Name: Chris Ruetten
Age: 20
Major: Musical Theater
Hometown: San Diego, CA
Meet Chris Ruetten! He’s in a singer in Purple Haze, one of the many A Cappella groups on Northwestern’s campus. Purple Haze is moving onto the ICCA (International Championship of Collegiate A Capella) semi-finals in Chicago!
What’s your favorite Purple Haze memory?
Singing The Moderlode by The Staves at Glendalough National Park in Ireland. It was for our international tour where we had the opportunity to teach at local elementary schools in Dublin.
When did you start singing and what is one of your favorite performances?
I started singing in the church choir before I could remember. My favorite performance was singing ‘The Prayer’ at the Escondito Center for the Arts.
What song/musician are you hooked on at the moment?
Est-ce que tu m’aimes? By Maitre Gims. It’s completely in French and I don’t understand one bit of it, but it’s got a good vibe.
How would you describe your Tumblr page and what makes it so special?
It’s a collection of photos that inspire me and a collection of my lifestyle photography. I love photography because I love not only capturing moments but creating moments to be captured.
What would be your ideal vacation?
A Hawaiian surf trip with my brother and best friends.
Where is your favorite place on campus or around Evanston?
Lakeside field during spring quarter when I go play soccer with my fraternity brothers.
What’s the craziest adventure you’ve been on?
Grace [the writer of this article] and I went paddling boarding in our swimming suits in Lake Michigan only a month after the ice melted. There were strong winds and I got blown so far out from shore that the emergency boat had to come check on me. Luckily I was able to paddle back to shore without being towed.
What is something on your Northwestern/Evanston/Chicago bucket list?
To go to a Blackhawks Hockey game. I grew up playing hockey and I’ve never been to an NHL game and a Blackhawks game would be really fun.