The Reveille 6-24-24

DJI BAILEY

Incoming transfer Dji Bailey is committed to making LSU better.

Read on page 2

ULTIMATE TEAM PLAYER

Meet Dji Bailey, incoming LSU men’s basketball transfer

BY JASON WILLIS @JasonWillis4

When Dji Bailey committed to LSU on May 1, it marked the relieving end of a thoroughly nerve-wracking transfer portal recruiting process.

Early on, Bailey, formerly at Richmond for four years, was in regular contact with Creighton University and assistant coach Jalen Courtney-Williams.

Talking to Courtney-Williams was comfortable, like talking to someone he’d known for a long time, said Bailey. There was an instant, genuine connection and mutual interest in Bailey playing for the Blue Jays.

And then there was radio silence.

Bailey stopped hearing from Courtney-Williams in March, which was disappointing and frustrating given the relationship they’d built.

“It was definitely like, agh,” Bailey said. “It was tough.”

The dead end was equally worrying for Bailey’s parents, Hart and Sharon Bailey, given that their son, in entering the transfer portal, had left what was known to pursue the unknown.

One day while driving, Hart said the two asked for the Lord to give them a sign.

A few minutes later, while scrolling on X (formerly known as Twitter), Hart saw that Courtney-Williams was no longer at Creighton: he’d taken a job at LSU.

Shortly after, Courtney-Williams and the Baileys were on the phone once again. They were back in business, and Bailey became more and more comfortable with the idea of going to LSU over the next month.

“Everything happens for a reason,” Bailey said. “See where I’m at?” Opportunity

Ranked as the No. 261 player in the transfer portal by On3, Dji was attractive to schools because of the senior year leap he’d taken at Richmond.

He was a do-it-all player, averaging 10.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.7 steals (fourth-most in the Atlantic-10 Conference). He was named the A-10’s most improved player and helped Richmond become the regular season conference champion.

“Once I had the opportunity, everything just comes together, everything shows up,” Bailey said.

The biggest thing that changed, Bailey said, was just that: opportunity.

During his time on campus, COVID had allowed older players to stay longer and supplant some of his minutes. By his senior year, he was one of the players with the most experi-

Richmond Spiders guard Dji Bailey (4) drives to the basket past Virginia Military Keydets guard Devin Butler (11) and guard Tony Felder (10) during the first half an NCAA college basketball game between Virginia Military and University of Richmond on Nov. 7, 2022 at in Richmond, Va.

ence on the team and with the most knowledge of its Princeton-style system.

He also suffered minor injuries in each of his first three years that limited his ability to get into a groove and carve out a role on the team.

To help with that, Bailey consulted former NBA player David West, who’d been his AAU coach for the Garner Road Bulldogs. West recommended he change his diet, take certain supplements and spend more time in the gym.

It culminated in a productive senior year in which Bailey was the model role player: someone who made winning plays and elevated the team as a whole.

Richmond was bounced from the A-10 Tournament in its first game and passed over for the NCAA Tournament, instead being invited to the National Invitation Tournament where it fell in the first round.

For his final year of eligibility, Bailey decided he wanted to transfer to a place that gave him a legitimate chance to make the NCAA Tournament and play basketball professionally.

Thus, his challenging and rewarding time at Richmond came to an end, which opened the door for his tense time in the transfer portal and, ultimately, a new chapter at LSU.

Throughout it all, Dji has leaned on his relationship with his parents, a uniquely close and special bond. He confides in his mom and has a “best friend” relationship with his dad. The family FaceTimes every night,

Bailey said.

Hart helped cultivate Bailey’s passion for basketball and was his coach in middle school, instilling toughness and confidence in him.

“Having your dad as your coach is as tough as it is,” Bailey said. “They’re going to be extra hard on you, they’re going to always nitpick you.”

“I couldn’t ask for a better son,” Hart said.

“The ultimate team player”

In convincing Bailey to come to LSU, head coach Matt McMahon emphasized his history with developing players, from nowNBA star Ja Morant to current Tiger Tyrell Ward, who took a great leap last year, particularly in shooting the ball.

Improving his own shooting from 3-point range is the emphasis now for Bailey, who made 31.6% of his shots from there last year.

As the team begins to get more organized with its offseason workouts, he’s focusing on getting more shooting reps and, particularly, putting a more upward path on the ball.

However, just as important to McMahon and LSU in persuading Bailey were the skills he already possessed.

“My toughness defensively, my attitude towards the game, my leadership,” Bailey said. “We both can bring value to each other.”

He’s also an adept finisher at the rim, which contributed to his 59.4% field goal percentage last season that led the A-10 and was the fourth-highest mark in

Richmond history.

Most significantly, though, Bailey’s game is centered on making the team better.

“Dji’s the ultimate team player, like, to a fault,” Hart said. “He’s going to always make the right basketball play even if it takes away from him.”

When he entered the transfer portal, what Bailey wanted was a consistent role. It remains to be seen what exactly that role at LSU will be: with so much roster shakeup, he could be a starter, a leading scorer, a star player.

That would be unexpected –not because he isn’t capable of it, but because he’s committed to unselfish basketball. From middle school with his dad, to Richmond and now with McMahon, coaches have always encouraged Bailey to be more aggressive.

Even as he’s heard that and become a more involved and impactful player, he still isn’t hunting for accolades.

“I don’t really feel like I have an ego to where I need to be selfish or anything like that,” he said. “I want to win games.”

That won’t change, not even in his last year when making a case to those at the pro level is paramount.

In fact, Bailey believes making winning plays is what’ll demonstrate his value to scouts.

His maturity could also be the element that pushes an LSU team that he believes is capable of contending over the top.

“I just play my game the way I’ve always played, and that’s what’s helped me be the best version of me,” Bailey said.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

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ABOUT THE REVEILLE

The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

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NEWS MAKING MORE HEROES

Student organization Tigers for Donating Life spreads information about organ donation

BY CLAIRE PLAISANCE

LSU mass communication

senior Tori Termini has been directly impacted by something she never experienced before.

One day, when she was in high school, she got the news that her friend Aliye Ringe had been in a tragic car accident.

Ringe didn’t have to suffer, Termini thought at the time. Or die, which happened shortly after the accident.

The silver lining? Termini found out that Ringe was an organ donor. Her organs saved five people’s lives on Christmas day that year. Ringe was what people in the organ donor movement call a hero.

For Termini, that experience prompted a passion of spreading organ donation awareness state and nationwide. She co-founded Tigers for Donating Life (TDL) in partnership with the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA) as a means of spreading awareness directly on LSU’s campus.

“There is a lot of misinformation about organ donation that stems from media, films and TV shows, so we try to be a reliable source on campus spreading the impact of organ donation directly,” she said.

LOPA’s website indicates that nearly 2,000 people are on the waitlist for a life-saving organ transplant in Louisiana. Most of those are waiting on a kidney. But despite the negative aspects, there are positives.

HEALTH

In fact, in 2022, Louisiana donor heroes saved a record of 670 lives thanks to LOPA.

According to one of LOPA’s community educators, Lori Steele, LOPA’s mission every day is to “make life happen.”

It’sthe sole organ procurement agency in Louisiana. Working with donor families and recipients, LOPA employees provide support and assist with organ donation in many ways.

Steele explained the extent of an impact you can have as an organ donor.

“One person can save up to eight lives. One tissue donor can save and enhance up to 75. One cornea donor can give sight to two people,” she said.

Steele is educated on Louisiana organ donation policy and intends to teach others too. She wants to inspire them with the help of LOPA’s partnerships to be organ donors.

“Because of the work we are doing together, the registry in Louisiana is 2.7 million strong. That is more than half of the population in the state of Louisiana and our goal is to reach the other half,” Steele said.

She’s hopeful that the partnerships between LOPA and LSU continue because it’s all about saving lives.

Termini was even lucky enough to discover that her college within LSU, the Manship School of Mass Communication, has been doing the same thing for almost 11 years. In fact, be -

cause of the Manship School, the relationship between LOPA and LSU has had an impact across campus, Louisiana and the United States.

A key person on the LSU side of the partnership is Sadie Wilks. Wilks is a public relations professor at the Manship School of Mass Communication as well as the faculty adviser for TDL. She’s worked to build organ donation awareness at LSU and beyond for eight years now.

Wilks teaches a class at LSU called public relations campaigns. Through this course, she’s worked with LOPA using LSU to oversee campaigns done by her students for the organ procurement organization.

“This semester as we take on

LOPA as a client, my students in that group are working on a submission for the National Organ Donor Awareness Competition (NODAC) that is put on by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSSA),” said Wilks.

For this competition, LSU won first place back in 2014 and got second in 2015. Since Wilks has been in charge, 2024 is the first year LSU is re-entering the competition because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Wilks is confident in the campaign that is being submitted this semester since Termini is on the team. They said they’re both ready to maintain LSU’s successful reputation.

Wilks boosts organ donation outside of her job too. She and

Steele have developed a close relationship and have even published a book regarding organ donation education. It’s titled “Ava’s Wish.”

Ava Grace was a six-year-old girl whose organs were donated after she died in a car accident in 2016. LOPA had a goal to publish a book about her story to further explain to others the positive impact of being a donor hero. This book was especially tailored to Grace’s twin sister, to help her understand how strong her sister was.

Steele approached Wilks with the idea of joining the project and helping write it.

“Ava Grace and her twin went to elementary school with my son, so I felt connected to the story and wanted to help make the project a success,” said Wilks.

That’s exactly what she did. Because of the success of “Ava’s Wish,” Wilks and Steele went on to win Happy Awards in 2024. Happy Awards are given annually to 10 individuals to recognize excellence in service-learning.

Service-learning is an important aspect of everyday life, and learning about organ donation can save lives. Ringe’s story sparked a new LSU organization. Her grandmother, Leah Veck, continues to advocate for her and consistently volunteers for LOPA. She explained the importance of this awareness.

“Out of a tragedy,” she said, “there is a light, and that light is that you can help save others.”

Bayou Buddies provides relief from stress at the BR airport

BY ISABELLA ALBERTINI

@BasedIsabella

You’re at the airport waiting for boarding to start, anxious about your flight and stressed about catching your connection. You grab a book and begin to read, but your mind is elsewhere.

Then, behind the pages of your book, you see a spotted, brownand-white tail wagging, and you feel a round, wet nose pressed on your knee.

You look up and see a big St. Bernard greeting you with a panting smile and its heavy white paw on your knee.

Ryder and Chauvin are St. Bernards part of the Bayou Buddies Pet Therapy program, which often visits the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

“They’re very social dogs; they’re big, but they’re just loving dogs,” Gregory Bonaventure, Ryder and Chauvin’s owner, said.

“St. Bernards are very tame, very docile animals, so they’re great for pet therapy,” Bonaventure said.

Coming up behind them are Cricket and Malarkey, two border collies with puffy black-and-white tails. Two-year-old Malarkey is playful and social with the other dogs, while nine-year-old Cricket takes her job “very seriously,” according to her owner, Maribeth Andereck.

“When I say, ‘Do you wanna go to the airport today?’ their ears pop up, and they know exactly where they’re going. It’s a very pleasant place to volunteer, for sure,” Andereck said.

Andereck started Bayou Buddies in 2022 after taking leadership of the Louisiana Capital City Obedience Club pet therapy program. She decided to expand the LCCOC pet therapy program, which started in 1989, and rename it to Bayou Buddies.

“I did a lot of research and took classes online with Pet Partners, a national pet therapy organization, to get my dogs certified as therapy dogs,” Andereck said.

To qualify to join the Bayou Buddies program, dogs first have to pass the Canine Good Citizen test, which teaches good manners and behavior. Then Andereck sets up a meeting with the dogs and their owners in a public area to ensure the dogs can do well in a busy environment before she approves them for the program.

“We’re always looking for volunteers,” Andereck said.

Bayou Buddies does volunteer visits to senior living centers, hospitals and schools, among other places. There are 28 dogs in the program, eight of which do regular visits to the airport. Those who volunteer at the airport also have to go through a security background check and airport orientation.

“I’m a volunteer,” Bonaventure said. “I’m retired; that’s my hobby. I wanted to do something unique with my time.”

With honey-yellow hair and a huge smile, 11-year-old golden retriever K.T. loves spending time at the airport. Originally the runt of her litter, K.T. has a gentle and mellow personality and is a fan of belly rubs.

“When we get to the airport, she gets out of the car and just starts running to the door. ‘Oh, I know where I am! I love this place!’” said her owner, Karen Runnels.

“She just has this innate ability to know people that need her and that are comforted by spending time with her,” Runnels said.

“She gets as much joy out of it as she gives.” Runnels was a preschool teacher and director until her school closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As she was looking for a

new way to spend her time and minister to others, her husband mentioned pet therapy volunteering, and she decided to give it a try.

“I was looking for some way to serve the community,” Runnels said.

Whether it’s a group of veterans flying out to Washington D.C., the Louisiana Mardi Gras Queens heading to the Mardi Gras Ball in the capital, Olivia Dunne on her way to Portugal for the Sports Illustrated photo shoot or a student traveling on spring break, the Bayou Buddies are there to give them a warm send-off and wish them safe travels.

“I just thought it was nice to break up the monotony at the airport,” Matthew Perschall, an LSU student, said after he saw the Bayou Buddies while waited to board his flight to Atlanta, Georgia.

“Because how often do you just get to see pets at the airport.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF TIGERS FOR DONATING LIFE Tigers for Donating Life talks to students in Free Speech Alley on April 11.

SPORTS LES MILES VS. LSU

Former LSU football coach brings lawsuit against LSU, NCAA

BY JASON WILLIS

@JasonWillis4

Former LSU football coach Les Miles filed a lawsuit against the university on Monday, claiming the school unfairly vacated many of his wins with the Tigers and prevented him from being eligible for the College Football Hall of Fame.

The NCAA and the National Football Foundation, which is in charge of the hall of fame, are also defendants in the case.

As a result of recruiting violations, 37 of Miles’ wins were voluntarily vacated by LSU under pressure from the NCAA in 2022, as part of a massive Notice of Allegations brought to the university that included the men’s basketball program and coach Will Wade.

Without those wins, Miles has a career record of 108-73 (.597), which is just short of the .600 winning percentage that coaches need to be eligible for the hall of fame.

“The University betrayed Les Miles by sacrificing his opportunity to enter into the College Football Hall of Fame and by turning its back on the student-athletes, coaches and staff whose achievements should be championed,” said Peter R. Ginsberg, Miles’ legal

BASEBALL

representative, in a press release.

Miles and his representatives claimed he was denied the right to due process when LSU decided to vacate his wins. They said he was given no notice and that blame was unfairly heaped on him, especially as the men’s basketball program didn’t vacate any wins.

They also noted that Miles’ decision to sue LSU was a reluctant one.

In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in the Middle District of Louisiana, Miles asks that he be recognized as officially eligible for the hall of fame and that his vacated wins be included in that consideration.

The NCAA investigation that caused LSU to vacate Miles’ wins found that from 2012 to 2015, LSU representatives had paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to offensive lineman Vadal Alexander.

While at LSU, Miles brought the Tigers the 2007 national championship and competed in the 2011 title game, both times as the Southeastern Conference champion.

Before his time at LSU, Miles was the head coach of Oklahoma State.

After he was fired from LSU in 2016, Miles signed with Kansas and coached there for two years

hawks.

LSU baseball continues to add players in the transfer portal

BY JASON WILLIS

@JasonWillis4

In the past week, LSU baseball has continued adding to next season’s roster through the transfer portal.

As the College World Series finals progress, the Tigers are doing whatever they can to ensure it includes them this time next year.

Last season, LSU finished 4323 with a record of only 13-17 in the Southeastern Conference.

Despite making a miracle run to the finals of the SEC Tournament and coming one game away from advancing to the super regionals of the NCAA Tournament, the message from LSU is clear: this year’s performance wasn’t good enough.

Head coach Jay Johnson and his staff have looked all over the nation for potential impact players who could supplement a roster that could be losing as many as 11 players to the draft.

Here’s a list of the most recent commits to the team out of the transfer portal and what they can bring to the team.

Junior pitcher

Jacob Mayers, Nicholls State Mayers, a Gonzales native,

Nicholls State made the NCAA Tournament in both of his seasons with the team, but it was swept out both times, with Mayers headlining losing efforts in each of those postseasons.

If LSU can iron out his weaknesses that showed last season, Mayers could potentially be the next dominant Tiger pitcher.

Junior first baseman

Eddie Yamin IV, Dayton

Yamin’s commitment is a valuable one for LSU in that it gives it options. With Jared Jones potentially going to the MLB, Yamin could fill on for him at first base.

Also, like fellow incoming transfer Luis Hernandez, Yamin has positional versatility: he has experience at catcher and in the outfield.

up with 13 home runs, as well as 54 RBI.

His efforts earned him second team all-Atlantic 10 distinction, and now he’ll hope to carry that over to an LSU team that needs that production, particularly with the long ball.

Junior outfielder

Chris Stanfield, Auburn Stanfield was a reliable cog for Auburn, starting all but two games during the season and having a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage during SEC play.

His bat is solid if not spectacular; he hit a respectable .276 this season with 25 RBI and four home runs. He also stole nine bases.

perhaps has more upside than any player LSU has added thus far.

In his freshman year at Nicholls State, Mayers was named a freshman All-American by many different outlets. He had an outstanding debut season with a 2.02 ERA and 105 strikeouts.

In his second season, Mayers was better by several measures: he had one more strikeout in five fewer innings and allowed a better opposing batting average, a stingy .165.

However, his ERA ballooned to 4.58, as he allowed 18 more walks and five more home runs.

That means between Hernandez and Yamin, LSU will be positioned to make up for losses at first base and catcher, where the Tigers are badly missing depth with Cade Milazzo and Hayden Travinski graduating and Brady Neal transferring.

Yamin’s approach at the plate improved greatly in his second season, with his OBP rocketing up to .429. He also showed growing power with his bat, coming

As a 21-year-old, Stanfield is eligible for the MLB draft this offseason, meaning he may not end up in Baton Rouge. Perfect Game has him ranked as the No. 128 prospect in the draft, which would make him a fourth round pick.

However, if he opts to stay in college, he’ll compete with Ashton Larson, Jake Brown, incoming freshman Derek Curiel and potentially Josh Pearson (who’s mulling his own MLB draft decision) to start in the outfield.

before the two parted ways. Miles had a record of 3-18 with the Jay-

Also playing a part in his ousting from Kansas was an ongoing investigation of allegations of sex-

ual misconduct with an LSU student that took place while he was with the Tigers in 2013.

CAROLINE MAGEE / The Reveille

LSU head coach Les Miles addressed the media on Sept. 18, 2016 during Lunch with Les.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille LSU head coach Jay Johnson looks out onto the field May, 1, 2022, during the Tigers’ 4-3 walk-off win against the Georgia Bulldogs at Alex Box Stadium.

ENTERTAINMENT

Summertime specials to sip on at BR coffee shops & cafes

BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill333

Around Baton Rouge, coffee shops and cafes are introducing special summer menus that offer creative and delicious ways to get your caffeine fix. From lattes to ice creams to teas, there’s a drink (or caffeinated dessert) for everyone to fall in love with this summer. Here are just a few of the seasonal drinks that stand out:

Coffee

Banana Sundae Latte | Light House Coffee

This decadent summer latte from Light House Coffee with house made banana syrup, banana cold foam, chocolate syrup, rainbow sprinkles and, of course, a cherry on top is the perfect drink for the summer. The subtle notes of banana and the creamy coffee texture will transport you somewhere tropical. The summer drinks at Light House Coffee are created, sampled and voted on by its team of baristas, so they’re sure to be crowd pleasers.

Lasso Cold Brew | Magpie Cafe

If a caffeine kick is what you’re after, this rich cold brew beverage is the perfect balance of strong coffee and nutty flavor. The Lasso cold brew combines peanut butter, oat milk and Magpie Cafe’s signature cold brew.

Ellie’s Matcha | The Vintage

Consider this iced matcha, chai and espresso drink a triple threat. Maybe even a quadruple threat because this drink is also meant to resemble a zombie from the video game “The Last of Us” as part of the Vintage’s summer promotion : “School’s Out, Game’s On.” Like Ellie’s matcha, The Vintage’s other summer drinks are inspired by popular games like “Fortnite” or “Mario Kart.”

Southern Wedding Cake and Butter Pecan Flavors | PJ’s Coffee

PJ’s Coffee is letting its customers pick their preferred summer coffee beverage while offering two seasonal flavors that can be added to any style of coffee. The southern wedding cake is made with almond and vanilla syrup, and the butter pecan has a creamy pecan syrup. An almond or pecan cold foam can be added to iced lattes or cold brews in these classic southern flavors.

Affogato | Gail’s Fine Ice Cream

The Louisiana heat is a perfectly acceptable excuse to enjoy this Italian ice cream and espresso dessert at any time of the day this summer. Gail’s Fine Ice Cream makes its affogato with the ice cream flavor of your choice topped with a warm shot of espresso. Vanilla ice cream and toffee topping might be the classic selection, but don’t be afraid to experiment with one of their many other delicious flavors.

Granita | Highland Coffees

Ditch those Starbucks frappuccinos this summer and try Highland Coffee’s granita. It’s not part of a summer menu, but this Italian classic is a sweet, cold and highly caffeinated treat, and it’s worth venturing back to LSU’s campus for. Highland barista Ronnie Vincent said the drink’s perfect frozen texture is what makes it special.

“The granita is kinda like our house drink,” Vincent said. “I always describe it to people as a coffee slushie.”

Blended with sugar, strong coffee and milk, this drink can also be customized by adding extra flavors or syrups.

Summer Buzz | French Truck Coffee

Not a big fan of iced coffee? You’re in luck, because French Truck Coffee has a seasonal blend of coffee beans that taste like summer no matter how they’re brewed. The Summer Buzz Blend has creamy notes of toffee and berry and can be purchased in store or online here.

Tea

Very Berry Sarah | Brew Ha Ha

At local coffee shop Brew HaHa, each barista created their own special drink for the summer. From lemonade to coffee to tea, they have it all. One drink that really shines is the Very Berry Sarah, made by barista Sarah Jewell. An unsweetened iced passion tea blended with ice, strawberry flavor, blackberry flavor and ice cream milk, this drink is bursting with fresh and fruity summer notes.

“It’s kinda fruity and floral,” Jewell said. “Normally I’m more of

a coffee person, but I just thought those would be fitting for summer.”

If you’re feeling spontaneous, pop in to Brew Ha Ha and ask your barista what their specialty drink is and give it a try! Or check out all their summer drinks ahead of time on their Instagram linked here.

Strawberry Matcha-Gato | City Roots Coffee

In its fruity take on an affogato, City Roots offers the strawberry matcha-gato, a white mocha drink made with a scoop of creamy strawberry ice cream and a shot of sweetened matcha. Ok maybe it’s not at all like an affogato, but it is a perfect summer evening treat. City Roots’ manager Bekka Nichols, who came up with the cafe’s summer menu, encourages those wary of matcha to give this color-

ful dessert a try.

“It doesn’t have those bitter, grassy notes because we add the white mocha in there,” Nichols said. “It’s a sweeter, creamier matcha flavor.”

City Roots has two other drinks on its summer menu, and more information can be found on its social media pages.

Berry Matcha | Magpie Cafe Magpie Cafe is keeping customers on their toes with its berry matcha drink that features a seasonal house made lemonade and a shot of matcha. The beauty of this drink lies in the rotating flavors of lemonade the cafe offers. One week it could be made with strawberry basil, the next blackberry mint. Guess you’ll have to keep going back to try it. Ellen Herndon, a barista at Magpie, pointed out an-

other benefit of this, and all other matcha drinks.

“I’d say the berry matcha is tart, bright and energizing,” Herndon said. “Matcha is an extended release of caffeine rather than coffee, so if you want to avoid the coffee crash I’d go with the matcha.”

Decaf

Butterfly Mojito Refresher | Rêve Coffee Lab

Although it doesn’t contain coffee or tea, this non-alcoholic mojito will capture your attention with its color changing properties and sweet summer flavors. A ginger beer drink with mojito mint syrup, this drink also contains butterfly pea extract which causes the drink to change color.

GRAPHIC BY BY JACOB CHASTANT

REVEILLE ARCHIVES

LSU students study together on Sept. 16, 2020 at Highland Coffees.

THIS WEEK IN BR

BY CAMILLE MILLIGAN @camillemill

JUNE WEDNESDAT AT 8

26TH

Shut Up and Sing Karaoke

Chelsea’s Live

Having a “Brat” summer? Can’t stop listening to Chappell Roan? Sabrina Carpenter would be honored if you would please please please perform your favorite summer tunes in this classic karaoke competition at Chelsea’s Live. Entry is free until 9 p.m. and $5 after.

Astronomy On Tap

LSU Museum of Art at the Shaw Center for the Arts

From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Shaw Center, the LSU Museum of Art and the LSU Department of Physics and Astronomy will host a free talk on the Nancy Roman Space Telescope. This lecture is going to be out of this world, so don’t miss out!

Want to see your event in the Reveille? Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

JUNE

27 TH

THURSDAY AT 6 P.M.

JUNE SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. 29TH

Boogie Down Disco

Mid City Ballroom

Dress up and show out Saturday night at Mid City Ballroom for a night of grooves provided by DJs Summer, DJloveyourself, Bandikoot and Couch Potato. Doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 ahead of time and can be purchased online.

OPINION

That’s That ‘We’ Espresso: Our 2024 songs of the summer

BY SUMMER STAFF

The summer months are long, hot and in constant need of musical accompaniment. Every person chooses to score these sunny months differently.

Jason Willis @JasonWillis4

How can you write an article about the songs of the summer without including “Espresso”? There’s debate between which of Sabrina Carpenter’s blockbuster hits of the last few months reigns supreme. To me, though, “Espresso” is more of the classic earworm, and as someone who listens to music for the sound, that makes it my pick. That, plus the production and twangy instrumentals just make for a perfect beachy, summer vibe. Yes, it came out in April, but shhh – its impact has stretched well into the hot months and will stretch even further until we’ve all heard it at least 100,000 times (and we won’t be mad at it).

Summer is a time of freedom, and with that comes spontaneity. The song “New Mistake” encapsulates living impulsively and dealing with the consequences later. The recurring line, “Cause I love my new mistake” shows the protagonist embracing this lifestyle despite recognizing his cycle of faults. The song was released in 1993 from the San Francisco band

for

Emma Duhé @3mmaduh3_

In 50 years, the summer of 2024 will be remembered as one thing and one thing only—the summer of Chappell Roan. The Missouri-born artist known for her unapologetically fun and queer aesthetic is in the midst of a meteoric rise to stardom following the release of her debut album, “The Rise and Fall of Midwest Princess,” in 2023. After opening for Olivia Rodrigo on her “GUTS” tour and a historic run on the festival circuit, Roan has officially cemented herself as a main pop girl in my eyes. The undeniable highlight of her live shows is “HOT TO GO!,” a soaring, silly pop banger about being hot and, well, ready to go. The chorus is an endlessly fun ‘80s children’s entertainment style spell-along, and accompanied with it is a YMCA-esque dance, perfect for a Chappell Roan concert, a bar, alone in your room or even in the car (at your own risk). This song is especially impactful when it’s quite literally “one hundred ninety nine degrees,” in southern Louisiana on the daily.

Riley White

It’s hard to choose just one song to claim the contentious title “Song of the Summer”—so I won’t. But Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” has been stuck in my head all week (we’re pretending the clean version doesn’t exist because “little sucker” is criminal), so y’all should go listen to that.

Collin Falcon @nestingnests

When an artist releases a great album, it can be easy to take that fact for granted. It’s easy to hold that moment of divine, lightning-strike creativity taken shape in an album in your head and forget the journey that took place in the months and years prior to the album’s release. Musical artists, at least the great ones, are constantly evolving, and the mark of a truly great artist is when the seeds of their later greatness can be seen and heard in their earliest works.

With Charli XCX’s “Brat” releasing to near unanimous critical and listener approval, it’s important to look back at one of the first moments that Charli XCX established herself as a generational artist, capable of writing songs that speak to the core of the human soul. “Boom Clap” is without a doubt one of those moments, and for that reason it’s the song of summer 2024.

“Boom Clap” captured the heart of every Tumblr browsing, galaxy backpack wearing teen in the year 2014, and a full decade later, it holds up as a bombastic pop banger. It’d be a shame to celebrate the heights that “Brat” soars to without appreciating the song that built the runway.

Emily Bracher @emily_bracher_

I have to agree with Emma because Summer 2024 is the summer of Chappell Roan. I think I listen to “Pink Pony Club” at least three times a day. The rest of her music is also incorporated into my playlist, and she’s ranked at number three of my top artists playlist this month. Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby” has also been a constant in my playlist and I don’t think i’m the only one. I can never pick just one song, so a few are “Magdalene” by the 502s, “Real Love Baby” by Father John Misty and “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” by Luke Combs.

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Camille Milligan @camillemill333

Although every song from “Brat” by Charli XCX should be on this summer’s soundtrack, “Apple” is a uniquely bubbly pop song you don’t want to overlook. Charli XCX is like the queen from “Snow White” giving her fans enchanted fruit, and this song perfectly exemplifies her pop prowess. Whatever spell she’s put on this particular apple is powerful. Unlike some of the other songs on “Brat,” “Apple” is less of a rave track and more of a catchy, melodic jam. Like its title suggests, it’s a crisp, fresh and colorful song reminiscent of other iconic summer hits like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” by Doja Cat. Once you bite into “Apple,” it will play over and over in your head long after you’ve taken off your headphones. I suggest you let the magic wash over you and enjoy your “Brat” summer.

As a person who’s day-today life is filled with music, I don’t think I can choose one song or one artist. My current repeats include “Dial Drunk” and “False Confidence” by Noah Kahan, “Too Sweet” by Hozier, “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richman, “Saturn” by SZA, “Flowers in Your Hair” by The Lumineers and “Freakin’ Out On the Interstate” by Briston Maroney. You may be looking at these songs and artists confused, but I believe that a good variety is what keeps the soul alive.

Kaitlyn Hoang

Jellyfish, known

blending classic rock and power pop.

Jacob Chastant

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify

Courtesy of Spotify