2017 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Nominees
[ CARA Nominees: congratulations! Want to celebrate your nomination with CASA? Come to BOSS! We'll be celebrating in style with a Red-Carpet Event and live awards presentation! Visit bostonsings.com for the details on all of our CARA events, live in Boston on April 8th. ]
The following are the nominees for the 2017 Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all who participated and good luck to the nominees! The winners will be announced on April 8 at a live awards ceremony at Boston Sings [BOSS], and then right here on casa.org!
Special Awards
Best Debut Album
Deja Vu, S#arp Attitude (University of Massachusetts - Amherst)
Overcome, Acaphiliacs A Cappella (Florida State University)
Move, The Hexachords
Hotel Lobby, AfterParty
Genre Nominations
Best Barbershop Song
"Popular" from Take 4, Take 4
"Georgia On My Mind" from The Loveliest Thing, Forefront
"Zoot Suit Riot" from Vocal Spectrum V, Vocal Spectrum
"Shenandoah" from Harmony!, The Great Western Chorus
Best Classical Song
"Coventry Carol" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
"Joulukirkkoon (Joulu lapsuuden) *" from Joulun parhaat, Club For Five
"Homeward Bound (feat. The All-American Boys Chorus)" from Music Video Hits, Vol. 1, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
"Carol of the Bells" from In the Quiet White, Reverb (Florida State University)
"Evacuating London" from An Arranged Marriage, Euphonism
Best Electronic/Experimental Song
"If I Wanted Someone" from Blossom - Next Level 2015, The Vocal Company
"Addicted To A Memory" from Addicted To A Memory, The Hexachords
"Latch" from Yours, One Note Stand (University of Texas - Austin)
"Runaway" from Uncle Murgatroyd's Music Box, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
"Where Are Ü Now" from Where Are Ü Now - Single, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
Best Folk/World Album
Delírios, Vol. 1, Sambaranda
Vaka Noah, Stand
Kaikki Parhaat - The Best Of 2003-2016, Club For Five
Perspective, Shir Appeal (Tufts University)
Best Folk/World Song
"Yesh Lach" from Score, Tizmoret (Queens College)
"Woman" from Plaid Projects 2016, Plaid Productions
"O Come, All Ye Faithful" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
"Ack Värmeland Du Sköna" from Sverige, Pros & Cons
"In einem kühlen Grunde" from Delta Q, Delta Q
"Nguwe Msindisi" from I Believe, Radiance Acappella
Best Hip-Hop/R&B; Album
Boss Level, Eh440
Polarized, Eight Beat Measure (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Best Hip-Hop Song
"Power Trip / Mine" from Taking The Fall , Jabberwocks (Brown University)
"7/11" from Sing Theory, Semi-Toned (Exeter University, UK)
"Trap Queen" from Y2J, YellowJackets (University of Rochester)
"Hotline Bling" from Horizon, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
Best R&B; Song
"Rise Up" from Rise Up, The Nor'easters
"FourFiveSeconds" from Plaid Projects 2016, Plaid Productions
"Freedom" from Freedom, Ars Nova (The Miami Valley School)
"Cryin' Wolf" from Move, The Hexachords
Best Holiday Album
A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
Snowed In, Open Fifth (Miami University)
In the Quiet White, Reverb (Florida State University)
Joulun parhaat, Club For Five
Best Holiday Song
"What Child is This (feat Home Free)" from What Child Is This, Chris Rupp
"The Christmas Sing-Along" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
"Christmas in Paradise" from In the Quiet White, Reverb (Florida State University)
"What A Wonderful World" from What A Wonderful World feat. Paula Champion, Armand Hutton
"Grown-Up Christmas List" from Snowed In, Open Fifth (Miami University)
Best Humor Song
"Angry Birds" from Ac-Topus, Docacappella
"Christmas in Paradise" from In the Quiet White, Reverb (Florida State University)
"Pop 101" from Maximum Fun, Satellite Lane
"Watch Me (Spin/Drey-Drey)" from Singles, Six13
Best Jazz Album
Made to Measure, Countermeasure
13, Popphone Singers (Shih Hsin University)
Delta Q, Delta Q
Delírios, Vol. 1, Sambaranda
Best Jazz Song
"Here" from Here , Fermata Town
"Good to Be Bad" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
"Blue Skies" from Blue Skies, Clearly Vocal
"Anthropology" from The Best Of Tomorrow, Klangbezirk
"Guten Abend gut' Nacht" from Delta Q, Delta Q
Best Movie / Musical Soundtrack Song
"We Are The Muses" from We Are The Muses, The Muses (collaborative group)
"Show Me How You Burlesque" from War Without Weapons, KeyHarmony (University of Central Florida)
"Go the Distance (feat. The All-American Boys Chorus)" from Music Video Hits, Vol. 1, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
"Evacuating London" from An Arranged Marriage, Euphonism
Best Pop/Rock Album
Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
Move, The Hexachords
Higher Love, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
Covers Volume One, The Sons of Pitches
Boss Level, Eh440
MICappella Reloaded, MICappella
Best Pop/Rock Song
"Rise Up" from Rise Up, The Nor'easters
"Hallelujah" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
"Kids" from Kids, Vocalight
"Where Are Ü Now" from Where Are Ü Now, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
"Should've Been Us" from Higher Love, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
"24K Magic" from 24K Magic - Single, Madison Project, The (James Madison University)
Best Religious Album
Wawama, Fishers of Men Sounds
Crossroads, The Ruach Singers
That Was Then, This Is Now, Best Friends (Lubbock Christian University)
Come And Join The Family, Straighter Road
Perspective, Shir Appeal (Tufts University)
Best Religious Song
"Maa on niin kaunis (Toivioretkellä)" from Joulun parhaat, Club For Five
"Awake My Soul" from Come And Join The Family, Straighter Road
"Samson" from Sing Theory, Semi-Toned (Exeter University, UK)
"Sabe Deus" from Perspective, Shir Appeal (Tufts University)
"Ring Them Bells" from Ring Them Bells, Postyr
"Missing Pieces" from ShadowVox - EP, ShadowVox
Continental Nominations
Best African Album
Wawama, Fishers of Men Sounds
The Reason, Appeal Gospel Ensemble
Best Asian Album
One, 問樂團 Guess What
VOX 2, VOX Vocal Band
MICappella Reloaded, MICappella
13, Popphone Singers (Shih Hsin University)
Best European Album
Sing Theory, Semi-Toned (Exeter University, UK)
PLAYGROUNDS, SLIXS
Delta Q, Delta Q
Covers Volume One, The Sons of Pitches
Joulun parhaat, Club For Five
Sverige, Pros & Cons
Original Music Nominations
Best Original Song by a Professional Group
Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado: "Good to Be Bad" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
Deejay Young: "Bøx (feat. Antonio Fernandez)" from Unplugged, Deejay Young
Mia Mac: "Invincible" from Invincible , Mia Mac
Oren Bailey: "Secret to Me" from Degrees of Freedom, Oren Bailey
Kevin Kunz: "Come And Join The Family" from Come And Join The Family, Straighter Road
Eh440: "Boss Level" from Boss Level, Eh440
Aaron Jensen: "Fox in the Field" from Made to Measure, Countermeasure
MICappella: "One Of These Days (English)" from MICappella Reloaded, MICappella
Best Original Song by a Scholastic Group
Shubha Vedula, Chris Rishel: "Feel So Bad" from LIGHTS, Voices in Your Head (University of Chicago)
Gabrielle Macafee: "Run With It" from Part of Me, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Hannah Tobias: "I Will Wait" from I Will Wait, The Vassar Devils
Craig Simonetti: "Move" from Move, The Hexachords
Barbara Griffith: "Gimme A Reason" from 11, Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Non-Scholastic and Professional Arrangement Nominations
Best Non-Scholastic Arrangement
Alex Margarite: "Here" from Here , Fermata Town
Armand Hutton: "What A Wonderful World" from What A Wonderful World feat. Paula Champion, Armand Hutton
Chris Rupp: "What Child is This (feat Home Free)" from What Child Is This, Chris Rupp
Alex Green, Alexander Koutzoukis: "Atlas" from Plaid Projects 2016, Plaid Productions
Joel Bexelius: "Ack Värmeland Du Sköna" from Sverige, Pros & Cons
Mide Adenaike, Joe Belham, Joe Hinds, Jamie Hughes, Josh Mallett, Joe Novelli: "Move" from As Seen On TV, The Sons of Pitches
Charlie Arthur: "Kids" from Kids, Vocalight
Best Professional Arrangement for a Non-Scholastic Group
Jacob Tourjeman: "We Are The Muses" from We Are The Muses, The Muses (collaborative group)
Tom Anderson: "Take Back the Night" from ECHO, ECHO
Jacob Collier: "White Christmas feat. The Manhattan Transfer" from A Pentatonix Christmas, Pentatonix
Robert Dietz: "Ariana Medley" from Ariana Medley, Vocalight
Ben Bram: "Always" from Always, Vocalight
Trinidad Garza: "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" from God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (feat. Meredith Pyle), Jeff Smith
Best Professional Arrangement for a Scholastic Group
Ben Bram: "Why Try" from Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
Robert Dietz: "If I Go" from Home Sweet Home, Sweet Signatures (Elon University)
Harrison Acosta: "Addicted to a Memory" from Move, The Hexachords
Chris Rishel: "Feel So Bad" from LIGHTS, Voices in Your Head (University of Chicago)
Bryan Sharpe: "Freedom" from Freedom, Ars Nova (The Miami Valley School)
Marty Gray : "Passionflower " from Passionflower , Limited Edition (Port Washington High School )
Ben Lieberman: "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked" from Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
Elliott von Wendt for Vocal Arranging : "Lionheart" from Oceanborn, Johns Hopkins University Octopodes (Johns Hopkins University)
Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Nominations
Best Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Album
Made to Measure, Countermeasure
Hotel Lobby, AfterParty
Paint the Town, Redline
Best Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Song
"In the Name of Love [Single]" from In the Name of Love [Single], Sound Off A Cappella
"Evacuating London" from An Arranged Marriage, Euphonism
"Blue Skies" from Blue Skies, Clearly Vocal
"Woman" from Woman - Single, Premiere
"Fox in the Field" from Made to Measure, Countermeasure
"Iron Sky" from Iron Sky - Fermata Town Single, Fermata Town
Collaborative and Solo Performer Nominations
Best Collaborative / Studio Project Song
"We Are The Muses" from We Are The Muses, The Muses (collaborative group)
"Woman (Oh Mama)" from Woman (Oh Mama), Women's A Cappella Association
"Beneath Your Beautiful" from Beacon, Octaves feat. guests (University of Richmond )
"Atlas" from Plaid Projects 2016, Plaid Productions
Best Song by a Solo Performer
Deejay Young (feat. Antonio Fernandez): "Bøx (feat. Antonio Fernandez)" from Unplugged, Deejay Young
Oren Bailey: "Secret to Me" from Degrees of Freedom, Oren Bailey
Track IX: "Cliffs Edge" from Kiss My Mama, Track IX
Jeff Smith, Meredith Pyle: "God Rest You Merry Gentlemen" from God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (feat. Meredith Pyle), Jeff Smith
Scholastic Nominations
Best High School Album
Higher Love, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
Part of Me, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
11, Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Best High School Arrangement
Imani Wilson : "Blind" from 11, Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Samantha DiMatteo and Mariana Kotsifakis (MHS MusicProd: In Tandem): "Irresistible" from Galaxies: Part I, MHS MusicProd
Tonal Spectrum: "Stitches" from Stitches - Single, Tonal Spectrum (Crest High School)
Megin Budacki: "Loose Ends" from I Like Your Spirit, Cary-Grove Jazz Choir (Cary Grove High School)
Abbi Foglietta: "The Way I Am" from Structure, Ingrid Sound (Danvers High School)
Best High School Solo
Hannah Gray: "Half the Man" from Higher Love, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
Madison Slamka: "Outlaws" from Part of Me, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
Sophia Rosado: "Ain't Got Far To Go" from Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
Imani Wilson, Ari Nikbakht: "Blind" from 11, Vocal Rush (Oakland School for the Arts)
Best High School Song
"Higher (featuring Centerville High School Forte)" from OPTIC, Northern Lights (Plymouth North High School)
"Hurricane" from Hurricane , Limited Edition (Port Washington High School )
"Run With It" from Part of Me, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
"Freedom" from Freedom, Ars Nova (The Miami Valley School)
"Save My Soul" from Save My Soul, Forte (Centerville High School)
"Make It Holy" from Higher Love, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
Best Female Collegiate Album
Deja Vu, S#arp Attitude (University of Massachusetts - Amherst)
Home Sweet Home, Sweet Signatures (Elon University)
Sincerely,, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Youth, Out of the Blue (Duke University)
Ready for a Miracle, Noteworthy (Brigham Young University)
Best Female Collegiate Arrangement
Ellie Cain: "Here" from Sincerely,, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Archie Gopal, Taryn Wilson, Aldila Yunus: "Deja Vu" from Deja Vu, S#arp Attitude (University of Massachusetts - Amherst)
Sophia Santore: "Rather Be" from Youth, Out of the Blue (Duke University)
For Good Measure: "Glorious" from Glorious - Single, For Good Measure (Emmanuel College)
Annie Weidner: "Ex's & Oh's" from Fitz , Miami Misfitz (Miami University of Ohio)
Best Female Collegiate Solo
Catherine Cromie, Trio: Jaewon Jung, Celia Vitale: "Here" from Sincerely,, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Lauren Bristow: "Sinner Like You" from Sinner Like You, Premium Blend (Ithaca College)
Janae Klumpp: "Ready for a Miracle" from Ready for a Miracle, Noteworthy (Brigham Young University)
Carley Durant: "Glorious" from Glorious - Single, For Good Measure (Emmanuel College)
Michala Williams: "I Put a Spell on You" from What Are the Odds?, Vocal Synergy (Wagner College)
Best Female Collegiate Song
"Sinner Like You" from Sinner Like You, Premium Blend (Ithaca College)
"Glorious" from Glorious - Single, For Good Measure (Emmanuel College)
"Roses / What Do You Mean" from Home Sweet Home, Sweet Signatures (Elon University)
"DNA" from Deja Vu, S#arp Attitude (University of Massachusetts - Amherst)
"Confident" from Run This Show, Ladies First (Michigan State University )
Best Male Collegiate Album
Y2J, YellowJackets (University of Rochester)
Music Video Hits, Vol. 1, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
Uncle Murgatroyd's Music Box, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
11, All the King's Men (King's College London)
Polarized, Eight Beat Measure (Rochester Institute of Technology)
Best Male Collegiate Arrangement
Cordero ('15): "Trap Queen" from Y2J, YellowJackets (University of Rochester)
Brian Clanton: "Hold On, We're Going Home" from Polarized, Eight Beat Measure (Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT))
Eddie Henley, Tommy Hamer: "7/11" from Sing Theory, Semi-Toned (Exeter University, UK)
Brett Kissell: "Iscariot" from Uncle Murgatroyd's Music Box, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)
Sam Mayman and Sean O'Brien: "All Time Low/Guillotine" from Prototype, Exit 245 (James Madison University)
Neil Aggarwal: "White Lines" from As Viewed From Above, Logarhythms (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Best Male Collegiate Solo
Stephen Bozier: "Bad Blood" from Taking The Fall , Jabberwocks (Brown University)
Taylor Pulliam: "Hotline Bling" from Hotline Bling - Single, Grains of Time (North Carolina State University)
Skyler Rubin and Zac Mantlo: "All Time Low/Guillotine" from Prototype, Exit 245 (James Madison University)
Adam Nicastro: "This Christmas" from Snowed In, Open Fifth (Miami University)
Pierre Galloway: "Recovery" from Beacon, Octaves (University of Richmond)
Best Male Collegiate Song
"Bad Blood" from Taking The Fall , Jabberwocks (Brown University)
"Sorry" from Y2J, YellowJackets (University of Rochester)
"Hold On, We're Going Home" from Polarized, Eight Beat Measure (Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT))
"Where Are U Now" from Volume, Toccatatones (High Point University)
"Expensive" from As Viewed From Above, Logarhythms (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Best Mixed Collegiate Album
LIGHTS, Voices in Your Head (University of Chicago)
Surface, Chordials (Cornell University)
Yours, One Note Stand (University of Texas - Austin)
Horizon, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
Move, The Hexachords
Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement
Harry Davis: "What Now" from Surface, Chordials (Cornell University)
Joshua Singer, Michael Brisentine: "Where Are Ü Now" from Where Are Ü Now - Single, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
Madeline Kleypas, Anna Kanter: "Hotline Bling" from Horizon, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
Michael Arellano: "Lose My Breath" from Swimming After Dark, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
Best Mixed Collegiate Solo
Johanna Martendal, Aanu Fawole, Meghan Bliss, Claudia Moericke: "Rise Up" from Rise Up, The Nor'easters
Haley Castuera & Jordy Shulman: "When We Were Young" from Like We Were, The Treblemakers (Boston University)
Brianna Clark: "Got It" from Wild Things, Alabaster Blue (University of New Hampshire)
Rosie Turner: "Yesterday" from Out of the Dark, The Coda Conduct (Penn State University )
Jay Grollman: "Retrograde" from Surface, Chordials (Cornell University)
Best Mixed Collegiate Song
"Rise Up" from Rise Up, The Nor'easters
"Bang My Head" from 2016 Singles, Tonal Recall (Colleges of the Fenway)
"Ain't No Sunshine" from Horizon, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
"Where Are Ü Now" from Where Are Ü Now - Single, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
"Bang My Head" from LIGHTS, Voices in Your Head (University of Chicago)
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As always, thanks to everyone who submitted, and a huge thank you to all the nominators who gave their time to help us sort through all the wonderful submissions!
The 2017 CARA committee was: Shane Ardell, Rick Thomas, Ricky Jabarin, Brooks Jordan, Thomas (TeKay) King, and Alexander Koutzoukis.