She Passed the Audition - and Later Won His Heart
The New York Times••entertainment
Key Points:
- Umang Chaudhry was impressed by Lara Lee Russell-Lasalandra’s audition for Vanderbilt University’s a cappella group, Spectrum, in August 2019, where she performed a cover of Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away.”
- Although initially intimidated by Chaudhry, who was overseeing auditions, Russell-Lasalandra joined the ensemble and they gradually became friends through group dinners after rehearsals.
- Their relationship deepened during a private conversation at a local Chili’s, where they discussed personal topics, marking the beginning of their romantic connection.
- At the time, Chaudhry was a master’s student from India and Russell-Lasalandra was a freshman, and neither had considered dating initially.
