The Martlet

Last semester UVic students were serenaded by the unabashed vocal stylings of Lindsay Dube, otherwise known as “the singing girl at UVic.” Now followers of this chanteuse have a way to show their support: join her Facebook fan club.

Dube, who originally hails from the Yukon and will start her secondary education program in July, was undeterred from belting out her favourite tunes on campus in between classes, despite being threatened with a punch in the throat should 15,000 students join the Facebook group dedicated to rallying support for a voice-box assault.

On the fan club group’s discussion board, Dube expounds on her reasons for rocking out her iPod tunes, writing: “It’s about who I am. It’s not even about making a point, although it seems to have become that... I [sing] because I think [it] makes people think, and maybe just makes people a little less afraid to be themselves, which is all I am trying to do.”

While the throat punch-advocating Facebook group was shut down for its potential to incite violence after two students lodged a complaint to Campus Security, another group supporting Dube popped up right away.

The fan club affirms that having the courage to brighten up an otherwise normal day by singing your favourite song aloud is something to be proud of, not something to be ridiculed for.

Alex Lluis Gonzalez, who created the Facebook group without Dube’s prompting, said she was sure that there were loads of other people out there who “liked the girl who randomly sang her heart out, didn’t give a crap about what others thought and actually had an amazing voice.”

The fan club currently boasts 112 members, variously professing their adoration of Dube on the group wall. In respect to the publicity she’s generated, Dube downplays its meaning.

“I don’t know how I feel about the attention,” said the singer. “[It’s] awkward I guess. I just sing. I just try to go through life and give as much of myself as I can without letting anyone tell me what I can and can’t do... Maybe we should have a UVic students singing day. Now that would be amazing.”