 9:31 a.m. to correct the spelling of Spencer Fischer.