2021 Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards Nominees

By Jessica Chen | February 27, 2021

The following are the nominees for the 2021 Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards. Congratulations to all who participated and good luck to the nominees! The winners will be announced on April 30 at a virtual awards ceremony, and then right here on casa.org!

Special Awards

Best Non-Scholastic Debut Album

  • MATTE, BLACKOUT
  • An EARCANDY Christmas, EARCANDY
  • Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam
  • Dear Adult, The Wanted
  • Hiraeth, The Apex Singers

Best Scholastic Debut Album

  • Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)
  • Exhibit A, Academy (University of Bristol)

Genre Nominations

Best Barbershop Album

  • Down For Double, Kohl Kitzmiller
  • This is Halloween , Midtown

Best Barbershop Song

  • "Down For Double" from Down For Double, Kohl Kitzmiller
  • "This is Halloween " from This is Halloween , Midtown
  • "I Write The Songs" from He Writes The Songs, HARMONIUM

Best Classical / Traditional Album

  • Hiraeth, The Apex Singers
  • After Silence, Voces8
  • Virret, Club For Five

Best Classical / Traditional Song

  • "The Long Road" from After Silence, Voces8
  • "Solrenning Sæle" from Hiraeth, The Apex Singers
  • "In stiller Nacht", The Swingles
  • "Lift Every Voice And Sing", Jarrett Johnson & Alvin Chea
  • "If Ye Love Me" from Shkabedabedweebeshoobop, QW4RTZ
  • "TULE KANSSANI, HERRA JEESUS" from Virret, Club For Five

Best Country Song

  • "We'll Be Fine", Richard Steighner
  • "Broken Bones" from Legacy, The Acaphiliacs (Florida State University)
  • "Cruise - Wagon Wheel Remix" from Evergreen, On The Rocks (University of Oregon)
  • "GIRL" from Waves, Remedy (Argyle High School)
  • "Tennessee Whiskey" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Electronic / Experimental Song

  • "Broken Parts", Postyr
  • "Trndsttr" from Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)
  • "Breathe, Pop, Don't Stop", Richard Steighner
  • "Magic", Musae
  • "Rain Dance" from Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
  • "Can't Sleep Love", Birdland Avenue

Best Folk / World Album

  • Hiraeth, The Apex Singers
  • Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam
  • Lengt etter lys, Pust

Best Folk / World Song

  • "The Booley House" from Hiraeth, The Apex Singers
  • "Misra Chappu", Coco's Lunch
  • "To søstre - The two sisters", vox 11
  • "Ei rosa e utsprunge" from Lengt etter lys, Pust
  • "Weather to Fly" from Snapshots, Vol. II, The Swingles
  • "Dear Wormwood" from Ten to Midnight, Logarhythms (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Best Funk / Disco Song

  • "You Make My Dreams", Business Casual
  • "Breathe, Pop, Don't Stop", Richard Steighner
  • "Lovefool", Six Appeal
  • "Hey, Hi, Black (嘿，嗨，黑)" from Hey, Hi, Black, Ignite Vocal Band

Best Hip-Hop Song

  • "Cookie Dough", Richard Steighner
  • "All For Us" from Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
  • "Dig and Be Dug" from Power of One, Bryan Dyer (Bryan Dyer)

Best Holiday Album

  • Holiday Bonus, Business Casual
  • An EARCANDY Christmas, EARCANDY
  • Holidays with The Capital Hearings, The Capital Hearings

Best Holiday Song

  • "Winter Wonderland / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" from Das Weihnachtsalbum, Vocal Producktions
  • "Feliz Navidad" from Holiday Bonus, Business Casual
  • "All I Want for Christmas " from Holidays with The Capital Hearings, The Capital Hearings
  • "Silent Night" from An EARCANDY Christmas, EARCANDY
  • "Sleigh Ride", Six Appeal
  • "All Is Well" from Newborn King, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • "I den kalde vinter" from Lengt etter lys, Pust

Best Humor Album

  • Glücksbringer, VIVA VOCE die a cappella Band
  • Quarantunes, Kinsey Sicks

Best Humor Song

  • "Wet (Arf) Puppy", Docacappella
  • "Shkabedabedweebeshoobop (Remix)" from Shkabedabedweebeshoobop, QW4RTZ
  • "Bagger" from Kinderkram, maybebop
  • "A Cappella 101" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Jazz / Big Band Song

  • "Mueva Los Huesos" from A Cappella Academy 2019, Cloud 9
  • "The Beauty Of All Things" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Uzuri
  • "My Favorite Things", m-pact
  • "Hallelujah, I Love Him So" from Snapshots, Vol. II, The Swingles
  • "Sleigh Ride", Six Appeal
  • "Vita" from Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam

Best Pop Album

  • Someone To You, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • Words Unsaid, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)
  • Kinderkram, maybebop
  • bei Zeiten, baff!
  • Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)
  • Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)

Best Pop Song

  • "Jason's Song (Gave It Away)" from Dealer's Choice, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
  • "Don't Start Now" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Feverdream
  • "Older" from Older, Take 7 (Winter Park High School) feat. Take 7 Alumnae
  • "Tapestry", Avo feat. Emily Drum & RilloBlack
  • "Westside" from Legacy, The Acaphiliacs (Florida State University)
  • "All Night Long", From the Roots feat. Impromptu
  • "Car Wash" from Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)

Best R&B Song

  • "Magic" from Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)
  • "Molasses/Waterfalls" from A Cappella Academy 2019, Soul Reason
  • "Dangerous", Duwende
  • "Diamonds" from Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
  • "Be Alright", Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
  • "Lo-Fi", Richard Steighner

Best Religious Album

  • Rescuer, Best Friends (Lubbock Christian University)
  • Either Or, Shir Appeal (Tufts University)

Best Religious Song

  • "Precious Lord" from Blue Suits and Afros, N'Namdi Bryant (The A Cappellian)
  • "You Say", The Trills
  • "Be Thou My Vision" from Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • "The End of Love" from Either Or, Shir Appeal (Tufts University)

Best Rock Song

  • "The Devil (Inside)" from Dealer's Choice, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
  • "Nina Cried Power" from Solstice, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For", Peter Hollens feat. Home Free
  • "Home Sweet Home" from Evergreen, On The Rocks (University of Oregon)
  • "Bagger" from Kinderkram, maybebop
  • "The Wild", Richard Steighner

Best Show Tunes / Soundtrack / Theme Song

  • "Show Yourself", Black to Gold
  • "Carnaval Del Barrio", Take 7 & Naughty Scotty and the Octapella (Winter Park High School)
  • "All For Us" from Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
  • "Believe (Polar Express Medley)" from Newborn King, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • "It Had Better Be Tonight (Meglio Stasera)" from Down For Double, Kohl Kitzmiller
  • "Wait For My Shot" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Continental Nominations

 

Best European Album

  • Snapshots, Vol. II, The Swingles
  • Hiraeth, The Apex Singers
  • Kinderkram, maybebop
  • Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam
  • Exhibit A, Academy (University of Bristol)
  • bei Zeiten, baff!

Original Music Nominations

Best Original Song by a Non-Scholastic Group

  • Lucas Tuan Min Hoang: "Broken Parts", Postyr
  • Qi Zhang / Karl Chai / Mike Huang / Jedi Shi: "Hey, Hi, Black (嘿，嗨，黑)", Ignite Vocal Band
  • Venice Vocal Jam/ Erik Bosio, Andrea Figallo: "I Wanna Let Go" from Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam
  • Richard Steighner: "The Wild", Richard Steighner
  • Edward Randell & Lucy Potterton: "Lullaby" from Snapshots, Vol. II, The Swingles
  • Duwende/J. Aaron Boykin: "Dangerous", Duwende
  • Oliver Gies: "Tanz alles, was du hast" from Kinderkram, maybebop

Best Original Song by a Scholastic Group

  • Spark: "By The Stars" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Spark
  • Isabella Sbarra Michelland: "Driving" from Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • Lily Carmichael & Sophia Calder: "Shatter" from Words Unsaid, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)

Non-Scholastic and Professional Arrangement Nominations

Best Non-Scholastic Arrangement

  • Karl Chai: "Hey, Hi, Black (嘿，嗨，黑)", Ignite Vocal Band
  • Hannah Lewis: "All Night Long", From the Roots feat. Impromptu
  • Jacob Chamoun: "You Make My Dreams", Business Casual
  • Johanna Vinson: "Magic" from, Musae
  • Matt Goldstein: "O-o-h Child (Virtual Choir)", Hyannis Sound
  • Michael Brookens: "Sleigh Ride", Six Appeal
  • Jarrett Johnson & Alvin Chea: "Lift Every Voice And Sing", Jarrett Johnson & Alvin Chea

Best Professional Arrangement for a Non-Scholastic Group

  • Tehillah Alphonso: "Silent Night" from An EARCANDY Christmas, EARCANDY
  • Isaiah Carter: "It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" from An EARCANDY Christmas, EARCANDY
  • Erik Bosio, Morten Vinther Sørensen, Jussi Chydenius: "I Am Weary" from Raìse, Venice Vocal Jam
  • Kevin Fox: "Shumakom", Vocalocity
  • Keiji Ishiguri: "Sleigh Ride", Puget Sound Company
  • Theo Hicks: "I Don't Know How to Say Goodbye" from Down For Double, Kohl Kitzmiller

Best Professional Arrangement for a Scholastic Group

  • Johnny DelToro: "Carnaval Del Barrio", Take 7 & Naughty Scotty and the Octapella (Winter Park High School)
  • Elliott Von Wendt: "Be Alright", Faux Paz (University of Maryland)
  • Tom Anderson: "More" from Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • Matt Goldstein : "God is a Woman" from From Embers, Pitches and Notes (University of Wisconsin Madison)
  • Abner Apsley: "High Hopes" from Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • Mel Daneke : "American Boy " from Brookline Ave, Simmons Sirens (Simmons University)
  • Sara Edwards: "Runaway" from Note to Self, Note-oriety (James Madison University)
  • Isaiah Carter: "Westside" from Legacy, The Acaphiliacs (Florida State University)

Semi-Professional / Post-Collegiate Nominations

Best Semi-Professional / Post-Collegiate Album

  • The Answer's 42, TBD a cappella
  • Blue Suits and Afros, N'Namdi Bryant (The A Cappellian)
  • This is Halloween , Midtown

Best Semi-Professional / Post-Collegiate Song

  • "This is Halloween", Midtown
  • "Hey, Hi, Black (嘿，嗨，黑)", Ignite Vocal Band
  • "To søstre - The two sisters", vox 11
  • "Burning", HOMES
  • "Hey There Delilah", VICE A Cappella
  • "Shumakom", Vocalocity

Collaborative and Solo Performer Nominations

Best Collaborative / Studio Project Song

  • "The Beauty Of All Things" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Uzuri
  • "Tears", Vocal Producktions
  • "Lift Every Voice And Sing", Jarrett Johnson & Alvin Chea
  • "All Night Long", From the Roots feat. Impromptu
  • "Carnaval Del Barrio", Take 7 & Naughty Scotty and the Octapella (Winter Park High School)
  • "Crumble To Dust", Richard Steighner feat. Maelstrom

Best Song by a Solo Performer

  • "My Romance" from Down For Double, Kohl Kitzmiller
  • "God Help The Outcasts", Peter Hollens
  • "The Veldt", zedarius
  • "Carol of the Bells", Jon Smith
  • "Why Not Tomorrow (2020)", Eric Chung
  • "Lo-Fi", Richard Steighner

Scholastic Nominations

Best High School Album

  • A Cappella Academy 2019, A Cappella Academy
  • A Cappella Academy 2020, A Cappella Academy
  • Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)
  • Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • Someone To You, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • All For Us, Highlands Voices (Northern Highlands Regional High School)

Best High School Arrangement

  • Darby Lestin: "I Can't Make You Love Me" from Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)
  • Prabh Saini: "Republic Pennsylvania" from Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • Anthony Lancaster: "All My Heart" from All My Heart, Acappella ReGenHarmony

Best High School Solo

  • Chris Gonzalez, Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso: "Havana" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Fuego
  • Peyton Tarver: "Secret Love Song, Part II" from Someone To You, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • Zoe Upkins, Corrina Gill, Shoshana Kelner: "Fall in Line", Encore (Ensworth School)
  • Yasmin Chaudhry, Victoria Broadbent: "Wolf At Your Door" from All For Us, Highlands Voices (Northern Highlands Regional High School)
  • Isabella Sbarra Michelland, Wedler Lordeus: "More" from Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • Jaxon Lyons: "On Our Own" from A Cappella Academy 2019, Illume

Best High School Song

  • "Mueva Los Huesos" from A Cappella Academy 2019, Cloud 9
  • "Trndsttr" from Vibe, Noise Complaint (West Orange High School)
  • "Wolf At Your Door" from All For Us, Highlands Voices (Northern Highlands Regional High School)
  • "Like Everybody Else" from Born Unstoppable, KC A Cappella (feat. SoundProof)
  • "More" from Six Feet Apart, The A Cappella Group (Cypress Lake Center for the Arts)
  • "Underground" from Someone To You, OneVoice (Briarcrest Christian School)
  • "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" from A Cappella Academy 2020, Academy Choir

Best Lower Voices Collegiate Album

  • Juxta Juice , Juxtaposition (Virginia Tech)
  • Evergreen, On The Rocks (University of Oregon)
  • Exhibit A, Academy (University of Bristol)
  • Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Lower Voices Collegiate Arrangement

  • Vivek Gopalakrishnan: "Circus" from SPACEWALK, The AllNighters (Johns Hopkins University)
  • Kevin DeLisa: "GUY.exe" from Solace, Ithacappella
  • Felix Dickenson: "Bang Bang Bang" from Exhibit A, Academy (University of Bristol)
  • Jonathan Meyers: "You Are The Reason" from Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • Tre DiPassio: "Counting Stars" from Sing It!, Brick City Singers (Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT))
  • Levi Moneyhun: "Slow Dancing in the Dark" from Bare Maximum, U of Virginia Academical Village People (University of Virginia)
  • Oliver Cardona: "Brother" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Lower Voices Collegiate Solo

  • Zac Love, Yaphet Bustos; Matt Newman (Vocal Percussion): "Feel Good" from Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • Brendan Jacob Smith: "Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy" from Solace, Ithacappella
  • Dijuan Gilbert : "This City" from Juxta Juice , Juxtaposition (Virginia Tech)
  • Jordan Maia: "River" from Bare Maximum, U of Virginia Academical Village People (University of Virginia)
  • Mike Fuller: "Silhouette" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Lower Voices Collegiate Song

  • "High Hopes" from Vocal Point, Vocal Point (Brigham Young University)
  • "Circus" from SPACEWALK, The AllNighters (Johns Hopkins University)
  • "Lost In Japan" from Storming The Castle, Achordants (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • "Still Feel" from Polarized, The Buffalo Chips
  • "Particular Taste" from Juxta Juice , Juxtaposition (Virginia Tech)
  • "Bang Bang Bang" from Exhibit A, Academy (University of Bristol)
  • "Daydreaming" from Imbroglio, Fundamentally Sound (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Best Upper Voices Collegiate Album

  • Solstice, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • Note to Self, Note-oriety (James Madison University)

Best Upper Voices Collegiate Arrangement

  • Sonia Yuen: "goodbye/Evergreen" from Out of Line, California Golden Overtones (University of California Berkeley)
  • Amy Smith: "Retrograde" from Solstice, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • Mariana Lepecki: "Haunted" from Haunted, Medusa (University of Chicago)
  • Emma Wagner: "Dreams" from Note to Self, Note-oriety (James Madison University)

Best Upper Voices Collegiate Solo

  • Renee Hutton, Sabrina Valdez: "Q.U.E.E.N." from eVAlution, Vocal Accent
  • Ruby Welsh Ferreyra, Shraddha Pandey: "Fall in Line" from Out of Line, California Golden Overtones (University of California Berkeley)
  • Olivia Dunn (primary), Emma James (trio), Julia Kelly (trio): "Evergreen" from Solstice, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • Maddie MacPhail, Krystal Apke: "Fall In Line" from Speak Your Mind, Seabelles (University of North Carolina Wilmington)
  • Rachael Billmann: "I Did Something Bad" from From Embers, Pitches and Notes (University of Wisconsin Madison)
  • Emma Wagner: "I Don't Think About You" from Note to Self, Note-oriety (James Madison University)

Best Upper Voices Collegiate Song

  • "I Did Something Bad" from From Embers, Pitches and Notes (University of Wisconsin Madison)
  • "When The Party's Over" from Solstice, Loreleis (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • "Mama's Gun" from eVAlution, Vocal Accent
  • "Fall in Line" from Out of Line, California Golden Overtones (University of California Berkeley)
  • "American Boy " from Brookline Ave, Simmons Sirens (Simmons University )
  • "Haunted" from Haunted, Medusa (University of Chicago)

Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Album

  • Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)
  • Watch the Stairs, Amalgamates (Tufts University)
  • Words Unsaid, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)
  • Sanctum, DaCadence (University of Maryland)
  • Legacy, The Acaphiliacs (Florida State University)
  • Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)

Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Arrangement

  • Darby Lestin: "All For Us" from Forever, All-Night Yahtzee (Florida State University)
  • Ethan Treiman: "Levels" from This Name (Vol. 1), Doox of Yale (Yale University )
  • Lily Carmichael & Sophia Calder: "Shatter" from Words Unsaid, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)
  • Andrew Richardson, Kayla Mauk: "God is a Woman" from Promise, Potsdam Pitches (SUNY Potsdam )
  • Kyle Frattini: "All Night Long" from Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)
  • Eric Tarlin, Jake Stone: "My Mind" from A Moment Or Two, Opportunes (Harvard University)

Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Solo

  • Kelsey Smith: "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" from Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)
  • Landry Krebs: "Jason's Song (Gave It Away)" from Dealer's Choice, Off The Beat (University of Pennsylvania)
  • Isabel Grossman-Sartain: "What's Going On" from Watch the Stairs, Amalgamates (Tufts University)
  • Olivia Keane: "I Am." from Words Unsaid, The Vassar Devils (Vassar College)
  • Alyssa Sposato: "Sandcastles" from Promise, Potsdam Pitches (SUNY Potsdam )
  • Rachel Kahn: "My Mind" from A Moment Or Two, Opportunes (Harvard University)

Best Mixed Voices Collegiate Song

  • "My Mind" from A Moment Or Two, Opportunes (Harvard University)
  • "A Little Wicked" from Legacy, The Acaphiliacs (Florida State University)
  • "Water Under the Bridge" from Watch the Stairs, Amalgamates (Tufts University)
  • "Levels" from This Name (Vol. 1), Doox of Yale (Yale University )
  • "Bass Song" from Fire & Concrete, Chordials (Cornell University)
  • "All Night Long" from Quintessential, The ScatterTones (University of California Los Angeles)

 

 

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 2021 CARA committee was: Ricky Jabarin, Ian Wolfe, Jessica Chen, Shane Ardell, Thomas (TeKay) King, and Alexander Koutzoukis.

Posted in CARAs