Every year, Appalachian Popular Programming Society showcases the talent of a cappella groups on campus with Acapellageddon. The competition offers many awards including Best Co-ed, Female and Male Group, Best Co-Ed, Female and Male Soloists, and Best Co-Ed, Female and Male Beatboxer. The Best Overall award is the highest honor. Winning organizations can earn cash prizes along with their distinction. Acapellageddon is on Nov. 10 from 7-10 p.m. in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $6.
Higher Ground
Year Established: 2000, one of the first groups
on campus
Group Type: All-male
Genre Mostly Covered: Pop and sometimes songs from musicals
Colors: Blue and yellow
What does the group’s president have to say?
Sophomore marketing major Dalton Stroup’s favorite song he has performed with his group is “For Emma” by Bon Iver.
“It’s very simplistic and has to have a good soloist with it. A beautiful song when put all together,” Stroup said.
As the group celebrates its 18th year, it hopes to celebrate its long history at Acapellageddon this year with fun and engaging songs. “We were started with a clear purpose to have fun, hang out, and sing,” Stroup said.
One Acchord
Year Established: 2012
Group Type: Co-ed
Genre Most Covered: Pop
Colors: Royal blue
What does the group’s president have to say?
“We won Best Co-Ed group last year at Acapellageddon,” senior public relations major Cayla Edwards said. “Having that opportunity to lead and shape the group and have that result was absolutely phenomenal.”
Apart from the competition, Edwards said it’s all about being with the friends she made through a cappella.
“The most important thing to us is having fun, and at the end of the day we’re not a competitive group, we are a social group. We are all friendly and supportive.”
Voice Male
Year Established: 2011
Group Type: All-male
Genre Mostly Covered: Soul, country, and pop
Colors: Black and bright green
What does the group’s president have to say?
Cameron Masin, sophomore criminal justice major, said one of VoiceMale’s signature songs is “Ignition” by R. Kelly.
“It’s something that we always keep in our back pocket,” Masin said. “It’s so fun whenever we play it, it’s always fun to have the crowd singing with you.”
Masin said the group’s diversity makes them special and gives them that extra spunk.
“We have had someone from Spain, someone from England, and having those different interests in music and ideologies is a really cool mixture that makes us unique,” Masin said.
Enharmonix
Year Established: 2011
Group Type: Co-ed
Genre Most Covered: Pop
Colors: Black, red and purple
What does the group’s president have to say?
Senior public relations major Lauren Small said one of the greatest moments for her group was when they went to the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella for the first time her sophomore year in 2016. That year, Enharmonix made it to the semi-finals.
“That was the first time we ever competed in anything that big. Realizing we were good enough to be there and move on, that was one of the coolest moments,” Small said.
One of her favorite songs Enharmonix has performed was a cover of “Ultralight Beam” by Kanye West.
Strong Ties
Year Established: 2016
Group Type: Co-ed
Genre Most Covered: Country
Colors: Teal
What does the group’s president have to say?
“Every time we travel, we grow so much closer,” senior hospitality and tourism management major Zac Jones said. “Anytime that we are growing closer, that is always a favorite moment for me.”
Strong Ties does philanthropic work on and off-campus, as it is considered a not-for-profit group. Overall, however, it is the relationships the members build with each other that matter most.
“We’re called Strong Ties because we want to build strong, lasting relationships between each other, the a cappella community, App State, Boone, North Carolina, wherever we can touch,” Jones said.
Mountain Ayres
Year Established: 2011
Group Type: All-female
Genre Mostly Covered: “Girl Power” songs, with artists like Beyonce, Meghan Trainor and more
Colors: A light purple, or lilac
What does the group’s president have to say?
“We used to do retreat weekends where we would all go up to a mountain house near Sparta and hang out. We would make a circle and say good things about each other, and create fun memories,” senior English major Elizabeth Orange said. “Those sweet moments are my favorite, when we can put aside any worries and be together.”
For Acapellageddon, the group will go for a bold, feminine look on stage to accompany its “girl power” songs. “We always like looking a little sassy,” Orange said.
Ear Candy
Year Established: 2007
Group Type: All-female
Genre Mostly Covered: Anything, though the group was founded as a Christian group and sings more Christian songs than the other groups
Colors: Black and Gold
What does the group’s president have to say?
A special moment for junior recreation management major Rachel Keane was two years ago before Ear Candy went on stage for Acapocalypse (App State’s spring a cappella competition) and did its group chant.
“It’s a call and repeat. We start really quietly and then get louder and louder. It’s so much fun,” Keane said. Keane’s favorite song the group has covered is “Love, Where is Your Fire” by Brooke Fraser.
“When we sing it all together it is just so powerful with all of our harmonies. It just sounds so perfect all together,” Keane said.
Treble Attraction
Year Established: 2005
Group Type: All-female identifying
Genre Most Covered: Alternative
Colors: Maroon
What does the group’s president have to say?
Something that makes Treble Attraction more unique is the “barbershop style,” meaning the girls sing a deeper pitch than women normally do. This style used to be common in a cappella, but has been taken over by a pop sound in recent years. In addition to its unique sound, President Glenn Ramey, senior theatre art major, said Treble Attraction likes to stick to a grunge style, which is uncommon in a cappella groups. Treble Attraction wants to focus on diversity in upcoming years.
“We are really open and accepting of all types of people. We want people to know that if they feel like they could fit into Treble Attraction, they could fit into Treble Attraction,” Ramey said.
Lost in Sound
Year Established: Has been revamped a couple of times, but really found its feet in 2016
Group Type: Co-ed
Genre Most Covered: Early 2000s pop
Colors: Olive green and black
What does the group’s president have to say?
Something special about Lost in Sound is that despite being reformed several times in the past few years, it all comes together in the end.
“We’re kind of a down-and-out group right now, not many people know who we are, but we really want people to have an outlet and a chance to get their feet wet with us,” junior building science major Mason Hill said. “It’s because we have reformed so many times that our group is so special. Falling apart and being able to bring ourselves back together has really tested our metal. It’s made us stronger each time.”
Story by Cameron Collier, A&E Reporter
Photo courtesy of Enharmonix
Featured photo caption: Members of the acapella group, Enharmonix pose together.
