“‘Could I get some kind of credentials before I give you my Social Security number?'” Ryan Riddle said over the phone Sunday night when he picked up to a mysterious caller soliciting his personal information. The caller claimed to be affiliated with the White House and would later conduct background checks on Riddle and other members of N.C. State’s all male a cappella group, Grains of Time.

One hour before President Obama stepped on stage to deliver his speech on Wednesday afternoon, Grains of Time entertained the audience of thousands at Reynolds Coliseum with their four part National Anthem. But before their appearance on stage, Grains of Time was invited by the White House in the form of a vague phone call.

“I don’t know who called… I don’t know how they got my number,” Riddle said. “…She wanted me to give me her personal information within an hour – social security number, birthday, visitor.”

“We didn’t know what exactly we had to keep a secret. They just told us not to talk about it,” Riddle said.

Shortly after, background checks on Grains of Time members were conducted, practices ensued and the group stepped out Wednesday to welcome the president with the Star Spangled Banner. Although the group was given short notice and virtually no information, it managed to deliver a cohesive performance.

“Monday night, we got together and we all sang for the choir director at N.C. State to make sure everything would sound okay,” Matt Tucker, senior in biological sciences, said. “It was almost scary. We didn’t know, walking in, how everything was going to be. But once we got in there, it felt like [we were] singing for graduation. Everything just kind of flowed