By Khalida Sarwari
It’s not often that teens in Saratoga come together for a noncompetitive event, but amid the hustle and bustle of exams and projects during the final weeks of school, many sought respite in the quiet confines of their local library–not to study, but to sing their hearts out.
The Saratoga Library was anything but quiet on May 23 when teens took turns on a makeshift stage inside the community room to perform in front of an audience of their peers as part of the Teen Coffeehouse open mic event, the first this year in the twice-yearly program that began in 2011.
More than 50 teens, many of them students at Saratoga High School, sat at round tables while some opted to take a seat on the floor mere feet away from the performers. Many swayed from side to side or clapped to the beat of the music. Every now and then, they’d wander over to a long table against the back wall filled with snacks and hot drinks. A handful of parents lined along another wall, watching or recording their teens.
Shweta Tummala led off the event with a performance of the standard “Orange Colored Sky” and was followed by Anish Ramanadham, 17, who sang “Who Do You Want to Be?”
“This is just a random song I wrote,” the Saratoga High junior told the audience.
Midway through the song, he stopped abruptly, set the guitar off to the side and started over. Later, he explained that he had to improvise because the guitar wasn’t tuned.
“It didn’t sound the way I wanted to sound,” he said. Added Anish, “I was a little nervous, but you have to go on with the show.”
Ananya Srivastav, 16, sang “Falling Slowly” featured in the movie Once. For her second performance, she was joined by friend Ursula Bravo for a duet of Lorde’s “Royals.”
A three-peat performer at Teen Coffeehouse, Ananya said this time around her nerves got the best of her, admitting afterward, “I could have practiced more.”
Nerves were also an issue for Anastasia Kung, 16, who sang “Fireflies” and then returned to perform a mash-up of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and “Just One Yesterday,” by Fall Out Boy.
“I thought I was a little too nervous for my own good,” she said.
Other highlights of the evening included Adrianna White, who performed a slow version of Katy Perry’s “E.T.” on guitar, and Caitlyn Chen, who performed Florence and the Machine’s “Shake it Out” on the guitar.
The abundance of singing acts prompted emcee Sarah Deva, 17, to remark, “It’s starting to sound a lot like American Idol in here!”
Afterward, Deva said she had a great time emceeing Teen Coffeehouse for the second time.
“I felt like there were a lot of really good singers and performers,” she said. “I really enjoyed listening to them.”
Teen Coffeehouse is held every six months by the Saratoga Library’s Teen Advisory Board to allow teens an opportunity to display their creativity and talent, whether it be singing, dancing, reciting poetry, telling jokes, doing stand-up comedy, performing magic or just about any other talent that can be showcased on the library’s small indoor stage.
The purpose of the event, according to teen librarian Birgit Vogler, is “to give teens an opportunity to showcase their talent, but without the pressure of competition, and just come together in a safe and relaxed atmosphere.”
The TAB has been hosting Teen Coffeehouse twice a year since 2011. The board is made up of 22 local middle and high school students who volunteer their time to promote and organize programs for teens. The co-presidents of TAB are Saratoga High juniors Riddhi Sangam, 16, and Sabrina Chen, 17. Both said they were happy with the program’s turnout.
