For someone who is just getting into them, there are so many podcasts in the world that it can be
incredibly overwhelming. After all, with so many options, how do you know which podcasts are high
quality and line up with your interests? If you are a new podcast listener, here is our guide to navigating
the podcast world, including how to pick accurate and reliable sources.

As we’re in the middle of election season, podcasts are a great way to have information presented
to you in an understandable and condensed way. However, it’s hard to know where to find unbiased
information about the election, a topic that’s incredibly polarizing. One place to start is seeing if a
news site you trust also creates podcasts. Many newspapers and channels, like The New York Times,
CNN, and The Washington Post produce audio content in addition to written articles. Alternatively,
if you find a news podcast, but are unsure about its reliability, searching up the person or group that
creates it online is a good way to see how they’re likely to approach the subject. Finding the podcast’s
bias rating from listeners is also an effective way to determine its reliability.

Once you’ve found a reliable source, there is a diverse range of podcasts to explore. From investigative
journalism to historical comedy, here are our top picks of reputable podcasts to check out from each
genre. 

### Political Podcasts

One informative political podcast we recommend
is “Left, Right & Center,” which is a discussion of
recent political news with guest speakers from the
three main political perspectives: conservative,
moderate, and liberal. Additionally, “On the Ballot”
is a facts-based, nonpartisan podcast that helps
listeners learn about politics, provides facts, and
allows its audience to establish their own opinion

### True Crime Podcasts

Another classic genre of podcasts is true crime,
which is a favorite among teenagers for its thrilling
and suspenseful content. With over 300 episodes,
“Rotten Mango” is one of the best-known true crime
podcasts, diving into two different cases every week.
Through detailed and illustrative language, podcast
host Stephanie Soo structures her episodes like a
movie, which helps listeners empathize with the
victims and also learn more about cultural nuances
across the world. For example, in Episode 261, which
covered the Sewol Ferry Tragedy in South Korea, Soo
explained the deeply ingrained respect for authority
and Han grieving culture in South Korea, immersing
listeners into the victim’s experiences. Soo does not
simply recount the tragedies, but spreads awareness
on important issues in today’s society. 

### Comedy Podcasts

For those looking for a witty and lighthearted
listen, comedy podcasts offer the perfect way
to cheer you up. One of our favorites is “Mike
Birbiglia’s Working It Out.” In this podcast, Birbiglia,
a renowned comedian and storyteller, interviews
fellow comedians and creatives, giving listeners a
behind the scenes look into creative life and the
entertainment industry. Each episode is filled with
humorous and heartfelt reflections and contains
insightful conversations with featured guests. 

### Educational Podcasts

Of course, we can’t forget about educational and
news podcasts. This genre branches into a variety
of different types, from purely informative to
investigative or storytelling. Among the informative
podcasts, you can learn history lessons on “You’re Dead
to Me,” and random fun facts on “Stuff You Should
Know.” If you’re looking for a podcast that combines
both storytelling and investigations, “This American
Life,” is a thought-provoking choice. Ira Glass, the
host, centers each of the podcast’s 800 episodes around
a spontaneous theme. Split into different “acts,” the
episodes explore each theme through true stories,
interviews, and investigations. Recorded since 1995,
Glass talks to different people each week: Palestinian
exchange students, strangers visiting the Iowa State
Fair, or two girls who were switched at birth. You
never know who or what to expect.

Plug in: a beginner’s guide to podcasts

PHS speaks out: What do you think was the song of the summer?

For Eva Zizak ’25, music is like a second language. Growing up in a highly musical family — Zizak’s father is a guitarist — she found joy in singing from an early age, often having jam out sessions with her dad. This passion has led to her involvement in numerous vocal groups at PHS. Her love for singing ensures it will remain a central part of her life long after graduation.

**How have you been involved with music at PHS?**

A lot, a little too much. Sometimes my mom is picking me up after 11 o’clock from school, and she’s like, “So I think you sing too much,” and I’m like, “Yep, probably.” Sometimes I get a little sick of it, but in the end, it’s what I like doing. I do choir; freshman year, I did Chorale, then Cantus, then PHS Choir since last year. I’ve been in Cloud Nine, an a capella group, since my sophomore year — this year, I’m music director — and I did Studio Vocals last year. This summer, I went on tour with PJO, the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra as a vocalist, so I went to Italy.

**How has being involved with so many different activities helped you develop as a singer?**

Well, I think practice makes perfect, or almost perfect, for sure, because I think I’ve definitely improved in the last few years. Just last night, I was looking at videos from the beginning of our tour this summer, and videos at the end of the tour, and I was cringing at my first videos, because I was like, “Oh my god, I was so bad.” The teachers here are so talented and so good at pushing you. This was my first year working with Mr. Bongiovi in Studio Vocals and in PJO, and even though he’s not a vocalist, he still did a great job ... I also think, being in groups of new people that [I’m] not friends [with] gives me a chance to be around other people, and I meet so many people. In [Cloud Nine], I have 12 built-in friends, and [in] Studio Vocals, I got to know a bunch of people. So I feel like I just got to find my crowd and just improve as a singer.

**What are your duties as music director for Cloud Nine?**

There are a few things. It is a student group because we don’t have an adult leading us, [so] there needs to be one person to [decide] if there’s a decision that needs to be made. I pick the music; I arrange the music too. I really like the idea of everybody in the group arranging music; I know that’s not something that all groups do. We have a couple people working on arrangements now. I’m arranging the music for the first concert. Organizing our meetings, and deciding what we do in each practice is the biggest [responsibility I have as music director].

**What do you like about singing jazz specifically?**

I think I’ve always kind of liked singing more jazzy songs, and I never really realized that until I was like “Oh I’m gonna audition for Studio Vocals,” and then I was doing it and [realized] this is my favorite kind of music to sing. I think jazz is the easiest and the hardest [music to sing], because anything kind of goes. You just have fun, and that’ll make you sound so much better, but I also think you have to adjust your voice a little bit, think about the lyrics more, [and] think about the song you’re singing. What I like about [jazz] is that I sort of found my place with my voice because I just found that it fit my voice really well.

**Why do you sing?**

I think a lot of it stems from my upbringing. This is a conversation I’ve actually been having with my dad a lot because I’m doing college applications now, so I have a bunch of questions to answer; colleges want to know what I’m about. So me and my dad were talking about it, and he [asked], “Do you know why we sing? What’s the point of it?” I [said], “To make people happy, to entertain.” That’s the point of singing. Obviously I [sing] for myself because I think it’s fun, but I think part of the reason why I think it’s so fun is because I love people that enjoy music; I think it’s really cool to watch people having a good time.

Eva Zizak '25 explores her voice through multiple genres

   At the beginning of class, you may feel energized. But as it drags on, you begin to feel more and more restless. It feels like an eternity has gone by, even though you still have an hour left in the class. When the bell finally rings, you feel cheated — the time that you spent sitting bored at your desk could have been spent on something much more productive, but instead you’re left with little energy to make it through the rest of the day. 
   This bleak situation is becoming a reality for PHS students. Last month, a new bell schedule for PHS’s 2024–2025 school year was released by the PPS Board of Education. This new schedule features five letter days, each corresponding to a weekday, and separates science and P.E. classes to make assigning classes more flexible. Additionally, 90-minute block classes on “B2” and “B3” days were added on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, both without Tiger Time.  45 minutes of gym classes on B2 and B3 days are used for learning labs for freshmen, or a free period for upperclassmen and sophomores who are clear of disciplinary actions and have good attendance in their second semester. 
   As the school board pointed out, our current schedule has several major issues. First of all, letter days occur in an inconsistent, confusing pattern, which makes it harder for students to get settled into a comfortable rhythm. This lack of consistency in the letter day rotation makes some days occur more often than others, leaving some students with less frequent gym free periods. Second of all, the current schedule binds science and gym classes together for lab periods, which creates a lot of trouble when creating student schedules. As a result, there are also inconsistencies in class sizes, and this also prevents students from receiving the courses they requested. 
   However, even if the new schedule attempts to fix some of these problems, it also brings up new ones. For one, the two massive block days are a major point of concern. These block days were added for the purpose of maximizing student productivity and to consistently give teachers  more time for project-based learning, such as science labs. Nevertheless, longer block periods may have the opposite effect on student productivity. Attention spans vary depending on the student, but there is a general range for optimal focus. According to a Gitnux report from 2024, this span is 30 to 40 minutes for 13 to 15 year olds. Meanwhile, teenagers who are 16 and older are reportedly able to concentrate for 32 to 50 minutes on average. Our current block periods, which last around 78 minutes, are already overstepping student attention spans. Having periods as long as 90 minutes would exacerbate this problem and leave many students even more drained, unfocused, and feeling trapped in their classes. 
   Additionally, these blocks come at the expense of having two days of Tiger Time. With the new schedule, there is only one hour allocated to Tiger Time on a single day (Tiger Thursdays). Compared to our current 48 minute-long Tiger Time periods across two days, students have fewer opportunities overall to make up work, complete assignments, and receive extra help from their teachers during office hours. Both clubs and sports will also have much less scheduling flexibility. Clubs will either have to lose chunks of their membership every other week when freshmen have Peer Group, or move their meeting times to lunch, which would decrease meeting length and possibly conflict with other clubs. 
   In the future, administrators should take the opinions of the general student body into deeper consideration. This is especially the case with projects that directly impact our everyday routines, such as creating a new bell schedule. Even though some members of the student council were consulted, they are by no means entirely representative of all PHS students. A student poll would have much better reflected the needs of the average student. The fact that the administration didn’t take these opinions into consideration shows a disconnect between PHS’s student body and administrators. Ultimately, we should learn from these divisions and work towards building a more connected and equitable community. 

Bell schedule — hell schedule?

The current online world is plagued with an epidemic of lies. There is so much misinformation in our world that the Associated Press publishes a weekly edition of “Not Real News,” a feature of fake news stories that  have  been published recently. The content varies from President Biden’s supposed plans to give all illegal immigrants $5,000 Visa gift cards to FDA efforts to start a “plandemic” with harmful medications disguised as decongestants.    
Misinformation is by no means a new concept, but the degree to which it pervades society today incredibly alarming. Despite the fact that the internet (and particularly social media) is overrun with conspiracy theories, embellished content, and dangerous misinterpretations, it has become the dominant source of information for Americans, especially for younger generations. 
 Pew Research found that  in 2022, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter were the primary news source for 66 percent of young people. At the same time, according to Gallop, a record 78 percent of Gen Z trust what they read online, compared to just 60 percent who trust reputable national organizations. 
In theory, social media can be used as a tool for exercising freedom of speech, avoiding the restriction of the distribution of information to a few powerful institutions. In practice, however, misinformation makes productive online discussions nearly impossible. In 2018, MIT researchers found that posts containing falsehoods reach 1,500 people on Twitter six times faster than truthful posts. This phenomenon, initially observed and coined in the political scene, is dubbed as “post-truth,” and was named the 2016 Word of the Year by Oxford Dictionary. The most prominent example of the damage misinformation has caused is  our own democracy. For example, CNN found that 38 percent of adults in the United States did not believe in the results of the 2020 election, and USA Today polls show that over half of Trump supporters have already decided that the 2024 election will be rigged. This January, the World Economic Forum ranked misinformation as the greatest global risk, citing its potential to “further widen societal and political divides … undermine the legitimacy of newly elected governments [and] infiltrate public discourse.”       
Improving how we process information online may not be as difficult as it seems. According to Matt Groh, a researcher at MIT’s Media Lab, when we simply pay attention to the quality of a source, we’re much better at detecting misinformation. If the legitimacy is not clear even after some research, it’s often useful to find the original evidence the author cited and come to a conclusion without the influence of a secondary source. In general, when we process information, it’s also important to apply the same levels of skepticism and thinking to all content, regardless of whether it aligns with our values or commonly accepted opinion. Without active awareness of our biases, we’re much more likely to believe falsehoods if they align with our own narrative. 
In an age where the internet and social media are everywhere in our life, it’s our responsibility to combat misinformation and to think and advocate for truth, no matter how tedious it may seem. Next time you see something shocking, remember that meaningful information and ideas usually can’t be expressed in a single tweet or Instagram post. 

Stop contributing to the echo chamber of misinformation

Have you met families that seem to be the definition of picture-perfect? Often these families actually contain and conceal ruinous secrets. “We Were Liars” by E. Lockhart tells the thrilling story of one such family, the seemingly stereotypically perfect Sinclairs. 
The Sinclairs have always tried to keep to their traditional ways of life. For all of protagonist Cadence Sinclair’s life, she and her cousins have tried to continue the legacy their mothers started and “be a credit to the family,” which includes ignoring anything that brings them sadness, like the loss of their grandmother, and blocking out things that might mar the family’s reputation. This is why the family avoids talking about Cadence’s accident the summer she was fifteen, and even Cadence, who suffers selective memory loss, does not know the details of it. Every summer, the Sinclairs travel to their family-owned island, where they are joined by Cadence’s aunt, her boyfriend Ed, and his nephew Gat. Cadence, her two cousins Johnny and Mirren, and Gat are known as the family “Liars” for reasons unexplained. The summer of her accident, the “Liars” had begun to look more closely at the life they have grown used to, setting off a chain of events that culminated into a major chain of events. Two years later, Cadence returns to the island where the infamous accident occurred, determined to find out what truly happened. 
“We Were Liars” draws you in by revealing only snippets of Cadence’s story at a time, making you wonder what might be left out of the narrative. While reading it, I felt eager to discover the things I knew were missing, and the major reveal at the end definitely lives up to the expectations Lockhart builds throughout. Lockhart’s use of metaphors exaggerates Cadence’s feelings by adding a physical element to them, such as when Cadence describes her reaction to mentions of her dead grandmother, saying “my veins opened. My wrists split. I bled down my palms.” Lockhart also inserts classic fairy tales altered to describe events in Cadence’s life, which, as well as her metaphors, give the reader insight into the feelings Cadence isn’t able to express herself. In addition to being a thriller, the novel analyzes the role class and money plays in a person's life, most notably in Cadence and Gat’s relationship, and it was interesting to see how different characters view the Sinclair wealth. Even though the story is told through the perspective of those with money, “We Were Liars” taught me to stay true to myself and appreciate the people around me. Its themes about loss and responsibility impacted my original perceptions about growing up, teaching me that there are some things you cannot change about yourself and others. “We Were Liars” delivers both a compelling thriller and an interesting exploration of class, allowing even readers who are not typical fans of thrillers to connect with its themes and messages.

“We Were Liars” Review

   From memes to style inspiration, it’s been hard to escape “Barbie” (2023) this summer, and for good reason. Though one might not expect much more of the movie than its bright pink hues and sparkles that are heavily featured in its beginning sequences, “Barbie” has a lot more to it. As the film progresses, “Barbie” reveals director Greta Gerwig’s examinations of womanhood and of the role of the patriarchy in today's era.
   In Barbieland, each of the Barbies has her own job, from doctor to president, while the Kens are devoted to constantly supporting the Barbies in all that they do. The Barbies believe that this depiction of women in every job imaginable has “solved feminism” in the real world, and they are proud of themselves for helping women realize their capabilities. But their female empowerment has its limits, as the Barbies shun all imperfections. They are terrified of being any less than perfect and becoming like the Barbie they call “Weird Barbie,” who became damaged after being played with too hard. She is a horror story to the Barbies, and when the stereotypical Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) starts noticing defects in herself, she’s willing to do anything to revert back to her perfect life and avoid ending up like Weird Barbie. 
   When her journey takes her to the real world, she discovers that the lives of most human women don’t contain any of the dream houses and dance parties of hers. An impassioned speech by Gloria (played by America Ferrera), a woman in the real world, sheds light on the impossible standards women constantly face. Even Barbie can’t fulfill the ideal of a perfect, accomplished, and flawless woman that women in the real world are forced to contend with. The main goal of “Barbie” is to expose how difficult it is to be a woman in a society full of contradictory expectations. As Gloria says, “You have to be thin, but not too thin. And you can never say you want to be thin. You have to say you want to be healthy, but also you have to be thin.” In her powerful monologue, Gloria shows how hard it is to be the “perfect woman” when you’re only human. Though the Barbie doll is known for her unattainable body and enforcement of stereotypes about women, the movie itself takes a contrasting point of view, arguing for the acceptance and embracement of human flaws. This message isn’t exactly original or ground-breaking, but it is more than you would expect from a movie about Barbie, and it does the important job of giving a spotlight to many feminist issues. Its message of acceptance, along with a poppy soundtrack, humorous script, and stylish costumes, is enough to make any viewer feel good walking out of the theater. 
   Additionally, the film demonstrates how the patriarchal system is detrimental not only to women, but also to men. Ken (played by Ryan Gosling), once considered merely Barbie's accessory, embarks on a transformative adventure that exposes the insidious nature of objectification. As he ventures into a fiercely competitive and toxic male environment, Ken finds himself surrounded by a culture that objectifies women, reducing them to mere commodities. This environment, unfortunately, thrives on the possession of these objectified women, equating sexism with masculinity. However, it's only once Ken has a profound realization that he is "Kenough," independent of societal expectations, that he breaks free from this toxic masculine paradigm. His journey serves as a powerful reminder that, along with perpetuating misogyny, the patriarchy also negatively impacts men, trapping them in a never-ending cycle of insecurity and unhealthy competition. "Barbie" masterfully explores these themes, offering audiences a thought-provoking narrative that encourages us all to challenge and dismantle harmful societal norms.
   “Barbie” (2023) takes responsibility for all that the brand has projected onto women in years past; while the original Barbie represented a woman can do everything herself (something that, at the time of the original Barbie’s release, wasn’t common), they also created a woman with no imperfections, something which is not ever attainable in real life. The film also highlights how our world’s patriarchal society encourages men to objectify women, but how the Kens have always been the opposite, craving Barbie’s approval. Though the movie finds a happy medium in Barbie world, leading the Kens to accept themselves as individuals and letting the Barbies accept their imperfections, it doesn’t actually provide a clear-cut solution to misogyny, mostly because there hasn’t been one yet. Instead, it focuses on how impossible we’ve made it for women to be respected for who they are, and it encourages women and men alike to reject these societal expectations. Our world isn’t made of plastic, and we shouldn’t model it as such.

Barbenheimer Spread

When the first pictures of Margot Robbie playing the title role of “Barbie” were released, everyone knew it would be the movie of summer 2023. Shortly after the announcement, fashion labels quickly began to dress their models in hot pink — most memorably Valentino and Versace — and this hot trend covered the runway for most of 2022 and part of 2023. In January, Pantone even declared the color of 2023 “Viva Magenta,” designating this year’s color a vibrant shade of pink, similar to the one Barbie frequently has worn.
Both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” caused an immense surge in movie theater attendance, bringing in $337 million and $175 million respectively in their first debut weekend, according to TIME Magazine. Currently, “Barbie” has surpassed $1.3 billion at the global box office.
On TikTok, the app’s users began to share what outfits they were wearing to “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer,” creating videos where they entered the movie theater fully decked out in either hot pink or charcoal outfits. This even sparked a debate among users across the platform over which movie they would see first and at what time (a common consensus was to watch “Oppenheimer” in the morning and “Barbie” in the afternoon).  
In terms of records, “Barbie” had the most success ever in the box office for a Warner Bros. movie and it is currently the highest grossing movie by a female director (Greta Gerwig).

Student Takes: Team “Barbie” or Team “Oppenheimer”?
   “I liked ‘Barbie’ more because it showed strong, independent women creating a future for themselves that sets a good example for other young women,” Besa Liese ’25.
   “I preferred ‘Barbie’ for the entertainment value because at least it was funny, even if I don’t agree with its core principles of promoting capitalism. ‘Oppenheimer’ was just not a good movie; the only thing that redeemed it was Cillian Murphy,” Ero Christy ’25.
   “I chose ‘Barbie’ because it’s about having a cool, fun time. ‘Oppenheimer’ is just about a sad American making a bomb,” Jonathan Taylor ’26.
   “‘Oppenheimer’ because I like physics so I very much like good movies or dramatic movies/TV series about some well-known physicists. I have previously seen a TV series about Einstein which is partially a documentary, partially a dramatic series, and ‘Oppenheimer’ was kind of similar to that. It’s also directed by Christopher Nolan, and I like that director. ‘Barbie’ was more like a promotion of social equality, which is interesting to me, but it’s not as central to my life as physics is,” Orion Wei ’24.
   “I would prefer ‘Barbie’ because ‘Oppenheimer’ was very long, but I loved the whole ‘Barbie’ vibe. I watched the trailer [for Barbie] over and over, [and] I really liked the movie. I liked the whole set and all the doll things, and it was a really great movie,” Phineas McCulloch ’26.

“Barbenheimer,” the Clash of the Summer

Sarah Kaputa ’23 often gets lost in her art, painting for hours at a time. Ever since her grandmother introduced her to portrait-making as a child, she has been extremely passionate about art. Since then, she has experimented with many different styles of art (including printmaking in high school), but takes most of her inspiration from artists in the Renaissance period. Over the course of her high school career, Kaputa discovered a love for art history, and she will be continuing this passion by majoring in art history at Northeastern University. 

How did you start making art?
My grandma is a portrait artist, so I followed in her footsteps, and growing up I always was drawing and painting like her. And it was always my top hobby, so it kind of just blossomed. I like painting people a lot; I really follow in my grandmother’s footsteps in that [regard]. But I also do a lot of landscapes and classic stuff like that.

What type of art do you make?
I mostly do painting, but I just started printmaking and I  love it. Painting is a lot more fluid; I can work, rework, change things around, and get creative. But printmaking, there’s a lot of planning that has to go into it, which is different for me because a lot of times I don’t plan; I start painting. But both are really fun and I like that it’s a new thing. I’ve been painting since I was young, but I started printmaking last year, so I’m still developing  my craft.

How has your art style developed?
As I’ve grown, I’ve just figured out what I like to paint in terms of subject matter, but also I’m a really big fan of Renaissance art, so I take a lot of inspiration and style from that. But I also like being a little more fluid and I’ve kind of forced myself with my installation to try out different styles and things like that.

Do you have any inspirations in art?
I’m a really big fan of Artemisia Gentileschi. She’s one of the only few female Renaissance painters, and she has this incredible painting of two strong women killing a man. It’s so powerful and amazing and it gets me every time; she’s just so cool. I think it’s really cool that she was one of the first [women] to be famous and among the greats. She’s dear to my heart.

What are some challenges in painting?
I think just coming up with a plan for something that’s unique and something that really interests me. [In] all of my paintings, I get really in the zone and I’ll end up working for like six hours at a time because I just love it so much. [One particular challenge is] just planning something that’s interesting, new, and creative. I always try to create something that I feel I can be proud of it at the end. 

Are you going to continue to paint after graduation?
I’m actually not majoring in art, but I’m majoring in art history, so I’ll still have that piece that I can connect to in my studies. But I’m definitely going to take art classes and go to studios and museums and things like that, so I’ll definitely keep it up.

Sarah Kaputa ’23 reflects on the impact of art on her life

   This spring, Studio Vocals showcased their hard work at multiple events, including the Princeton Jazz Festival on April 15, the National Jazz Festival on April 22, and the New Jersey State Jazz Festival on April 29. To accommodate the busy April schedule, Studio Vocals worked on a fast-paced schedule and held multiple practices every week to ensure that they performed their best in all of their events.
   “We have a lot of dedication to making sure that a song is at the best it can be before a performance or a competition. If we need to go over a certain section repeatedly in order for it to be solid, we will,” said Ashley Chen ’23, a member of Studio Vocals.
   Through their hard work and dedication, Studio Vocals were a key element to the jazz performances this month, and through these collaborations, they were given a bigger platform to perform.
   “The plans are to give our studio vocalists more of a period to keep singing as Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble get deeper in the competition season and may or may not be using vocalists,” said PHS Band Director Joseph Bongiovi.
   On top of practicing as a group, the members also rehearse independently. Their hard work allows them to feel confident on stage, a key aspect of an overall good performance.
   “I rehearse a bunch by myself and learn the songs mostly by listening to recordings and singing along to instrumental recording tracks,” said Studio Vocals member Maggie Dooley ’24.
   The group members focus a lot on the technical aspect of performing. To prepare for performances, they rehearsed with microphones beforehand. Being able to blend one’s voice and figure out the correct volume and tone to sing into the microphone can make or break one’s performance.
   “For the competitions, we each have to sing with our own microphones. Although it was a bit scary at first, my ability to blend while on a microphone has definitely improved,” said Vivian Clayton ’24, another member of Studio Vocals.
   While the vocalists initially used rehearsal tracks to learn their parts, the performances themselves were put on with a live rhythm section. To prepare for this, members of Studio Vocals rehearse multiple times with the Studio Band instrumentalists themselves in the time leading up to the performance.
   “Our biggest strength is the fact that most vocal jazz groups don’t have a rhythm section that plays as well as ours. That allows us to have something solid in terms of tempo and harmony to harmonize with,” Bongiovi said.
   From highlighting the songs played by the musicians to guiding them with the actual piece, members of Studio Vocals were a necessity for Princeton’s jazz festival.
   In addition to the pressure that comes with having to learn multiple tracks, performing at a competition in and of itself comes with lots of nerves, so being comfortable on stage is one of the most important parts when performing and competing.
   “Beyond getting the actual notes and rhythms right, our stage presence is hugely important. For the audience, and of course judges, a performance is much better when the singers are engaged with the music and their peers,” Clayton said.
   For many, just being on stage makes them feel gratified. The culmination of one’s hard work with their group can feel very satisfying.
   “After the crazy rehearsal schedules we have and all the hard work we put into our songs, it feels so good to see everything finally together on stage. Even if we don’t win first, being able to perform together is the most rewarding part,” Chen said.
   While Dooley, Clayton, and the rest of the younger members will continue to grow as a group in Studio Vocals, others will soon have to depart from the group as they continue on their personal journey in college.
   “It’s definitely a little sad that this is my last time doing it all. I’ve been doing Studio Vocals since freshman year, it’s been such a big part of my high school life and I can’t imagine not doing it. I’m going to miss the whole working up to competition feeling, the excitement, and the pride we all feel together when we’re done singing the most,” Chen said.

The Tower

Tessa Silver's Work

The Tower