Americans all over the country tuned in to NBC Monday night as Washington D.C.’s own premier a cappella group, Afro-Blu, took over The Sing-Off stage in Los Angeles, Calif. Capturing 5.2 million viewers in its third season opener, The Sing-Off pits 16 singing groups against each other with nothing to back up the notes but the vocal chords of fellow members. With $200,000 in cash and an official recording contract with Sony Music hanging in the balance, artists from all over the country left everything they had on the stage in efforts to finish at the top.
“It still hasn’t sunk in yet, it is so surreal,” said Trenton Cokely, a member of the current Afro-Blu ensemble since 2009. “We never imagined being on prime time NBC we were just a class of students,” said Cokely, a Columbia, S.C. native and 2011 graduate of Howard University. The 10- member group, which began in 2002, is a vital part of the Howard University curriculum that makes an ensemble course mandatory for music students focused in Jazz Studies.
Produced by Joel Gallen, the man behind television hits such as America’s Best Dance Crew, The Sing-Off, which airs Monday nights at 8pm, has enjoyed rave revues from audiences and music professionals alike. The competition begins with each group taking songs from mainstream pop culture and transforming them into ensemble pieces complete with complex multiple harmonies and choreography.
Hosted by award winning artist, Nick Lachey, The Sing-Off has taken off at a time where shows like Glee and High School Musical have steadily increased the American appetite for the musical theatre and musical ensemble genre. While the show is ultimately geared toward entertaining, it also encourages audiences to approach music in new and creative ways while subtly introducing important elements and principles of music. “The most important thing is to feel the music and make sure the overall meaning of the song gets through,” continued Cokely who says “the hardest thing is taking pop to jazz and staying true to both sides.”
Judges for The Sing Off include Grammy award winning Shawn Stockman of Boys II Men, Sara Bareilles, and singer-songwriter Ben Folds of the group Ben Folds Five. “I was thoroughly entertained and I was sucked in from the beginning,” said judge Sara Bareilles to Afro-Blu on the show after their first appearance. The ensemble received high reviews from all three judges after giving a flawless jazz rendition of Corinne Bailey Rae’s Put Your Records On.
This season is different from the past two seasons in that audiences will get a chance to see all 16 groups, as opposed to only seeing the eight finalists in the taped shows. With The Fannin Family and The Cat’s Pajamas axed in the first round, the second round of eliminations begins next week. For fans looking to support Afro-Blu, their next performance can be seen on October 3.
To vote for Afro-Blu, please visit www.nbc.com/sing-off/
Watch a video of Afro-Blu’s performance here.
