By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer

The gathering audience spent the first hour at Omega Delta Phi’s “A Night Under the Stars” wondering if those stars would ever come out. But after 55 minutes of an empty stage, the combined talent show and movie screening moved through acts, leaving its slow start behind.

Once the high-cost event took off, seven student performances commenced, broken up by giveaways and raffles in between. The second half of the show was a premiere screening of “The Celebration of Everlasting Color,” a student-produced feature film written by 2025 Baylor graduate Aaron Rivera.

But it didn’t happen on time. Twenty minutes after the scheduled 6:00 p.m. start, Rivera — the sparkly-suit wearing emcee for the night and the film’s writer — went on stage to announce the 15-minute call. But at 6:35, that 15-minute timer reset. As the crowd trickled in, Fountain Mall became dotted with around 250 spectators (based on the number of people who voted in the talent show rankings), and A Night Under the Stars finally began at 6:55.

Student performers brought their best to the stage. A piano medley that combined Europe’s “The Final Countdown” and Adele’s “Skyfall” opened the show. It was followed by a beatboxing performance, then a guitar solo and a hip-hop performance by the group Urban Dance Society. The last acts included a magic show and a violin cover of “The Arena” by Lindsey Sterling.

But the winner of the night was the final act: Mumbai senior Yash Balasubramanian and his live music production. Described by Rivera as a “human machine,” Balasubramanian used a mixer to produce a song live on stage with only his voice — from the bass to the melody to the lyrics. In a voting system that allowed students in attendance to rate performers live on a 10-star scale, Balasubramanian received 1824 total stars to win the audience vote.

Balasubramanian’s discovery of his unique talent was a product of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Stuck at home and looking for something to do, he initially explored beatboxing.

“I decided to develop some sort of skill,” Balasubramanian said. “And that’s when I got into music. I’ve always been passionate about music, playing drums throughout high school, but I wanted to do something more to find a way I could stand out. That’s how I got into beatboxing, by learning the closest thing to playing drums, but live, using my mouth and using myself.”

But Balasubramanian’s talent is more expansive than beatboxing, entering the realm of full song production.

“I got [beatboxing] and then, just while learning and practicing, I came upon a video where I saw someone trying to use their voice and loop their voice and make music out of it,” he said. “And that is something that really starstruck me in some sense.”

This isn’t the first time Balasubramanian has performed in Waco. He’s done shows in the Student Union Building and multiple in Waco Hall, most recently at the After Dark talent show. But it was the best, he said.

“It’s always been my dream to perform on Fountain Mall,” he said.

Before Balasubramanian’s win was announced, though, there was the hour-long showing of “The Celebration of Everlasting Color.” Part fantasy, part drama and part romance, it follows the story of a college student whose girlfriend goes missing after a fight, and stars multiple performers from the talent show before. The ultimate message, Rivera said, is that “words have meaning.” What he’s most proud of though, is that the film was created by students without a budget.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t have any money … Nothing can stop you,” Rivera said.

Leading up to the event, however, there were questions surrounding its price and scope. Omega Delta Phi — the 20-member hispanic fraternity that hosted the event alongside other organizations — requested $33,000 from Student Government for the event to pay for a professional setup, ultimately receiving $17,500.

But San Antonio senior Alan Koroluk, the president of both Omega Delta Phi and nonprofit “Take Action. Volunteer,” which also sponsored the event, said A Night Under the Stars received support from multiple Baylor officials and Waco businesspeople. He also said the completion of the event and the display of student talent matter more than any criticism it received.

“If we didn’t get hate, then it means we’re not doing something right,” Koroluk said. “This means so much more than just putting [Omega Delta Phi’s] name out there. These are students with hopes, dreams and aspirations … and they all start here at Baylor.”