Louisa Wyatt
Age: 20
School: Medill
Majors: Journalism, African American Studies
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
1. What is your role on A&O?
I’m on the concerts committee for A&O. My role entails determining which artists are best fit for Northwestern. We take into account an artist’s popularity, live performance ability and our annual A&O poll results when deciding who to bring.
2. Why did you decide to add the Chicago Benefit concert to the line up of A&O events this quarter?
Despite being only 30 minutes from downtown Chicago, many Northwestern students don’t get into the city often. Due to a number of challenges, including schoolwork, stress and financial burdens, NU students aren’t able to fully experience and enjoy the huge amount of ridiculously talented artists in Chicago. Chicago Benefit provides a mini showcase of amazing local artists at a lower cost to students.
3. What was your involvement?
I booked both Noname and Jamila Woods!
4. How did you choose that artists for the show?
Personally, Telefone and HEAVN are two of my favorite albums of 2016. From an A&O standpoint- Noname and Jamila Woods are two of the biggest up and coming Chicago artists. Also, their contributions to the community though their involvement with Young Chicago Authors made them each a perfect fit for Chicago Benefit. The whole goal of the show is to raise money for our Chicago Beneficiary, AMASE, a nonprofit that provides music and art education to Chicago area children with special needs.
5. What is your favorite Noname song?
“All I Need” featuring Xavier Omär! This is the first song she released from the album, and I immediately become happy when I listen to it. I think this is probably the first official Noname song I ever heard, and every time I hear it I feel that excitement I felt experiencing it for the first time. I’m so lame. Everything is everything!
6. How did it feel to have it sell out? Describe the moment.
Just being able to finally announce the show was such a rush and a relief. I’ve wanted A&O to bring Noname to Northwestern for over a year, so finally being able to announce that she’s performing here was an incredible feeling. I am very proud of my committee and honesty myself because booking Noname and Jamila Woods was a lot of work and I feel accomplished! To have our very first Chicago Benefit show sell out was the cherry on top, and I’m excited because this show’s success will definitely fuel future Chicago Benefits!
7. Why is AMASE important to you and A&O as a whole?
Now more than ever, we need to support programs that inspire and encourage creative futures as much as possible. AMASE volunteers foster deep, lasting relationships with their students and provide them with new avenues for expression and development. All proceeds will support AMASE’s essential work toward bringing music and art education to children with special needs.
8. Which artists would you have perform at your dream A&O show?
My dream A&O show would probably be Kanye West opening for Beyonce, and during both performances the artists would bring out a ton of surprise guests.
9. Who do you want to win best new artist at the Grammys?
Anderson .Paak because it literally makes no sense that Chance The Rapper is nominated in this category. He’s been around a minute and all the other artists are not my scene (if you like these artists just know that I am not the only person on A&O and can be overruled in deliberations!)
10. Anything else you would like to add?
I hope everyone enjoys the show and takes the next A&O poll–we book our shows based off NU students’ feedback!
*Image credit: Facebook