“Malcolm, Malcolm, Malcolm,” students chanted as they anticipated Malcolm Todd to take the stage at the Student Activities Board’s ONWARD Spring concert. Feet tired, adrenaline high after standing outside as early as five hours before Todd was set to take the stage.
Students took a break from their typical “Walk to Class” to jump in line outside the Richie Regan Athletic Center, where the anticipated concert was held.
The first student in line was Adriana Laborante, a freshman social work major, who called the wait the only negative of her time at the event, but her expectation for a great show kept her going.
“He makes such good music, I knew it was going to be a great time,” Laborante said.
In an interview with The Setonian, the 22-year-old singer said he enjoys performing on college campuses because “it’s nice to be around your peers…I never went to college.”
“And it's definitely, you know, refreshing to be surrounded by, you know, kids my age, because sometimes I'm a lot younger than a lot of people in the room,” Todd said. “There's just a normalcy about it that I kind of missed the last few years.”
This youthful energy was ever-present throughout Tuesday night’s crowd. The wait must’ve been worth it for Laborante, who “loved the show.”
“He’s such an amazing performer,” Laborante said. “He sounds even better in person.”
Although a senior, this show was both the first and last spring concert for Sierra Rogalsky, a secondary education major. In addition to having a “really good time” and calling his performance “fantastic,” she was surprised by the show’s logistics.
“I thought the stage was going to be a lot further away,” Rogalsky said. “I was up there [at the front], and I was like, ‘He’s right there.’”
Abil Hamded, a sophomore biology major, “wasn’t really expecting much,” but the atmosphere changed his mind.
“I listen to Malcolm Todd…but that was really hype,” Hamded said. “That was incredible.”
Having followed him since 2023 and attending one of his shows last year, Sophia Fernandez, a sophomore international relations major, recalled that Todd was a “really good performer.”
“He has really good live energy,” Fernandez said.
Beckett Sidener, a sophomore elementary and special education major, was expecting the concert to be “pretty good” despite only knowing two songs. While he enjoyed the energetic songs, his only criticism was the “one slower song,” and overall, his expectations were met.
“I wasn’t a fan before this, but I am now,” Sidener said. “I really liked the energy he brought.”
But some students weren’t convinced enough to join the fandom. This is true for James Smith, a sophomore business major, who said he only knew one of Todd’s songs before the performance, and came because of his friends.
“I’m a fan of some of the songs, but I wouldn’t say I’m sold,” Smith said of considering himself a fan after attending the show.
The audience plays an important role in shaping a concert’s dynamic. Fernandez said while crowds can be “iffy,” she was pleasantly surprised by SHU’s.
“Everyone’s been polite [at the show]...it’s been a good energy on campus,” Fernandez said.
Todd’s appeal to a younger audience makes him palatable to someone who may not even know a single song, according to Fernandez.
“Even if you aren't familiar and you've never heard of him, the energy that he brings to his music is young-people-centered,” Fernandez said. “It makes a good atmosphere too.”
Additionally, she enjoyed the show's environment for its sense of community and its community-wide love of Todd, conversing with non-SHU students, too.
“I brought two guests from off campus, and I know a lot of people who did the same,” Fernandez said. “I met a few new people that I had never seen before, even though I've been here for a while, just because we both had guests…we related that both weren’t familiar with campus.”
Ricardo Castillo, a freshman finance major, also noted the atmosphere at the show.
“There’s a big crowd out here,” Castillo said. “There’s definitely hype…the vibes are good, nobody pushes each other out, the vibes are great.”
Todd’s demographic was refreshing to see, according to Rogalsky, who referenced the similarity amongst those of SAB’s prior ONWARD guests.
“[Todd] reaches out to a different part of the Seton Hall community,” Rogalsky said. “To see a new crowd, it feels different, and it was good.”
Todd likes to see the audience’s energy, too.
“It's fun to make people excited and have a good time,” Todd said. “The youthful energy is nice.”
Advising the crowd, Todd told The Setonian that students who are inspired by him and want to be successful should remember to “have patience and trust that you know what's inside of you is what is going to take you the furthest, and not, you know, something that you think people will like.”
“You know, your biggest advantage in life is being able to be yourself,” Todd said.
Lakyn Austin is the Head Features Editor for The Setonian’s Features section. She can be reached at lakyn.austin@student.shu.edu.
Sofia Kasbo, Managing Editor of The Setonian, contributed to the reporting.
Grace Tylee, Head Social Media Editor of The Setonian, contributed to the reporting.
