An a cappella family

For the final song of the SoCal VoCal senior send off on a cool Spring Friday night at USC’s United University Church, there seemed to be more people on the stage than in the audience.

After a night of singing and sharing stories about the graduating seniors, the alumni who were in attendance were invited to perform “Dirt Road”, an original song by a VoCal alumnus.

As the group nearly doubled in size, people laughed and hugged, and smiles spread across their faces; the scene was akin to a family reunion.

The oldest a capella group at the University of Southern California, the SoCal VoCals have a storied history and tradition that stretches back more than 20 years to the groups founding in 1996. Throughout the groups history, the VoCals have produced eight albums, and have performed nationally and internationally – performing at the White House for former President Barack Obama, and a tour through Hong Kong.

The a capella group recently won its fifth International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) championship, which was held at the Beacon Theater in New York City.

The team has won the Olympics of a cappella an unprecedented five times, with wins in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2018 — coincidentally, that’s the last five times the VoCals entered.