TLI Staff
New Delhi: Penn Masala, a South Asian a cappella group that also featured in Hollywood blockbuster Pitch Perfect 2 are in the closing quartet of A Cappella NCPA Championship. To reach the closing quartet, Penn Masala beat fellow NCPA A Cappella All-American, Midwest Region Champion, and Big 10 A Cappella powerhouse Illinois No Comment.
Over 5,000 nationawide groups participated in UpStagedAid: One World, Every Student Voice NCPA A Cappella Championships for $10,000+ in cash prizes for teams and their chosen Social Justice Charity.
Out of these 5,00 group, four semi-finalists were chosen by a panel of judges including Emmy-winning television choral contest Sing That Thing! (PBS) judge/vocal consultant
Annette Philip; acclaimed vocalist, songwriter, producer Christopher Diaz; and global talent scout, Karen Lee Grybowski, and Gisele Bundchen.
Penn Masala is an all-male group and was formed in 1996 and is renowned as the first and leading South Asian A Cappella group. It has released ten albums: Awaaz, 11 PM, Soundcheck, The Brown Album, Pehchaan, On Detours, Panoramic, Kaavish, Resonance,Yuva, an EP titled Vol. 1 and the compilation album Out of Stock. The group has performed at the White House, Filmfare Awards, and for Ban Ki-moon and Mukesh Ambani. They also did a cameo in Pitch Perfect 2.
A Penn Masala spokesperson said, “We are delighted to be in these Upstaged Championships. We perform a mashup song of Castle on the Hill and the Hindi song Ilahi. It’s a
perfect representation of both Western culture and our South Asian roots. We are supporting Black Men Heal, a local NGO here that works towards mental health.”
In the Closing Quartet, Penn Masala faces NCPA New England Champion and NCPA All-Americans Harvard Opportunes (competing for the NAACP Legal Defense & Education
Fund) who held off NCPA Northeast Region and South Asian National Champion Rutgers RAAG after defeating decorated Ivy nemesis Doox of Yale and top-ranked Berklee Pitch Slapped..
Broadway On Demand, will showcase the announcement with Ringling Bros.’ Last Ringmaster, Johnathan Lee Iverson, hosting and Tony Award-winning show Hamilton’s, actor extraordinaire Jared Dixon (Aaron Burr) congratulating the finalists. NPR’s Peabody Award-winning Morning Edition recently announced the semi-finalists:
A cappella music is group or solo performance without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way.