Arts & Culture - The Daily Tar Heel

Taylor Swift with her Grammy for winning Album of the Year on the red carpet at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in downtown Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Mar. 14, 2021. Photo courtesy of Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/TNS.

Column: There's nothing to fear but the tears Taylor Swift has created in the studio

By Brandon Standley | Apr. 12

When I was 10 years old, I put a set of tickets to the Fearless Tour at the top of my Christmas list. Much to my surprise, on Christmas morning, I didn’t wake up to a spread of Taylor Swift merch and tickets under the tree; rather I had a red folder with a glaring picture of Justin Bieber spread across the front. Inside, lay two tickets to Taylor’s tour — in that Justin Bieber folder I still have to this day only as a cruel joke from my family. "Fearless" then became the first concert I ever went to, and I haven’t forgotten anything about it to this day.

The UNC Process Series will virtually present a reading of “Cascade,” a play about the climate crisis written by UNC alumnus Jim Grimsley, on April 16 and 17. Photo courtesy of Joseph Megel.

UNC Process Series presents virtual reading of play about life after climate crisis

By Sara Raja | Apr. 12

“They’re facing the fact that they can’t stay where they are because it’s simply getting to be too hot and chaos is beginning to take over in North Carolina, so they’ve just got to get out,” playwright Jim Grimsley said. “I’m trying to write about a world in which everything that we know right now has been thrown up in the air by the fact that we didn’t pay any attention to the notion of global warming.”

Benjamin Carter, a junior psychology major, plays his cello in McCorkle Place on Sunday, Apr. 11, 2021. Carter just released his album, Coming Out of It.

UNC junior Benjamin Carter writes and produces first album

By Noah Robert Houser | Apr. 11

“Although Benjamin is a soft-spoken person, he possesses a big booming bass voice with growing solo depth,” Timothy W. Sparks said. “Benjamin is a very sensitive artist with a keen intellect and benevolent spirit.”

Dancers (from left to right) Alisha Abhayakumar, Aanchal Murjal, Benjamin Chilampath, and Ashwin Punj dance a traditional dance for Bhangra Elite at the Aaj Ka Dhamaka dance competition on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2018 in Memorial Hall at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

UNC Bhangra Elite hosts annual Bhangra Sutra event virtually

By Avery Baker | Apr. 9

Each dance group has a bhangra segment included in their performance, which allows both the dancers and the audience to witness how the Punjabi culture intertwines with the other cultures that are represented. This year's event will also serve to raise funds in support of Punjabi farmers' protests in India.

Alan S. Kim, left, Steven Yeun, Noel Cho and Yeri Han in A24's "Minari." Photo courtesy of David Bornfriend/A24/TNS)

Oscars Spotlight: 'Minari' is a refreshing, heartfelt story about immigrants in America

By Guillermo Molero | Apr. 8

"The performances from the cast in this movie are all phenomenal and bring this point to life beautifully. Every single member of this ensemble could have been nominated for an Oscar. In fact, two of them were."

DTH Photo Illustration. Social media applications have increased exponentially in the past decade, with new apps including Instagram, Snapchat, Vine (RIP), and, most recently, TikTok.

Column: Social media has lost connection

By Layla Peykamian | Apr. 8

"Am I going to be 40 years old and still following people I went to middle school with? Keeping tabs on my almost-roommate from my freshman year? Looking at wedding photos from a friend of a friend I’ve never actually met?"

"Collective" tells the story of how a group of investigative journalists exposed rampant government corruption in Romanian healthcare. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures/TNS.

Oscars Spotlight Column: ‘Collective’ is a gripping account of truth and injustice

By Ryan Phillips | Apr. 8

"Because of this mostly objective approach, it feels as though we are watching events occur in reality — with unpredictable stakes and terrifying implications. Instead of letting the action take a break with a filmmaker’s interjection of produced graphics or non-diegetic music, we remain firmly in the film’s world – Nanau lets the events speak for themselves."

Lil Nas X poses for a portrait at Cactus Cube Studio on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019 in West Hollywood, Calif. Photo courtesy of Kent Nishimura.

Column: Everything you need to know about Lil Nas X's Billboard no. 1 single

By Ellis Riggsbee | Apr. 7

If the March 26 release of “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” has taught me anything, it’s that there’s nothing more controversial you can do than unapologetically being yourself. And if people want to talk about you – or even send you death threats for being true to yourself – let them eat cake.

Riz Ahmed as Ruben in SOUND OF METAL. Photo courtesy of Amazon Studios.

Oscars Spotlight: “Sound of Metal” is a touching, technically tantalizing tale

By Guillermo Molero | Apr. 7

“Sound of Metal'' excels both in the technical and emotional aspects of filmmaking. Its brilliant sound and film editing and its sharp writing complement the heartfelt performances by its talented cast.

The Ackland Art Museum sits on Columbia Street in Chapel Hill on April 6, 2021.

Zooming in: Ackland student guides program engages audiences with art

By Sophia Ramirez | Apr. 6

With a piece of sarcophagus, a pocket watch, and a portrait of an unidentified sex worker called “Peaches,” a student tour guide at the Ackland can create a conversation about telling time through art.

DTH Photo Illustration. A study conducted by UNC Ph.D. student Alex Kresovich revealed an increase in references to mental health in rap music over the past two decades.

Column: Do you believe (in the power of music)?

By Brooke Dougherty | Apr. 6

Music has played a huge role in helping people survive the past 12 months.

Daily Tar Heel General Manager Erica Perel

Office DJ: A goodbye gift to my DTH family

By Erica Perel | Apr. 6

"I was never lying when I said that I have three kids at home, and 200 more at the DTH. This Office DJ playlist is a goodbye gift for my DTH family. I love you."

UNC students paint in the Morrison Art Studio. Arts Everywhere is bringing the Morrison Art Studio online, sending out emails with activity prompts. Photo courtesy of Haley France.

Morrison Art Studio hosts collaborative digital mural for Arts Everywhere Day

By Sara Raja | Apr. 6

“We don’t get a chance to show off our art all the time, we don’t get a chance this year to get on campus and see everybody for Arts Everywhere Day, so we might as well put it somewhere that’s pretty accessible,” Morgan Pestyk, digital marketing assistant for Arts Everywhere, said. “It’s really nice to have that out there and have a place where you can put your art safely.”

Carrboro resident and UNC Research Director Kathryn Peters wins Jeopardy with a score of $20,001.

Who is ... Kathryn Peters? Carrboro civic technologist wins 'Jeopardy!' game

By Britney Nguyen | Apr. 5

Peters won first place on a "Jeopardy!" episode that aired on March 22. She then returned as the reigning champ on an episode that aired March 23, where she finished in second place.

Alisha Kelkar celebrates a late Holi with friends on Thursday, April 1, 2021.

UNC student group Holi Moli adapts annual Holi celebration virtually

By Lucy Smithwick | Apr. 5

“It was definitely a very different transition from going from all these friends and family that I have where I live back home to here,” Mansi Gupta said. “I think it's just gonna get better as it goes throughout the four years that I'm here, but there's just a different transition.”

DTH Archive. Head men's basketball Coach Roy Williams talks to his team at halftime of an 87-71 final four victory over Michigan State University, April 2, 2005. The team would go on to top Illinois 75-70 to win UNC's 4th National Championship.

UNC alumni remember Roy Williams for more than just national championships

By Nathan Wesley | Apr. 1

Through numerous NCAA Tournament runs, Williams has shown why UNC is often noted as the University of National Champions. Williams left a lasting impression on the UNC community, and students, both past and present, see how much he loved not only basketball, but also his players.

Senior Katie Weber and First-year Sarah Weber are sisters who have bonded over UNC basketball since going to Carolina. "It was so exciting to see how energetic he was about the team" Sarah said about head Coach Roy Williams.

'Indelible legacy': UNC students reflect on Roy Williams' impact

By Elizabeth Egan and Madison Ward | Apr. 1

UNC students reacted to coach Williams' impact on campus culture and their time at UNC. "It’s been both humbling and inspiring to watch a leader like coach Williams accomplish the feats he has accomplished. Roy Williams will forever be a Tar Heel," first-year Vance Young said.

UNC Associate Professor of Music and Head of Keyboard Studies Clara Yang performs on the piano. Yang will perform virtually alongside jazz pianist Aaron Diehl on June 4. Photo courtesy of Carolina Performing Arts.

The Spring Finale: Carolina Performing Arts releases semester’s final events

By Ellis Riggsbee | Mar. 31

“2021 has without a doubt been an extraordinarily challenging year for our community and for artists across the board,” Chris Pendergrass said. “The season finale is significant for us in that it gives us a way to reconnect around arts experiences and artists that have had a significant local impact in Chapel Hill in a time when that has been, in many ways, not possible.”

The Sonja Haynes Stone Center pictured on UNC's campus on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. The Stone Center will serve as a voting location for the Democratic primary on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Stone Center Writer’s Discussion Series highlights innovative research

By Valeria Cloës | Mar. 31

“We also wanted to let folks know that this is a vibrant and active part of the scholarly community,” Stone Center Director Joseph Jordan said. “UNC has always been a place that welcomes new, innovative, far-reaching and challenging discourse. So for us, this was a natural mission.”

Column: The fight for the soul of our nation

By Will Melfi | Mar. 30

"Lil Nas’ video is not shocking. What’s shocking is that people really expected queer people to just shut up and take it."