“Mouths Wide Open” for CupcakKe at Spring Concert

The college’s annual Spring Concert was held in the LeFrak Gymnasium Saturday. Despite controversy preceding the event, the show ended up being a smashing success — students went wild for CupcakKe’s energetic and explicit performance.

Before the headliner took the stage, Kiiren Aamer ’24 opened the concert, entertaining the crowd with original rap songs exploring themes of success, love, and social justice. Aamer won the opening slot by taking second place at the Battle of the Bands competition several weeks ago, with the winning jazz group Mesa Verde forfeiting the opportunity to Aamer. As Aamer explained on stage, he not only writes his own lyrics but also produces his own beats, taking inspiration from everything from his sister’s graduation to the Broadway musical “The Wiz.” For his second song of the night, Aamer brought Stanley Jackson ’25 up on stage and the pair rapped together, prompting immediate cheers from the audience.

“It was an honor and blessing to be able to perform art that I make in my own free time for everyone,” said Aamer. “That performance was so rewarding, a culmination of how I’ve grown as an artist.”

After Aamer’s performance, the concert’s second opener, Destin Conrad, took the stage. The Floridian R&B artist wooed the audience with his sultry lyrics and powerful vocals, causing us to sway back and forth to his sensual songs. While Conrad performed some of his most famous hits, including “Outta Control” and “Low Tide,” he also sang “Bill$” at an audience member’s request.

“I was so surprised at how amazing his voice sounded in person,” said Ellie Stolzoff ʼ27. “I had heard some of his music before and it sounded even better. He was just such a great singer and had such a great presence on stage — it was so fun watching him perform.”

After Conrad finished his set, it was finally time for CupcakKe’s performance. The excitement in the gym was palpable as we impatiently waited for the headliner to grace the stage. When the first bars of CupcakKe’s hit song “Deepthroat” reverberated through the gym, the cheers were deafening. The crowd sang along with CupcakKe as she took the stage, jumping up and down wildly. CupcakKe was all smiles as she addressed the audience in between songs, joking that Amherst College is a “bunch of freaks,” and revealing that she brought her mom along with her because she was worried about coming to rural Massachusetts alone.

“I had a blast — it was really fun dancing with my friends, shouting, jumping, just being all over the place,” said Ari Dempsey ʼ27. “I came in not expecting to enjoy CupcakKe that much, but she was awesome! I love her. Her stage presence was amazing.”

CupcakKe’s set of explicit but humorous rap songs was not only endlessly entertaining, but also empowering for many in the audience. “CupcakKe’s performance was a transformative experience, especially since we’re in such a restrictive sexual political world,” explained Siani-Simone Ammons ʼ27. “To be in a situation where the whole campus came together to moan at CupcakKe’s lyrics — it felt sexually liberating.”

One of the show’s highlights was when CupcakKe brought four members of the audience up on stage to twerk to her song “Spiderman Dick.”

“I ran towards the front of the audience to get a chance to be on stage like I did two years ago,” explained Abadai Zoboi ’24, one of the students who joined CupcakKe on stage. “After I yelled CupcakKe’s name she looked at me and asked, ‘are you ready to shake ass?’ I nodded yes like it was the most important decision of my life, and I got on stage and did my thing!”

Before the end of her set, CupcakKe thanked the audience, saying that Amherst was one of the best crowds she had ever performed for. As she walked off the stage, CupcakKe iconically declared, “Goodbye guys, I’m about to go suck some dick right now,” sending the audience into a roar.

“I had such a great time at the Spring Concert,” said Sofia Salazar ’27. “Going into it, I had no idea what to expect, but it was so fun being caught in the crowd and just screaming and laughing with my best friends. The energy was great, and I can’t wait to see a similar energy at the [Association of Amherst Students] rave.”

While most students left the vicinity once CupcakKe exited the stage, some students had the unique opportunity of meeting the headliner after the show. Ethan Lin ’27 was one of the lucky few.

Lin described noticing a black SUV parked near Alumni Gym as he and his friends left the concert. They spotted CupcakKe and she stopped to take a picture with the group.

“She seemed so wholesome and sweet. Her aura and energy filled the Alumni Gym during her performance, and after talking to her, the night felt so much more thrilling,” said Lin. “She reminded me that we college students shouldn’t forget to have fun amidst the stress of finals season.”

“I was mostly worried that the Amherst crowd would make it awkward or an uncomfortable experience,” Lin admitted. “Yet, the moment the night started, you could feel the crowd’s excitement and enthusiasm. When CupcakKe got on stage, the crowd didn’t disappoint. It was an experience I definitely won’t forget … and now I have a photo to remember it forever.”