What it Takes to Make Solarity Happen

Since its inception as a Winter Term project in 2011, Solarity has maintained a mission of uniting the Oberlin campus through live music. Undergoing numerous evolutions over the years, the event has established its brand as the last hurrah of each semester. But the current generation of organizers sees it as so much more than a massive party. I sat down to talk with friend and colleague, Maya Levanon (Solarity co-chair for the past two years) about the upcoming show on May 9. 

The first phase of every Solarity rollout is the theme announcement, and it takes time to craft a concept that is both recognizable and innovative. “To me, this theme is all about the retro mall idea of bedazzled. I love the fun tackiness and preteen energy,” Levanon shared.

An item that best encapsulates her vision for Solarity Bedazzled is the plastic lip gloss phones you might’ve found at Claire’s in the early 2000s. “The philosophy is about making things more fun, and turning something boring into something exciting.” 

In Levanon’s time as a co-chair, themes have taken a turn to the more kitschy and literal, moving away from their previously abstract titles. When asked if there were any connections between this semester and the Solarity Inc. retro office concept of Fall 2023 she said, “That was kind of a more humorous take on it. I feel like Solarity Bedazzled is taking something that’s cringey and actually celebrating it, while Solarity Inc. was taking something more boring and, in a way, making it ironically funny.”

Announcing the artists is phase two. On April 1, Solarity officially shared this semester’s headliner, Monét X Change of RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars fame. Aside from being big fans of the show, the team had strong intentions behind this booking. 

“ Trump taking over the Kennedy Center and canceling drag shows was a really big motivator for me,” Levanon said. “Just continuing to promote drag artists, and queer culture when the number one performing arts center is being taken over by a person who is so anti-drag and anti-queerness.”

Solarity’s early iterations were intended to be an alternative source of nightlife to Oberlin’s historic Drag Ball, with a broader audience in mind. But today’s organizers seek to re-center Oberlin’s roots in queer celebration and activism. In addition to LGBTQ+ notoriety, this headliner brings something else that is quintessentially Oberlin.

“Monét X Change is a classically trained opera singer, which I think is really cool.  I always love it when we have artists who bring something — like Lizzo playing the flute — because of the link to the conservatory.” Levanon believes Monét aligns perfectly with the theme because, “Drag is all about elevating yourself.”

Last Spring’s show, featuring rappers Cupcakke and Cookiee Kawaii, saw the highest attendance numbers since Lizzo’s performance in 2018. (Lizzo notably skyrocketed to fame soon after Solarity, which has become a huge selling point over at Oberlin Admissions.) When asked about the pressures of living up to this great reception, Levanon had a positive outlook:

“I feel like we’re always striving for greatness and every show we have is a success, no matter how big or small. I  think if we make a couple people really happy, then it’s a success to me. 

“Something I’ve talked to President Ambar about is the lack of events on campus that really bring the whole community together. So for me as a co-chair, I really do care about having an event that is bonding for the entire community and something that when you ask any alum, they’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah, I remember Solarity!’”

Behind all the glitz and glamour, Solarity has goals of improving funding, ethics, and organization. Levanon took on her role during an abrupt leadership turnaround, when the quarantine-era membership gaps became all too apparent. 

“ I was only a first year when I was asked to be the co-chair.  I was happy to accept, but I definitely was not thinking that I would be a co-chair of an organization, let alone in my second year.”

She said that when it’s her turn to graduate, “I hope to pass off the role of co-chair in a smooth way that leaves the people who are taking it up very prepared and not nervous about it.” 

I asked Levanon to share some parts of her job that other people may not be aware of. 

“I do so many meetings with people outside of the organization, which is something I didn’t know going into it. I’m really grateful for that, because I’ve built relationships with people in so many different parts of the college that I feel like many students don’t have the opportunity to explore.” 

I was also curious to hear how this role compared to her job booking shows at The Cat in the Cream.

“ Obviously it’s a much larger budget, but they’re pretty similar.  The main difference is who the audience is going to be and how that influences who I’m booking. Thinking about who is going to be the most exciting for the most people is difficult.”