The SoCal VoCals are the first of nine a cappella groups from the University of Southern California. Founded in 1996, the group's signature achievement is being the only a cappella group to win five titles in ICCAs, which it accomplished in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2018. The group comprises between 13 and 19male and female students who arrange and sing songs from multiple genres, including pop, rock, and jazz. The group has released seven albums and has performed in venues including the Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Rose Bowl, the Los AngelesHouse of Blues, the Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall and the Getty Center. The SoCal VoCals are known for their engaging performance style and school spirit: they are the only USC a cappella group to perform a rendition of the University's Alma Mater.
History
In April, 2008, the SoCal VoCals took first place in the ICCAs at New York City's Lincoln Center, winning the title "Grand Champions." The next morning, they were featured on The Today Show. In April, 2010, the SoCal VoCals returned to Lincoln Center and reclaimed the ICCA title, making them one of only two groups to win that title more than once. On April 29, 2012, the SoCal VoCals performed in competition at Town Hall in New York City. They won their third ICCA title, and became the first to have won the title by winning the Wildcard round. On April 18, 2015, the SoCal VoCals competed at the Beacon Theatre to win for the fourth time, claiming the newly minted trophy and adding to their already-unchallenged record of victories.. On April 21, 2018, the SoCal Vocals returned to The Beacon Theatre to win ICCA for the fifth time. The SoCal VoCals are the first group to ever win ICCA five times. In September, 2018, The SoCal VoCals took home second place at the A Cappella Open at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Notable Spinoffs
In November, 2009, two current members of the USC SoCal VoCals joined with six VoCal alumni to compete as "The SoCals" on NBC's first a cappella competition, The Sing-Off. In 2010, several members of the VoCals competed in Season 2 of "The Sing-Off" as members of "The Backbeats." In 2011 Scott Hoying, a member of the SoCal VoCals, led a team of five people to win NBC's third season of "The Sing-Off" as Pentatonix. In 2018, SoCal VoCal members Kaylah Baker and Nina Nelson left The SoCal VoCals to be a part of the all-female a cappella group, Citizen Queen. In 2019, Tenor Jej Vinson reached the top 16 on NBC's The Voice and his blind audition of "Passionfruit" has amassed almost 10 million views on YouTube as of March 2020.
The VoCals have released eight albums, This Ain't No Choir, Babe,This 2 Shall Rock,V3: Previously Unreleased,The SoCal VoCals,Get In. ROCK. Get Out., Unanimous, "Permit to Harmonize", and their most recent album, VoCabulary released on May 13, 2016. They have also released two EPs consisting of their winning three-song sets from the 2010 and 2018 International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella.
