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Students excitedly filled Harvard Yard on Friday night in anticipation of pop singer Daya’s Crimson Jam performance. Best known for her hit singles, “Hideaway,” “Sit Still Look Pretty,” and “Don’t Let Me Down,” Daya headlined Crimson Jam and brought new life to Old Yard with upbeat 2010s nostalgia.

Opening performances from student bands Boom Boom Sauce, Vinyl Club, and Midnight Curfew kicked the night off and got students hyped for the festivities ahead. Unique for being a hybrid of block party and music festival, Crimson Jam also featured inflatable attractions, games, custom shirts, and a Mediterranean buffet. With the appeal of many activities, hundreds of undergraduate students flocked to the yard to celebrate the first week of school and end the summer with a bang.

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While some students came to watch Daya perform, others came to have a social night with their friends, or even perform on stage. As one of the first large social events of the year, Crimson Jam drew many freshmen eager to get acquainted with the bubbling social culture at Harvard.

Darren Ath-Ly ’28 arrived with a group of fellow first-years and looked to Crimson Jam as a bonding experience.

“I’m excited to hang out with my friends and make memories,” he said.

Zackhery R. Facey ’28 saw Crimson Jam as an inspirational opportunity to experience musical talent at Harvard and was drawn to the event’s spotlight on student talent.

“We have student-led creators. It is really great that we have a lot of talented people at Harvard. I’m really excited to see what they have in store,” Facey said.

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Other students attended Crimson Jam for more than the social aspect of the event. Members from popular student band Boom Boom Sauce reflected on the amazing energy felt from the attendees.

For Boom Boom Sauce’s lead singer Elyse G. Martin-Smith ’25, Crimson Jam was a sentimental way to begin her last year at Harvard.

“It felt like a great way to start off my senior year. We never got a Crimson Jam my first year so it feels like a very full circle moment,” Martin-Smith said.

Boom Boom Sauce’s pianist Timi I. Esan ’27 enjoyed Crimson Jam for the creative liberties he experienced and the encouragement felt by the positive crowd.

“It was a vibe. The crowd was really fun. I feel like I had so much freedom,” Esan said.

The sound of students singing Daya’s songs could be heard all throughout the night as students roared and scream-sang their hearts out. An array of colorful lights from the stage cast Harvard Yard in a luminent and nostalgic glow.

For Victor E. Bowker ’27, Crimson Jam allowed him to see the Yard from a new perspective.

“I thought it was a great experience and I think it’s a transformative way to bring everyone together and to see the Yard in a non-academic way,” Bowker said.

Other students emphasized the good energy and music.

“I certainly had a good time with my friends. Daya really put her all into ‘Sit Still Look Pretty.’ The last song ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ definitely had the best energy out of everything that happened,” Zahra F. Choudry ’27 said.

“It was the best Crimson Jam. We need more headliners like that. It was a lit crazy movie,” Ariel K. Mekonen ’27 said.

As the final notes of music rang through the Yard, the energy in the air was palpable, leaving students with the lingering beat and hoarse voices from singing along. The combination of Daya’s electrifying performance and the special connection shared between those in the crowd made the night something that will hide away in the memories of all those who attended.

Crimson Jam 2024 definitely did not let students down. The night was not only a celebration of music and talent, but a reminder of the spirit and unity that lives within the camaraderie of Harvard — a night where, for a few hours, the pressures awaiting college life sat still and looked pretty in favor of music, friendship, and pure joy.