Rico Nasty will perform at this year’s spring concert on April 30. The Music Entertainment Committee (MEC) will host the event virtually for both St. Olaf and Carleton students.
Elina Sargsyan ’23 and Ghazal Ramazanian ’22, members of MEC’s spring concert subcommittee, expressed their excitement for Rico Nasty’s upcoming performance. “Everyone was really really passionate” about the possibility of Rico Nasty performing, Sargsyan said. She described MEC’s “mission to bring artists that not only reflect the student body but also artists that promote positivity and use their platform to help others.”
“Rico was a great option,” Sargsyan said.
Listeners are familiar with Rico Nasty using her platform to advocate for Black rights and mental health. MEC recognized that in the current political and social atmosphere, their choice of performers would have an impact on the student body. “[Rico Nasty’s] platform to advocate for marginalized and underrepresented groups of people” was a significant factor in MEC’s decision for her to perform, Sargsyan said.
Ramazanian called Rico Nasty’s personality “outgoing and engaging,” an essential quality MEC was looking for in a performer this year. Ramazanian was particularly excited about Rico Nasty’s performance. “She is a rising artist … in the industry and I’m sure she’ll blow up,” Ramazanian said.
Rico Nasty began her career on SoundCloud, a popular music-sharing website for up-and-coming artists. Her self-declared “sugar trap” music gained popularity online through both YouTube and TikTok. In the past year, snippets of her songs “Ohfr?,” “Smack a B*tch” and “P*ssy Poppin” became trends on Tik Tok. Rico Nasty released seven mixtapes before the release of her first studio album, “Nightmare Vacation,” with Atlantic Records in late 2020.
Similar to past virtual concerts, MEC will present the event via Zoom webinar. Students will be able to connect with each other during the performance through the live chat function. Rico Nasty will also participate in a Q&A led by a member of MEC, and those attending will have the chance to submit their questions. Ramazanian believes the online format will allow the concert to be more “personal” and will create “more of a connection with the artist and the students” since Rico Nasty will be able to see students’ messages.
MEC also hopes that the virtual concert will encourage students to stay safe and stay in as COVID-19 cases continue to loom over campus.
As finals week and the end of the semester approach, the Rico Nasty concert will be “a good platform to just reconnect with each other, relieve stress, and listen to some good music,” Sargsyan said.
The Rico Nasty concert will take place on April 30 at 8 p.m. via Zoom. Students can RSVP to the event through the link in @stolafmec’s Instagram bio or by scanning the QR code on event posters around campus.
