2018 Contemporary A Capella Recording Award Results

The following are the winners of the 2018 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all the deserving winning groups and individuals!

A note from the 2018 CARAs team: It was particularly challenging this year to find consensus with such a high number of nominations of such high quality. The team wants you to know that the below results represent the subjective opinion of a cross section of the community, and all nominees should be extremely proud of their work from 2017. We truly are honored to be a part of such an amazing community that produces such fine work.

Special Awards

Best Debut Album

  • Winner: Beyond The Archetype, Gestalt (University of Florida)
  • Runner-up: Lark, Lark (University of Colorado Denver)

Genre Awards

Best Barbershop Album

  • Winner: Shootin' High, ClassRing
  • Runner-up: Accentuate The Positive, Double Date

Best Barbershop Song

  • Winner: "Didn't We" from Accentuate The Positive, Double Date
  • Runner-up: "God Help the Outcasts/Someday Medley" from Shootin' High, ClassRing

Best Classical / Traditional Album

  • Winner: Mes très cher frères, Zero8
  • Runner-up: tenebrae, amarcord

Best Classical / Traditional Song

  • Winner: "Io Son La Primavera" from When The Night Is New, Capital Hearings, The
  • Runner-up: "715 - CRΣΣKS" from COLLECTIVE (Vol. I), The Nor'easters (Northeastern University)

Best Country Song

  • Winner: "You Never Need Nobody" from Lifeline, State of Fifths (Michigan State University)
  • Runner-up (TIE): "Homegrown" from The Lockbox, Amalgamates (Tufts University)
  • Runner-up (TIE): "Jolene" from PTX Vol. IV - Classics, Pentatonix

Best Electronic / Experimental Album

  • Winner: Lark, Lark (University of Colorado Denver)
  • Runner-up: Beyond The Archetype, Gestalt (University of Florida)

Best Electronic / Experimental Song

  • Winner: "Kings and Queens" from Deviations, Ithaca College Ithacappella (Ithaca College)
  • Runner-up: "Good Intent/173 pounds" from Lark, Lark (University of Colorado Denver)

Best Folk/World Album

  • Winner: Folklore, The Swingles
  • Runner-up: Huggu over vatn, Pust

Best Folk/World Song

  • Winner: "Unmade" from Folklore, The Swingles
  • Runner-up: "Pelu Mi" from Don't Fret, The Sons of Pitches

Best Funk Song

  • Winner: "Back Pocket" from Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)
  • Runner-up: "I Wish" from Boys of Summer, Hyannis Sound

Best Hip-Hop Song

  • Winner: "Shadowboxing" from Shadowboxing, Drums of War
  • Runner-up: "Trap Queen" from Fixate, Clef Hangers (University of North Carolina)

Best Holiday Album

  • Winner: This Christmas, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • Runner-up: Um Natal Meio Christmas, Sambaranda

Best Holiday Song

  • Winner: "Carol of the Bells" from Carol of the Bells, The Nor'easters (Northeastern University)
  • Runner-up: "Little Drummer Boy (feat. Antonio Fernandez)" from An Unplugged Christmas, Deejay Young feat. Antonio Fernandez

Best Humor Song

  • Winner: "La La Passover" from La La Passover - Single, Y-Studs A Cappella
  • Runner-up: "Seder Crew" from Volume 7: Brachot/Blessings, Six13

Best Jazz Album

  • Winner: In This Together, Accent
  • Runner-up: Eclectic, On Pointe

Best Jazz Song

  • Winner: "By Your Side" from Golden Hour, The Duke's Men (Yale University )
  • Runner-up: "Love Is Just That Way" from In This Together, Accent

Best Pop Album

  • Winner: Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)
  • Runner-up: Lithium, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)

Best Pop Song

  • Winner: "Sorry Not Sorry" from Plaid Projects 2017, Plaid Productions
  • Runner-up: "Levels" from Fixate, Clef Hangers (University of North Carolina)

Best R&B Song

  • Winner: "Come Together" from Come Together (Single), m-pact
  • Runner-up: "The Way" from Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)

Best Religious Album

  • Winner: Eclectic, On Pointe
  • Runner-up: This Christmas, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)

Best Religious Song

  • Winner: "Sun" from Elemental, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • Runner-up: "Selah" from Beyond The Archetype, Gestalt (University of Florida)

Best Rock Song

  • Winner: "Emperor's New Clothes" from Lithium, Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
  • Runner-up: "Bohemian Rhapsody" from PTX Vol. IV - Classics, Pentatonix

Best Show Tunes / Soundtrack / Theme Song

  • Winner: "Deep Beneath the City/Not There Yet" from In Transit, Original Broadway Cast
  • Runner-up: "Waving Through a Window" from Waving Through a Window, The Vocal Company

Continental Awards

Best European Album

  • Winner: Folklore, The Swingles
  • Runner-up: Don't Fret, The Sons of Pitches

Original Music Awards

Best Original Song by a Professional Group

  • Winner: Rob Dietz, India Carney, Stephanie Fischer: "Next Big Thing (Feat. India Carney)" from Episode One, Hit List: An A Cappella Web Series
  • Runner-up: Track IX: "Lipstick" from Lipstick, Track IX

Best Original Song by a Scholastic Group

  • Winner: The Vassar Devils / Hannah Tobias & Matt Goldstein: "Nothing" from Coming Alive, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)
  • Runner-up: Caleb Moore: "WHERE DO I FIND THAT" from ON THE RISE, RISE (The University of Texas - Arlington)

Non-Scholastic and Professional Awards

Best Non-Scholastic Arrangement

  • Winner: Michael Kibbe: "Stitches" from Transitions, SeaNote
  • Runner-up: Alex Margarite: "Hey Jude" from Hey Jude (single), Fermata Town

Best Professional Arrangement for a Non-Scholastic Group

  • Winner: Patrick McAlexander: "A Newfangled Tango" from The Newfangled Four, The Newfangled Four (California State Long Beach)
  • Runner-up: Maggie Tobin: "Bugatti Step" from KrisKros a cappella 2017, KrisKros

Best Professional Arrangement for a Scholastic Group

  • Winner: Ben Bram: "Trainwreck" from Beyond The Archetype, Gestalt (University of Florida)
  • Runner-up: Rob Dietz: "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" from Genesis, Legacy (Community Group)

Best Contemporary A Cappella League (CAL) Album

  • Winner: Not A Drill, Sound Off A Cappella
  • Runner-up: When The Night Is New, Capital Hearings, The

Best Contemporary A Cappella League / CAL Song

  • Winner: "Galileo" from When The Night Is New, Capital Hearings, The
  • Runner-up: "Hey Jude" from Hey Jude (single), Fermata Town

Best Collaborative / Studio Project Song

  • Winner: "Next Big Thing (Feat. India Carney)" from Episode One, Hit List: An A Cappella Web Series
  • Runner-up: "Sledgehammer" from Plaid Projects 2017, Plaid Productions

Best Song by a Solo Performer

  • Winner: Chris Rupp: "I Will Rise" from Rise: A cappella Vol I, Chris Rupp
  • Runner-up: Track IX: "Lipstick" from Lipstick, Track IX

Scholastic Awards

Best High School Album

  • Winner: Recovery, Forte (Centerville High School)
  • Runner-up: Elemental, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)

Best High School Arrangement

  • None

Best High School Arrangement

  • Winner: Ethan Mooney: "Boys In The Street" from From the Roots Up, Take Two (Tates Creek High School)

Best High School Solo

  • Winner: Ethan Mooney: "Boys In The Street" from From the Roots Up, Take Two (Tates Creek High School)
  • Runner-up: Katherine Ann Mohler: "Islands" from Elemental, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)

Best High School Song

  • Winner: "Sun" from Elemental, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • Runner-up (TIE): "Boys In The Street" from From the Roots Up, Take Two (Tates Creek High School)
  • Runner-up (TIE): "Giants" from Rise, Take 7 & Naughty Scotty and the Octapella (Winter Park High School)

Best Female Collegiate Album

  • Winner: From the Depths, Sil'hooettes (University of Virginia)
  • Runner-up: Lark, Lark (University of Colorado Denver)

Best Female Collegiate Arrangement

  • Winner: Sarah Donnelly : "Black Water Lilies" from From the Depths, Sil'hooettes (University of Virginia)
  • Runner-up: Sara Edwards: "Teardrop" from Teardrop, The Rolling Tones (King's College London)

Best Female Collegiate Solo

  • Winner: Emily Dietz: "River" from From the Depths, Sil'hooettes (University of Virginia)
  • Runner-up: Bianca Galvez: "Bass Song" from Blue Blooded, BluesTones (James Madison University)

Best Female Collegiate Song

  • Winner: "Don't Let Me Down" from From the Depths, Sil'hooettes (University of Virginia)
  • Runner-up: "Pistols At Dawn" from Lark, Lark (University of Colorado Denver)

Best Male Collegiate Album

  • Winner: Deviations, Ithaca College Ithacappella (Ithaca College)
  • Runner-up: Fixate, Clef Hangers (University of North Carolina)

Best Male Collegiate Arrangement

  • Winner: Josh Bain: "Toxic" from Unpeeled, Orange Appeal (Syracuse University)
  • Runner-up: Oren Bailey: "Creeks" from Creeks, Grains of Time (North Carolina State University)

Best Male Collegiate Solo

  • Winner: Taylor Pulliam: "Greedy" from Greedy, Grains of Time (North Carolina State University)
  • Runner-up: Taylor Euliss: "Castle on the Hill" from Castle on the Hill, Clef Hangers (University of North Carolina)

Best Male Collegiate Song

  • Winner: "Who Do You Love" from Reboot, Tufts University Beelzebubs (Tufts University)
  • Runner-up: "Castle on the Hill" from Castle on the Hill, Clef Hangers (University of North Carolina)

Best Mixed Collegiate Album

  • Winner: COLLECTIVE (Vol. I), The Nor'easters (Northeastern University)
  • Runner-up: Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)

Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement

  • Winner: Isaiah Thomas: "Beggin & Pleadin " from Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)
  • Runner-up: Elliott von Wendt: "715 - CRΣΣKS" from COLLECTIVE (Vol. I), The Nor'easters (Northeastern University)

Best Mixed Collegiate Solo

  • Winner: Brittany Russell: "Lionsong" from Beyond The Archetype, Gestalt (University of Florida)
  • Runner-up: Rachel Gonzalez: "Jealous" from Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)

Best Mixed Collegiate Song

  • Winner: "So. Good." from The Lockbox, Amalgamates (Tufts University)
  • Runner-up: "Beggin & Pleadin " from Complexion, Pitch Slapped (Berklee College of Music)

Thank you again to all of the nominators, judges and committee members who put in hours of work to make sure all submissions were considered fairly and equally. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks everyone for another great awards season! And a huge thank you to Ricky Jabarin, Brooks Jordan and Shane Ardell who head up the program, as well as Alexander Koutzoukis and TeKay for lending their expertise as the veteran awards committee members during the last few years as we onboarded a whole new team. In addition, a big shout out to Kayla Pichichero who coordinates the live event, and to the entire Boston Sings production team and CASA board for their support and helping us make each year better than the last.

If you're interested in nominating, judging, or even joining the awards team, please let us know!