Name: Lindsay Charles
Year: Sophomore
School: School of Communication and Weinberg
Major: Double major in Communication Studies and Art History with a minor in BIP
Hometown: Great neck, Long Island
Why did you decide to be involved in Extreme Measures?
I was involved in theater in high school and I have always loved singing, but by the time that I was coming to Northwestern I realized that I didn’t want to do theater as a major or career. I definitely needed an outlet for singing though, so I auditioned for all the a cappella groups during Welcome Week my freshman year, and I was initiated into Extreme Measures. I’m so happy; I love it!
How often do you rehearse?
We rehearse on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m., so six hours a week. Then we have gigs around campus or sometimes downtown so it’s a bit of a time commitment but it’s absolutely worth it. It does sometimes get difficult…but it’s a fair tradeoff. Our group has come so far in the last couple of years and we take pride in our sound, which comes from sacrifice and hard work.
What’s your favorite part of being in Extreme Measures?
I think the people and the creative outlet that it provides are my favorite parts; I can’t choose one. We are such a family; we spend so much time together.The nature of a cappella is such a static thing, you stay in the group for all four years, so you really grow and learn together. It’s something that reminds me of a sorority experience and especially my freshman year, before I went through recruitment, it was a home and a community that I was lucky to be invited into.
What kind of gigs do you do?
We sometimes perform at munchies events. Recently we sang at Allison and we also are getting ready for a gig at the Evanston YMCA. Earlier in the year we did a special gig with A Life Story foundation, for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, so we went downtown to a small fundraiser for a patient who had been diagnosed. It was probably one of the most special gigs we did so far. We also do other fun things.
How were the shows this weekend?
I think they went great. I’m really so proud of Extreme Measures; there has been a lot of time and commitment from all of the members and I don’t think we’ve ever sounded better. The performances were high energy and well attended, and you could really see how proud we are of how far we’ve come, as well as how much fun we have together.
What else are you involved in on campus?
I’m involved in my sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma; I was on chapter counsel. But I really felt that when I came to college, I would choose two or three things to be involved in, because I think I spread myself too thin in high school. I want to be a leader in things I am passionate about so that I make a real contribution to them. I am the secretary of Extreme Measures and serve on the executive board.
What responsibilities do you have as the secretary of Extreme Measures?
I am basically in charge of all of the intragroup communications, so it’s a lot of scheduling, a lot of emails, a lot of booking rooms for rehearsals and communicating with people about upcoming events that we’re involved in. I also run the executive meetings, which we have once every two weeks.
How old were you when started singing?
I don’t know, but I remember singing in a talent show in fifth grade. I think I sang a song from the Little Mermaid and I’m pretty sure it was because I really liked this boy and I thought if I was really good at singing then he’d like me too. It didn’t work, but I really found a passion for it and I started taking voice lessons and I joined chorus in middle school. I was the alto section leader in my high school choir and then I was doing all-county and all-state in New York during the last two years of high school.
Who is your favorite singer?
My taste in music is really bizarre; I have such an eclectic taste. Recently I’ve been really into Beyonce because I’m obsessed with 4, I think it’s such a good album. And Adele; I love her voice. I auditioned for Extreme Measures with an Adele song, Someone Like You.
What are your hopes for the future of Extreme Measures and for you?
We are going to competing in the ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella) in February at the University of Chicago, which will be so great. We’re going with three other Northwestern groups. I have hopes for us there, and personally singing and performing are things I love to do but I don’t have any professional career aspirations. It’s a fun side thing and eventually I’ll just resort to singing in my shower and the car.
Who is your inspiration?
I always loved Broadway, but I don’t remember any particular inspiring person. I watched Mary Poppins like 40 billion times though when I was little.