Songs ranging from Boyz II Men to Bieber bring audience of all types
These days, the music industry is all about the next big thing, especially when it comes to special effects. Auto-tune has changed the face of hip-hop, as the Super Bowl Halftime special was basically a light show featuring the Black Eyed Peas, and we can even make Ke$ha sound like a man.
But strip away all the extras and you're left with the best instrument possible: the human voice. And that's all that USC's SoundCheck, Cockapella and the Cocktails needed for Sunday night's "I Love Acapella" performance in the Russell House Ballroom.
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, the a cappella groups spread the romance, mixing in classic love songs with some new hits in front of a packed house. The night opened with USC's newest a cappella group, PolyVox, taking the stage with Jason Mraz's sweet serenade "I'm Yours," followed by Matt Nathanson's mega-hit "Come on Get Higher."
After that, it was Cockappella's chance to turn on the charm. But instead of getting too mushy, the first co-ed a cappella group at USC kept things light, even getting down on one knee in proposal (complete with rings) during Taylor Swift's "Love Story." The group also brought out its softer side, singing the sentimental Phil Collins track "You'll Be in My Heart" from Disney's "Tarzan."
"I really like being a part of Cockappella because it gives me a really good release after all the stress of the daily routine and academics," said Cockapella member Jess Lawrence. "Plus, it's fun."
Decked out in black and pink, USC's all female a cappella group, the Cocktails hit the stage soon after, with a song arsenal complete with both old and new school. Then it was time to bring out the big guns; it was time for Justin Bieber. In a way that would have made melted the heart of the Bieber himself, the Cocktails rocked out "You Smile," before belting out pop-tart Mandy Moore's retro classic "Candy."
Soon after, the men of USC's SoundCheck began their set, starting it off right by selecting one lucky female from the audience to be serenaded as they sang Bruno Mars "Just the Way You Are," before channeling Paramore with "The Only Exception." SoundCheck also reached out to those without a Valentine this year, taking on Cee-Lo Green's smash hit "Forget You." The boys then took us back to the corny side of love, digging up the Boyz II Men 1990's classic baby-making track, "I'll Make Love to You."
"I've been singing since the sixth grade," said second-year SoundCheck member Alex Pham. "And it's great because this group has really great chemistry now and we hang out with each other a lot outside of our practices and performances. We've all created bonds with each other."
In the past year, the popularity of USC's a cappella groups has grown greatly, spawning YouTube videos and plenty of Facebook fan pages. With several performances throughout the year, including last winter's Christmas-themed show benefiting the Children's Hospital, SoundCheck and company have something to offer everyone. Each show provides a variety of musical genres from pop to hip-hop, so the next time USC's a cappella groups host a show, make sure to stop in and give it a listen.