British pop singer and rapper Taio Cruz will headline this year’s Slope Day, the Slope Day Programming Board announced Thursday. Pop rock band Neon Trees will be the opener.
Sam Breslin ’12, selections director of SDPB, said that the board’s decision reflected the results of a campus-wide survey filled out by about 5,000 students.
“We know you’ve been wanting big name headliners; we also did understand a lot of students were getting tired of rap and hip-hop artists,” Breslin said. “A lot of people wanted a pop artist who is on the radio all the time, someone you could sing along to.”
Hailing from London, Cruz achieved international stardom with his hit single, “Break Your Heart,” in 2009. His most famous songs include “Dynamite,” “Higher” and “Troublemaker.” Cruz’s third studio album, TY.O, is set to be released in the U.S. in the early spring.
According to Noelle Cornelio ’12, chair of SDPB, the second opening act is “typically an indie-rock band.” However, she said that this year students asked for a change of pace.
“A lot of people wanted a band with name recognition and maybe some radio hits,” Cornelio said.
Neon Trees gained national prominence in 2008 when the band opened several concerts in North America for The Killers. The group’s first full length album, Habits, was released in 2010. The album’s first single “Animal,” reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Alternative rock chart.
“This year has been a wild and crazy year,” Cornelio said. “We know you guys have been waiting for Slope Day artists for the longest time.”
Breslin added that the board was glad to finally make the announcement.
“Hopefully we find a way to put the Good Charlotte [and] Kelly Clarkson rumors to rest,” Breslin said.
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Original Author: David Marten