The 2012 hit movie “Pitch Perfect” grossed over $115 million at the box office, introducing many of its viewers to the world of acapella. Vocal Intensity, the coed acapella group on campus, captured the film in real life.

The group started a recent rehearsal by rearranging the room and setting chairs in a circle. As the members stood in formation, their voices and energy filled the room while they danced and laughed with each other. 

Singing songs like “Don’t Blame Me” by Taylor Swift and “Golden Hour” by JVKE, the group showcased their vocal range and harmonized as one. 

Logan Peters, a member of Vocal Intensity, described the organization by comparing it to the acapella groups in “Pitch Perfect.”

“Picture a choir, but make it more pop music and add minimal choreography and movement,” Peters said. “Just a more aesthetically pleasing music experience.”

Vocal Intensity is the only acapella group on campus and was established in 2015. They make, arrange, rehearse and perform a variety of music genres and styles. They sing at various events, including their own concerts and smaller gigs around the area. 

Several members were a part of choir and ensembles in high school, including their president, who joined Vocal Intensity because she wanted to continue her singing journey. It was a way to get involved with music even if she weren’t pursuing a career in it. 

“I knew I wasn’t going to take any music classes with my major, so I thought it would be a fun experience to try out, and I ended up really loving it,” Kylee Worner, the president of Vocal Intensity, said. 

Worner said acapella groups have not been represented in the way other people are used to, and Vocal Intensity showcases a new side of the activity. The acapella group has recently been singing a lot of pop and R&B music, which has drawn a bigger crowd. 

Their concerts mimic the performances in “Pitch Perfect” with choreography, soloists and music mashups to connect with their audience and create a more relatable experience. Peters and Worner said the group adds minimal dancing and more pop music to their sets to make the performances more fun.

“This past semester we sang a Rhianna mashup, and the energy we got from the crowd was the most energy I’ve ever gotten from a crowd performing,” said Aalliyah Plass, the vice president of Vocal Intensity. “It was unreal. I’ve never felt anything like that before.” 

Vocal Intensity consists of students majoring in a wide range of subjects from marketing to psychology, and people with or without previous musical experience. The group is inclusive and welcoming to anyone with a passion for music, and the environment fosters many close friendships.

“I think we’re just a big group of best friends. We’re super close and it’s something fun for us to do,” Plass said. “Music is what brings us closest together.”

This year, the group will be competing at a national level at the International Championship of Collegiate Acappella, the ICCA, which is the same competition shown in “Pitch Perfect.”   

The ICCA takes place from January through April, and it is a bracket system with quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The competition is the only tournament that showcases student and professional acappella singing. 

Around 450 groups compete in the ICCA, and finals will be held in the Beacon Theatre in New York City according to the Varsity Vocals website. 

After sending in an audition video, the group was selected to compete in the regional quarterfinals at Case Western University March 2. They will compete against 10 teams throughout the day, and the first and second place winners will move onto the semifinals.

“Unfortunately last year we didn’t get to go to the last round, but I have a good feeling about this year,” Plass said. 

Competing at the ICCA is a way for members to showcase their skills across a larger platform and gain recognition for their hard work. In some cases, the competition proves that the group is worth being in.

“Normally the arts aren’t in a competitive atmosphere like this… and it really is your chance to show people that you deserve to be in this competitive ring,” Peters said. “Competitions like this really put into perspective that there is objectiveness in art and there is skill in art.”

The Barden Bellas, the acapella group in “Pitch Perfect,” changed the acapella environment by introducing remixes and mashups in the movie, and Vocal Intensity is continuing their legacy in real life. 

There is a wide range of personalities in Vocal Intensity, but everyone gets along. The group has created friendships and a community that will last. 

“Not everybody in our group is a music major, and not everybody has their life centered around music,” Plass said. “Being able to all come from different backgrounds or majors and come together to make music and sound really good doing it means a lot to each of us.

Angie Robinette is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].