Singing an original song he wrote and produced called “Blood Runs Cold,” Raymond Hairston ’27 wowed the judges and audience on his way to being named the 2025 Arcadian Idol. More than a dozen musical acts competed on April 1, with Amora Mitchell ’26 and Jeremiah Chacko ’25 coming in second place, and Raejuan Faulkner ’28 coming in third.

Hairston’s win earned him a spot as the opening act at Woodstock, Arcadia’s spring music festival on April 26, which happens to be his birthday. In addition, he received $500.

“After some debating, I decided to participate in Arcadian Idol shortly after it was announced,” Hairston said. “I tend to spread myself out pretty thin during the school year, so I hesitated at first, but ultimately, I decided to join. Especially because of the prizes–$500 and the chance to open one of the biggest events on campus? It’d be criminal for me to say no.”

Performances ranged from original and cover songs to instrumental acts such as guitar and violin. Others that got up on stage to display their talents included:

Darius Isaac ’26, a Sport Management major, served as the host for the evening. Alex Otieno, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Rashmi Radhakrishnan, vice president of Enrollment Management, Technology and Innovation and Chief Information Officer; Dr. Donavan McCargo, vice president of Campus Life and Dean of Students; Christine Storch, director of Student Engagement and Special Projects; and Paayal Nair, Arcadia’s First Lady, judged the stiff competition.

“Witnessing our students’ talents on display outside the classroom was truly remarkable,” Storch said. “Their courage and engagement throughout the event were inspiring, as they bravely took the stage to showcase their abilities, met with resounding cheers and unwavering support from the audience. It was a beautiful celebration of not only their artistic expression but also the strong sense of community they have built—encouraging, laughing, and applauding one another with heartfelt enthusiasm.

“In those moments, we saw true belonging on display—an embodiment of what we strive to cultivate at Arcadia. It was the perfect demonstration of how classroom learning merges with emotional resilience and community spirit to create lasting memories.”

The music wasn’t just left to the performers, as each judge came out to a specifically chosen walk-out song to get the crowd excited. Otieno chose “Jamming” by Bob Marley, Radhakrishnan selected “Woman” by Doja Cat, McCargo came out to “My Life” by J. Cole, Storch to “Goddess” by Sasha Colby, and the First Lady chose “Run the World” by Beyoncé.

As he mentioned, Hairston, who is an Acting major with a musical theater concentration, stays busy during the school year. Prior to Woodstock, he will be taking part in A Taste of Culture, an event put on by The Knightlight Cheerleaders. Not long after Woodstock, he will be participating in a production with Arcadia’s Cabaret club. 

Despite this, he already has an idea of the show he hopes to put on at Woodstock.

“If you loved ‘Blood Runs Cold,’ you’ll hear the entire song as well as two other originals titled ‘Poison’ and ‘Don’t Lie!’”