By MEGHAN CURRAN
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After the carjacking and murder of singer Dilana’s best friend in Johannesburg, South Africa, Dilana turned to music as an escape – a literal escape. She left South Africa due to the violence, crime and the constraints on daily life that put a limitation on her ability to create music.
Dilana sang her way through Holland, London and eventually to the United States where she found her opportunity to reach super stardom on the CBS reality television show, “Rock Star: Super Nova.”
The show, which began in 2006, was the second and last season of the Rock Star series, the first of which was “Rock Star: INXS.”
The featured 15 contestants competing for the chance to become lead vocalist in a rock super group, comprised of drummer Tommy Lee from Motley Crue, basist Jason Newstead from Metallica and guitarist Gibby Clark from Guns n’ Roses.
“They’ll never pick me,” Dilana said she thought before auditioning. “I’m this little girl from South Africa and Americans are so talented.”
Dilana finished runner-up in the competition.
Dilana’s Allegheny performance is hosted by GAP and will be held in the Campus Center Lobby at 8 p.m. tonight. Dilana will be performing a mix of covers and her own music acoustically.
“Acoustic songs have a whole different energy and vibe that touches people,” Dilana said. Her newest album is “Inside Out,” released in 2009. “The Question” is Dilana’s favorite song on the album because it was not meant to be a vocal track. She was just singing along to the guide track with bass and drums, but the song was improvised and done in one take, according Dilana.
Students have varying views about the events GAP hosts.
“It’s more fun if I can sing along and participate,” said Emily Benner, ’12, GAP member. “If I don’t know the words, why should I listen to songs that I don’t know?”
Benner said that she would not attend these events if she was not a member of GAP. Other students, however, are excited for the upcoming entertainment.
“I like the events GAP does,” said Sarah Klein, ’14. “There’s not a lot to do here, so when they (GAP) put something on I usually go.”
Last spring semester, GAP surveyed the student body with a poll sent to each student’s mailbox. The results from the poll show that a majority of students rate alternative music as their first choice, followed by rock, pop and then Indie.
“Based on the survey, one of the genres that rated the highest was rock, so we wanted to incorporate it,” said Kelsey Gooding, ’12, Co-Vice President of the Special Events Committee.
“Acts are chosen in the middle of the fall and spring semester, and all students are welcome to help in the planning process”, said Natalie Curtis 12’ GAP President.
