Elle Varner to open for J. Cole at Homecoming concert

Hip-hop artist Elle Varner is best known for her song “Only Wanna Give it to You,” featuring J. Cole.

And J. Cole only wanted to give the opening spot of his UNC concert to her.

Varner will open for J. Cole at UNC’s 2012 Homecoming concert Nov. 4 in Carmichael Arena, the Carolina Union Activities Board announced Tuesday via Twitter.

Tickets for the concert went on sale Tuesday at noon.

Mackenzie Collins, a freshman who waited for a ticket, said she is excited for Varner to open for J. Cole.

“She’s a good choice because they’ll probably sing their song together,” Collins said.

While students queued for tickets, CUAB officials tweeted hints about who the concert opener would be.

“At only 23, this LA native’s first single peaked at #20 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart,” one tweet read.

Students who guessed correctly were entered into a drawing for a free ticket.

Kimmy Summers, chairwoman for CUAB’s major events committee, said a few students have said they are now more likely to attend because Varner will be opening.

“Quite few people guessed who she was, so that shows she has an audience on campus,” she said.

Tom Low, CUAB’s president, said the major events committee presented J. Cole’s management with a list of potential openers.

“We were not able to consider all student choices because part of the J. Cole contract said that he’d get to choose (the opening act).”

Low said CUAB has received positive feedback from students about the concert.

“Varner is a good add-on, but we still think J. Cole is the main attraction,” he said.

Summers said Varner’s name appeared in surveys CUAB conducted last year when searching for a 2012 Homecoming Concert act.

“We try to have diverse programs, trying to attract different audiences on campus.”

Staff writer Sierra Wingate-Bey
contributed reporting

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