Class: 2015
College: Morse College
Major: History
Hometown: Short Hills, NJ
Spring Fling is finally here! Learn more about what happens behind the scenes from Spring Fling Committee Chair Erica Leh.
Favorites
Movie: American Beauty
Food: Chipotle/Sushi
TV Show: Arrested Development/Breaking Bad
Concert experience: The Strokes at Madison Square Garden
Celebrity crush: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Summarize what the process is like to create the lineup. What specifically do you look for in an act?
Primarily, we search for a performer who can give an upbeat live performance of high vocal quality. We try to find both up-and-coming talent and established, familiar performers who appeal to a wide variety of students, which can be a challenge given our limited budgetary constraints. Most committee meetings involve analyzing survey data, watching live videos, and voting on to whom we want to make an offer and at what price.
How do you handle the pressure to select performers that are sensitive to gender and sex issues?
Before contracting artists, we do full background checks on them—on their lyrics, message, and any possible controversies they’ve been involved in. We always ask on the survey whether there are particular artists that would offend students, and last year we hosted a talk with the Women’s Center to get a sense of what artists they thought would have the most positive message for the campus.
What do you think distinguishes Spring Fling from other events?
Spring Fling is one of the only events at Yale that caters to a wide swath of the student population. I really love it for the communal atmosphere it creates and its ability to attract people from all sectors of Yale. Plus, Yale’s spring concert—unlike most others schools’—is free!
What are you most looking forward to about Saturday? Do you have any advice for our readers to get the most out of their day?
I’m so eager to see our committee’s hard work come together on Saturday. This year I’m particularly excited for the production aspect of it, since this is the first year we’ve had a Production & Design team that has shaped the experience of the concert. It’s also the first year we’re having a DJ headline, so production is going to be a really critical element of the concert. In terms of advice I’d give: stay hydrated, look out for your friends, and if you’re going to drink, pace yourself and don’t start too early.
What are your favorite songs from each artist?
Betty Who – You’re In Love
Ja Rule – Always on Time
Diplo – Crown
Do you have a background with music?
I’ve always loved music – I’ve played violin all my life, from classical to pop music, from chamber groups to pit orchestras, from performing arts theaters to Battell Chapel. I’ve also always enjoyed listening to bands play live, which is why living in New York has really been a privilege.
What else are you involved with on campus?
Outside my work for Spring Fling, I love being treasurer of Fence Club, working as a Media Tech for Yale ITS, being on JCC, volunteering at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, writing for publications like the YDN and Herald, and, in my free time, doing crosswords and penning screenplays.
What is something that most people don’t know about you?
Some people don’t know that I used to live in Japan when I was a kid. I returned last summer to visit our family’s former apartment, but a ton of Tokyo has been restructured so sadly it was torn down.