From the bottom of the steps of South Building to the flagpole, UNC students and community members gathered in Polk Place on Monday to witness the University's various a cappella groups perform at Sunset Serenade: an annual event hosted by the Student Alumni Association on the first day of fall classes.
The Clef Hangers — UNC’s oldest a cappella group — started off the show. The group covered a variety of artists before closing off their set with a rendition of “Carolina On My Mind” by James Taylor, which the group has been performing for years.
“It always surprises me how many people actually come out to these things, and it’s just really cute seeing all the friend groups,” Nik Li, a sophomore history major, said.
Li said they were not previously an a cappella fan, but enjoyed the atmosphere of the serenade and found it enjoyable to listen to.
Performers are not afraid to play around with dramatic performances, like the UNC Achordants’ cover of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” from the "Barbie" movie.
UNC Walk-Ons member Shwetha Kunjur said that the a cappella groups form a distinct community on campus.
Kunjur said her favorite part of the community is the memories she has made with fellow Walk-Ons members. She specifically enjoys their retreat, which they have every semester.
“We sing all day, and then we have a lot of fun by night,” Kunjur said.
