Swan song at ‘The Sing-off’: BYU’s Vocal Point eliminated

All a cappella. All-male. All-caucasian. All over for the BYU brethren.

Vocal Point’s successful run came to an abrupt end Monday night when the singing group was eliminated from NBC’s “The Sing-Off.” BYU’s a cappella group struggled Monday night to channel the R&B swagger and soul the judges were seeking. After beating out 11 other groups during the competition, the judges ended Vocal Point’s fairy-tale run just two weeks before the grand finale.

Jake Hunsaker, a high tenor from Ogden, expressed his feelings of shock and disappointment after learning Vocal Point’s journey had come to an end.

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“It was such a torrent of emotion,” Hunsaker said. “We weren’t expecting that at all. But all the groups are really good at this point and the skill level is so high so it’s really anyone’s game. We were pretty emotional to realize that we finally get to go home after such a long time. We really feel so lucky to have gotten so far.”

Sara Bareilles, one of the three judges on the show, expressed her feelings of disappointment in the group’s second performance Monday night.
“It did feel like you were trying a little bit,” Bareilles said. “It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I couldn’t quite just lose myself in the performance with you. You were delivering all the notes and I really appreciated that you were just going for it. Overall this arrangement and performance felt a little disjointed in a way for some reason.”

Fellow judges Shawn Stockman and Ben Folds both agreed with Barielles and added that the uplifting singers from Provo always sound good but the competition is now about the little things that help the audience feel the emotions of the songs.

Tyler Sterling, a baritone from Renton, Wash., shared his optimistic views after the group was sent home.

“I honestly felt a sense of accomplishment and was very proud of how we all represented the Church and our beliefs through music,” Sterling said. “Of course we would have loved to have been ‘The Sing-Off’ champions buts we all know that there will be other great opportunities for Vocal Point in the future.”

Of the remaining five groups on “The Sing-Off,” the decision was split between Vocal Point and Afro Blue. The judges decided the performances from Vocal Point on Monday night were not up to par with the competition’s expectations and said goodbye to Provo’s most distinguished a cappella group.

Nick Lachey, the show’s announcer, said the group will be remembered for their tight harmonies and even tighter friendships.

“All of us enjoyed the experience we had to bond and grow and do it with so many great people from within Vocal Point and in other groups,” Sterling said. “It’s hard to leave knowing we put so much time, effort and work into something and then suddenly having to say goodbye to it. We feel it an amazing blessing to have been a part of it all and we’ve love the incredible support from the student body and fans across the country.”

Vocal Point’s nine-man ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Provo’s Covey Center for the Arts on Friday and Saturday. Vocal Point is conducted by Buck Magnum. For ticket information, visit coveycenter.org.