2012 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Nominees
The following are the nominees for the 2012 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all who participated and good luck to the nominees! The winners will be announced on April 13, in front of a live audience at BOSS. If you would like to attend the awards ceremony, buy your tickets (including the red carpet package!) today!
The top 10 male, female, and mixed collegiate albums will be posted on casa.org on March 1, 2012.
Genre Nominations
Best Pop/Rock Album
5 by MO5AIC
Committed by Committed
Inbound by Redline
Postyr Project by Postyr
The Backbeats by The Backbeats
The Boxettes EP by The Boxettes
Best Pop/Rock Song
“Born This Way” on The Backbeats by The Backbeats
“Break Anotha” on Inbound by Redline
“Hey, Soul Sister” on UnPractice Makes Perfect by Street Corner Symphony
“I Gotta Feeling” on 5 by MO5AIC
“Kissanainen” on Ihmiset by Club for Five
“Little of Your Time” by Transit
“Moves Like Jagger” by Overboard featuring Hannah Juliano
Best Hip-Hop/R&B Song
“All the Above” on Fresh Aire by Aires (Dartmouth)
“Bad Habits” on Take III by Casual Harmony (Rutgers)
“Blue and White (Black and Yellow Remix)” on House Rules by Clef Hangers (UNC)
“How Low” by Overboard
“Love the Way You Lie” on Group Therapy by No Southern Accent (UF)
Best Jazz Album
Color by Number by Chapter 6
He Said, She Said by Angie Doctor and Dan Schumacher
Midnight by The Songmen
Northern Lights by Vocado
Best Jazz Song
“Cooler than Me” on The Sing Off Best of Season Two by Groove for Thought
“Es Tanzt Ein Bebop-Butzemann” on Extrem Nah Dran by Maybebop
“Harold’s House of Jazz” on Color by Number by Chapter 6
“My Funny Valentine” on Northern Lights by Vocado
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on Simply Put by Simply Put
Best Classical Album
Coming Home for Christmas by Amarcord
Days of Awe and Rejoicing: Radiant Gems of Jewish Music by Chicago A Cappella
Missa Baltica by Key Ensemble
Songspin by Juice
Best Classical Song
“Four Motets: Horeyni Darkecha” on Days of Awe and Rejoicing: Radiant Gems of Jewish Music by Chicago A Cappella
“Fum, Fum, Fum” on Coming Home for Christmas by Amarcord
“Der är en Ros Utsprungen” on Unto Us a Child is Born by Amadeus Chor
“Poor Wayfaring Stranger” by Peter Hollens with Swingle Singers
Best Barbershop Album
New York State of Mind by Round Midnight
That Lucky Old Sun by Crossroads
Vocal Spectrum III by Vocal Spectrum
Workin’ for a Livin’ by Zero 8
Best Barbershop Song
“Heart of My Heart” on Workin’ for a Livin’ by Zero 8
“Nothing Can Change This Love” on New York State of Mind by Round Midnight
“That Lucky Old Sun” on That Lucky Old Sun by Crossroads
“When I See An Elephant Fly” on Vocal Spectrum III by Vocal Spectrum
Best Religious Album
From Dust by Testimony (Stanford University)
Six13 Vol. 4: Zmanim by Six13
There is a Way by Praise Apella
Unplugged by John K. Brown
Best Religious Song
“Can’t Go On” on From Dust by Testimony (Stanford)
“Friend of God” on There is a Way by Praise Apella
“Hinei Mah Tov” on Six13 Vol. 4: Zmanim by Six13
“Soon Ah Will Be Done” on Committed by Committed
Best Folk/World Album
Blue Junxion by Africappella
Gigo! By Soul Influence
Panoramic by Penn Masala (University of Pennsylvania)
V.O. by Ocumé
Best Folk/World Song
“Emtzah Halailah” on Transitory by Tizmoret (Queens College)
“Håll Mig Kvar” on Northern Lights by Vocado
“Hengilas” by Overboard
“La Llave de mi Corazón” on V.O. by Ocumé
“Viel Zu Viel” on Extrem Nah Dran by Maybebop
Best Holiday Album
A Rockapella Holiday by Rockapella
Cool Yule by Cadence
It’s Christmas time by Eclipse
JOULUYÖ by Rajaton
The Sing Off: Songs of the Season by The Sing Off Contestants
Best Holiday Song
“Christmas as a Child” on It’s Christmas Time by Eclipse
“Coventry Carol” on The Sing Off Songs of the Season by SONOS
“I Hear the Bells” on I Hear the Bells by face
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town” on Back in Blue by Vocal Point (BYU)
“Sleigh Ride” on Cool Yule by Cadence
Best Humor Song
“Fpaniff” on Extrem Nah Dran by Maybebop
“I Light It” on Six13 Vol. 4: Zmanim by Six13
“Reverb” on Color by Number by Chapter 6
“The Price is Right” on John McMahon & The Barkers by The Barkers
Continental Nominations
Best European Album
Hjemmebane by Basix
Ihmiset by Club for Five
JOULUYÖ by Rajaton
Postyr Project by Postyr
The Boxettes EP by The Boxettes
Best African Album
Blue Junxion by Africappella
He Cares by Intune
Jerusalem by Unshaken
Love Everlasting by Sweet Symphony
Young Generation by Assurance
Original Music Nominations
Best Professional Original Song
M. Mengoni, P. Calabrese, M. Calabrese, S. Clabrese, and S. Fabiani for “Un Gioco Sporco” by Cluster with Marco Mengoni
Mark McLemore for “Most of It” on Unpractice Makes Perfect by Street Corner Symphony
Neo Joshua for “Free” on The Boxettes EP by The Boxettes
Oliver Gies for “Was Uns Verbindet” on Extrem Nah Dran by Maybebop
Theron Thomas, Tyson Evans, and Joseph Getfield for “Break Free” on Committed by Committed
Tine Fris for “Go! Don’t Stop!” on Postyr Project by Postyr
Best Scholastic Original Song
Adam Levine for Phoenix on Phoenix by VoiceMale (Brandeis)
Manoj Racherla, Bhuwan Vashisht, & Vinay Rao for Is Pal Main on Panoramic by Penn Masala (UPenn)
Marissa Bergmann for *** on Still Point by Out of the Blue (Duke)
Michael Miller for Dreamers on BAM by Logarhythms (MIT)
Tara Vaughan for 22 on Windows Down by sQ! (Tufts)
Chris Rishel and Zachary Madden for Sharp on I Used to Live Alone by Voices in Your Head (U of Chicago)
Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Nominations
Best Contemporary A Cappella League Album
Inbound by Redline
Simply Put by Simply Put
Best Contemporary A Cappella League Song
“Break Anotha” on Inbound by Redline
“Human Nature” on Simply Put by Simply Put
“Price Tag” by The Red States
Scholastic Nominations
Best Mixed Collegiate Album
Aftershock by Acappology (NCSU)
Code Blue by Octopodes (Johns Hopkins)
Group Therapy by No Southern Accent (UF)
Hands Off the Mannequin by Amalgamates (Tufts)
I Used to Live Alone by Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)
Pulse by The Chordials (Cornell)
Best Mixed Collegiate Song
“Boy Lilikoi” on Hands Off the Mannequin by Amalgamates (Tufts)
“Cosmic Love” on Pulse by Chordials (Cornell)
“Everything’s Just Wonderful” on Group Therapy by No Southern Accent (UF)
“Ghosts n Stuff” on Aftershock by Acappology (NCSU)
“I’d Like To” on I Used to Live Alone by Voices in Your Head (U of Chicago)
“Teenage Dream” on Strugglebus by Mind the Gap (UO)
Best Mixed Collegiate Solo
Billy Ferguson for “Touch” on Pulse by The Chordials (Cornell)
Elspeth Michaels for “I’d Like To” on I Used to Live Alone by Voices in Your Head (U of Chicago)
Hannah Juliano for “Halo” on Pitch Slapped by Pitch Slapped (Berkelee)
Jessica Lucas for “Gunpowder & Lead” on Aftershock by Acappology (NCSU)
Kristen Ford for “Oh Atlanta” on Windows Down by sQ! (Tufts)
Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement
Chris Rishel for “I’d Like To” on I Used to Live Alone by Voices in Your Head (U of Chicago)
Christopher Rienas for “Cry Me A River” on Group Therapy by No Southern Accent (UF)
Daniel Reardon for “Black and Gold” on 16 Edgewood by Out of the Blue (Yale)
Ethan Lobenstine with Ben McCormackon for “Mad World” on On the Rise by After Hours (U Rochester)
Hannah Juliano for “Got To Get You Into My Life” on Pitch Slapped by Pitch Slapped (Berkelee)
Best Male Collegiate Album
BAM by Logarhythms (MIT)
BATTLE by Beelzebubs (Tufts)
House Rules by Clef Hangers (UNC)
No More Bets by Bruin Harmony (UCLA)
Off the Hook by Ithacappella (Ithaca College)
Phoenix by VoiceMale (Brandies)
Best Male Collegiate Song
“Crawl” on A Gentleman’s Game by Accidentals (UGA)
“Eleanor Rigby” on Take III by Casual Harmony (Rutgers)
“Kings and Queens” on BATTLE by Beelzebubs (Tufts)
“Mothers Eyes” on No More Bets by Bruin Harmony (UCLA)
“Phoenix” on Phoenix by VoiceMale (Brandeis)
“There Goes My Baby” on BAM by Logarhythms (MIT)
“Telephone” on Off the Hook by Ithacapella (Ithaca)
Best Male Collegiate Solo
Adam Levine for “Phoenix” on Phoenix by VoiceMale (Brandeis)
Brendan Lynch-Salamon for “A Change is Gonna Come” on Fresh Aire by Aires (Dartmouth)
Harry Nichols for “Man for Life” on Off the Hook by Ithacapella (Ithaca)
Marcus Hines for “I Shall Not Walk Alone” on A Gentleman’s Game by Accidentals (UGA)
Micah Lorenc for “Got To Get You Into My Life” on Back in Blue by Vocal Point (BYU)
Ryan White for “February Song” on House Rules by Clef Hangers (UNC)
Best Male Collegiate Arrangement
Alexander Koutzoukis for “Kings and Queens” on BATTLE by Beelzebubs (Tufts)
Jordan Yance for “Subterranean Homesick Alien” on Pillow Talk by Academical Village People (UVA)
Michael Miller for “Dreamers” on BAM by Logarythms (MIT)
Nikhil Marathe for “Heartless / Kabhi Kabhi” on Panoramic by Penn Masala (U Penn)
Robert Dietz for “The Sound of Silence” on Off the Hook by Ithacapella (Ithacapella)
Best Female Collegiate Album
Black and Blue by BluesTones (JMU)
IMPACT by Shockwave (Rutgers)
Playing with Fire by Jackson Jills (Tufts)
Still Point by Out of the Blue (Duke)
Worth Fighting For by Premium Blend (Ithaca College)
Best Female Collegiate Song
“crushcrushcrush” on Black and Blue by BluesTones (JMU)
“Love, Save the Empty” on Good Morning, Mr. Jefferson by The Belles (UVA)
“Unbreakable” on Playing with Fire by Jackson Jills (Tufts)
“Undisclosed Desires” on Still Point by Out of the Blue (Duke)
“Uninvited” on IMPACT by Shockwave (Rutgers)
Best Female Collegiate Solo
Andrea Perrone for “Rolling in the Deep” on Worth Fighting For by Premium Blend (Ithaca)
Arabelle Luke for “Say My Name” on IMPACT by Shockwave (Rutgers)
Debra Armour for “Bust Your Windows” on Still Point by Out of the Blue (Duke)
Helen Corless for “Unbreakable” on Playing with Fire by Jackson Jills (Tufts)
Nicola Bertoni for “Broken-Hearted Girl” on Black and Blue by BluesTones (JMU)
Best Female Collegiate Arrangement
Brianne Holland for “On the Wing” on On the Wing - Single by Men in Drag (U Chicago)
Danielle Belsky for “Colorblind” on IMPACT by Shockwave (Rutgers)
Nadia Shutkufski for “Numb” on Another Round by The Cocktails (U South Carolina)
Tian Yuan for “Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!” on Still Point by Out of the Blue (Duke)
Best High School Album
2 the Wire by Forte (Centerville HS)
Decade by Eleventh Hour (Kettering Fairmont HS)
Matching Voices by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Play it Coy by The 18 Wheelers (The Wheeler School)
The Blue and White Album by GFS A Cappella (Germantown Friends School)
Best High School Song
“Dr. Feelgood” on The Blue and White Album by GFS A Cappella (Germantown Friends School)
“Dynamite” on 2 the Wire by Forte (Centerville HS)
“Follow Me Back Into the Sun” on There is no I in A Cappella by XIV Hours (Durham Academy)
“Just What I Needed” on Elements of Sound by Elements of Sound (St. Anne’s)
“Settle Down” on Play It Coy by The 18 Wheelers (The Wheeler School)
Best High School Solo
Genetta Kah for “Settle Down” on Play it Coy by The 18 Wheelers (The Wheeler School)
Nychombanyathiira Muchai-Kinya for “New Soul” on Matching Voices by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake)
Johanna Velasquez for “Dr. Feelgood” on The Blue and White Album by GFS A Cappella (Germantown Friends School)
Sonia Mehta for “Firework” on 2 the Wire by Forte (Centerville HS)
Best High School Arrangement
Alex Graff for “She’s Leaving Home” on Play it Coy by the 18 Wheelers (The Wheeler School)
Alex Phan for “To the Wire Dance Medley” on 2 the Wire by Forte (Centerville HS)
Jojo Nielsen for “Happy Ending” on Love You Mean It by Luminescence (Marblehead HS)
Maddie McFerrin for “Roxanne” on The Blue and White Album by GFS A Cappella (Germantown Friends School)
CASA Board President, Julia Hoffman, served for the 8th year as the Director of the Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards. Jon Pilat, a singer, arranger, vocal percussionist, and previous CASA board member, served for the 8th year as the CARA Co-Director. The coordinators also chose 56 fans and performers of varied backgrounds to spend months considering each of the albums submitted to the CARAs. Anyone holding a current or former affiliation with a group or album under consideration is not allowed to take part in the consideration of that award. To the nominators: Thank you all for your many hours of work! You are much appreciated!