On April 1, Iona College kicked off its 2011 Spring Weekend with a special performance by multi-platinum recording artist Jason Derulo. Equipped with a leather jacket and some background dancers, Derulo pleased the crowd with songs off of his self-titled debut album while spicing things up with a few covers.

The Hynes Athletic Center was bursting at the seams, welcoming the Florida native who seemed humbled when the crowd sang along. Those in attendance screamed, sang and danced along with Derulo’s hit singles and covers. The performer even took on a Michael Jackson.

“I was incredibly impressed with Jason’s performance,” said Tom Ford, an Iona College student who worked as part of Derulo’s hospitality committee. “His rendition of ‘Billie Jean’ was spot on.”

Ford continued to pay tribute to the performer’s personality. “He was also one of the friendliest acts I’ve worked with here, which means a lot considering how much GAB put into the show.”

Derulo took the stage following an opening performance by up and coming artist, Samuel. The energetic young performer bounced around on stage to warm the audience up but unlike Derulo, had some mixed reviews.

“He just seemed out of place,” said sophomore Rae Scalisi. “He didn’t seem like a performer that would open up for Jason Derulo. He wasn’t what we expected.”

Samuel wasn’t the only one with notable energy. Derulo took the stage with just as much enthusiasm and even more passion. He proved to be a true crowd pleaser, inviting fans to sing along and even inviting one lucky girl on stage with him. After searching the crowd for “the prettiest lady in the building,” Derulo personally sang to Iona College sophomore Alexa Caroll as she sat center-stage.

“The feeling I felt when I walked onto the stage getting closer and closer to Jason Derulo was unreal. I could not feel any part of my body…I was shaking,” said Caroll. “The moment he looked into my eyes I forgot I was in front of a huge crowd of people. I felt like a complete celebrity. It was like I was dating Jason Derulo! I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

Before tearing his shirt off toward the end of his act, Derulo performed familiar songs off of his debut album as well as a stripped down acoustic version of his original hit “Ridin’ Solo.”

In between songs, Derulo also announced the upcoming release of his sophomore album. According to Derulo, the album will be dropping sometime this year. “This will be totally different from the first one,” the star said in an interview with Billboard.com. “I’ve grown as an artist. There’s a totally huge side of my artistry that people have yet to see, so I’m looking forward to the near future.”

Following last year’s performance by New Found Glory, Derulo drew in an even larger crowd to kick off Spring Weekend. The performance was a definite success, according to members of GAB and students working set-up.