Students with diverse talents filled the Paseo Courtyard on Sept. 15 to perform and watch the Open
Mic Night hosted by the UTSA Student Union. Creativity was showcased all night as artists were each
given five minutes to perform their act.
UTSA students showed off their creative talents in an entertaining fashion. The stage featured acoustic
guitars, electric pianos, looper pedals, hip-hop instrumentals, powerful vocals and creative writing.
Covers of Frank Ocean, Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran moved the audience’s feet. Blitzing beatboxing
breakdowns had heads bobbing up and down. Melodic love songs had hearts throbbing. Poems of
individuality brightened our souls and jokes from stand-up comedians lifted our spirits.
A few student performances stood out:
Kirian Kofoworola-Kuti, a biology major, brought fire to the stage with his energetic flow of rap
and singing. His performance was an audience-favorite, and a crowd of students swarmed him for his
Instagram handle as he walked off stage. Romain De Jesus, a biology major, had the audience missing
their exes with a beautiful acoustic rendition of Frank Ocean’s “Self Control.” Tears were shed in
the courtyard as he performed the Frank Ocean cover. Tija Hawkins, a digital communications major,
utilized poetry to convey the mystifying energy inside her. Her poem is empowering for poets across
campus, and creative expressions of individuality shined. Student associations Musicians of Business)
and The Comedy Association set booths and encouraged music lovers and comedy fans to get
involved. Performers and audience members alike visited each booth to gather information.
This electric night shed light on some of the talented artists, performers and creators here at UTSA.
Performers left the event with a newfound sense of pride, a few new fans and a step closer to achieving
their dreams.
