2013 Contemporary A Capella Recording Award Results
The following are the winners for the 2013 Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all who participated!
Genre Nominations
Best Pop/Rock Album
Winner: PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
Runner Up: (There is no Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae
Best Pop/Rock Song
Winner: “Starships” on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
Runner Up: “Circus” on Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Song
Winner: “I'm Coming Up Remix” on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
Runner Up: “B.O.B.” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
Best Soul/R&B Song
Winner: “The Baddest Girl” on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
Runner Up: “Hate on Me” on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
Best Electronic/Experimental Song
Winner: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” on German Verboten by Maybebop
Runner Up: “Earthquake” on Groundbreaker by The Techtonics (Imperial College)
Best Jazz Album
Winner: O-Kai by O-Kai Singers
Runner Up: SLIXS by SLIXS
Best Jazz Song
Winner: “Hallelujah, I Love Her So” on Inspired by Groove for Thought
Runner Up: “I Know You Know” on SLIXS by SLIXS
Best Country Song
Winner: “Top of the World” on (There is No Easy Way) From the Earth to the Stars by Musae
Runner Up: “Legend of McBride” on Young at Eight by Juxtaposition (VA Tech)
Best Classical Album
Winner: A Choral Tapestry by Voces8
Runner Up: Christmas by Voces8
Best Classical Song
Winner (tie): “A Drop in the Ocean” on A Drop in the Ocean by The Portland State Chamber Choir (Portland State U)
Winner (tie): “This Marriage” on In the Beginning by Voces8
Best Barbershop Album
Winner: Nice & Easy by Masterpiece Quartet
Runner Up: Colorado My Home by Sound of the Rockies
Best Barbershop Song
Winner: “Stormy Weather” on Nice & Easy by Masterpiece Quartet
Runner Up: “Ebb Tide” on Higher by Tim Waurick
Best Religious Album
Winner: Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration by Vocal Point (BYU)
Runner Up: Out of the Box by The Maccabeats (Yeshiva)
Best Religious Song
Winner: “Good Shabbos” by Six13
Runner Up: “All Rise” on Higher by Tim Waurick
Best Folk/World Song
Winner: “Le Mouvement” on SLIXS by SLIXS
Runner Up: “Across the Milky Way” on The First Journal by Voco Novo
Best Holiday Album
Winner: PTXmas by Pentatonix
Runner Up: Peppermint Winter by VoicePlay
Best Holiday Song
Winner: “Carol of the Bells” on PTXmas by Pentatonix
Runner Up: “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly” by Vocal Point (BYU) on Lead Thou Me On: Hymns and Inspiration
Best Humor Song
Winner: “Good Shabbos” by Six 13
Runner Up: “Sound Guy” on Voice Activated by Vox Audio
Best Song By A Solo Performer
Winner: “Shenandoah" on Covers Vol. 2 by Peter Hollens
Runner Up: “Tunnel Vision” on Patchwork Life by Janice Whaley
Continental Nominations
Best European Album
Winner: German Verboten by Maybebop (Germany)
Runner Up: Just Listen by Ommm (France)
Best Asian Album
Winner: The First Journal by Voco Novo (Taiwan)
Runner Up: O-Kai by O-Kai Singers (Taiwan)
Best African Album
Winner: The Journey by Shower Power (Zimbabwe)
Runner Up: Redeemed by Stand (Zimbabwe)
Original Music Nominations
Best Professional Original Song
Winner: “S.O.S.” by MO5AIC/Josh Huslig
Runner Up: “The Baddest Girl” by Scott Hoying on PTX, Vol. 1 by Pentatonix
Best Scholastic Original Song
“Something in the Water” Music: Brianne Holland, Lyrics: Markie Gray on Late Nights, Parades by Men in Drag (U Chicago)
Runner Up: “Mannequin” by Micaela McCall and Chris Jobe on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville High School)
Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Nominations
Best Contemporary A Cappella League Album
Winner: Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
Runner Up: First Cup by Capital Blend
Best Contemporary A Cappella League Song
Winner: “Because” on First Cup by Capital Blend
Runner Up: “Stereo Hearts” on Hold that Thought by Fermata Town
Scholastic Nominations
Best Mixed Collegiate Album
Winner: III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Runner Up: Shed by Purple Haze (Northwestern)
Best Mixed Collegiate Song
Winner: “We Found Love” (Single) by Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)
Runner Up: “Give Me Love” on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Best Mixed Collegiate Solo
Winner: Aviva Musicus on “Bottom of the River” on Brand New Walk by Out of the Blue (Yale)
Runner Up: Samantha Creighton on “Mama Knows Best” on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement
Winner: “We Found Love” by Chris Rishel, Voices in Your Head (U Chicago)
Runner Up: “Give Me Love” by Shams Ahmed on III by Nor’Easters (Northeastern)
Best Male Collegiate Album
Winner: Boyfriend Material by Exit 245 (JMU)
Runner Up: Refraction by The Pitchforks (Duke)
Best Male Collegiate Song
Winner: “Earthquake” on Groundbreaker by The Techtonics (Imperial College)
Runner Up: “I (Who Have Nothing)” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
Best Male Collegiate Solo
Winner: Joe Wenninger on “I (Who Have Nothing)” on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
Runner Up: Ryan Sill on “Titanium” on Boyfriend Material by Exit 245 (JMU)
Best Male Collegiate Arrangement
Winner: “Hallelujah” by Chris Waybill on Refraction by Pitchforks (Duke)
Runner Up: “I (Who Have Nothing)” by Danny Mulligan on Sound the Alarm by Fundamentally Sound (U Wisconsin)
Best Female Collegiate Album
Winner: Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
Runner Up: A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
Best Female Collegiate Song
Winner: “Around Us” on Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
Runner Up: “Dirty Diana” on Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)
Best Female Collegiate Solo
Winner: Happiness Chijioke on “Mama” on Playing with Lightning by Sil’hooettes (UVA)
Runner Up: Chantel Whittle on “Mary (Don’t You Weep)” on The F Word by The Brown'sTones (Brown)
Best Female Collegiate Arrangement
Winner: “Gold Digger (feat. For the Love of the Money)” by Courtney Mickens on Seamless by AcaBelles (FSU)
Runner Up: “Plane” by Marianne Cheng on A Kick & A Wallop by Loreleis (UNC)
Best High School Album
Winner: Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
Runner Up: TAG This by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Best High School Song
Winner: “Celebrate Remix” on Life’s So Lyrical by Forte (Centerville HS)
Runner Up: “Tightrope” on The Beginning by Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Best High School Solo
Winner: Sarah Vela for “Let Us Be Loving” on The Beginning by Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Runner Up: Quinton Thomas for “A Change is Gonna Come” on TAG This by The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
The 2013 CARA Awards were directed by Julia Hoffman and Jon Pilat.
Head Nominators:
Joseph Bates
Charlie Forkish
Julia Hoffman
Thomas “Tekay” King
Jon Pilat
Steve Ryan
The coordinators also chose 82 fans and performers of varied backgrounds to consider each of the albums submitted to the CARAs and to complete nominations. 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 and judges: Thank you all for your many hours of work! You are much appreciated!