BYU Noteworthy ended their season with a fourth place finish at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella finals in New York City on April 23.
This year was the first time the group has competed in the final round since 2007, when Noteworthy became the first all-female a cappella group to win the competition.
Skylar Mertz, who graduated this semester in Psychology, said the finals were the perfect way to end her time in Noteworthy. “I just feel like we really went out with a bang,” she said.
Noteworthy began the road to the ICCA competition at the Southwest Quarterfinals Feb. 5. With a first place win, they advanced to the semifinal competition in Phoenix on March 19.
At the semifinal competition, only the first place group would move on to the finals. Mertz said while this performance was the most nerve-wracking for her, she felt the group was ready to give their all.
“I think we all knew when we got on stage and performed at semifinals that was the best we had ever performed together,” she said. “We were just so connected, spiritually and mentally and physically.”
Placing first in the semifinals took Noteworthy the rest of the way to New York City for the finals.
Mertz said their goal was to take the audience on an emotional journey. They performed arrangements of “River Deep, Mountain High” by Tina Turner, “Where Is The Love?” by The Black Eyed Peas, and “Salute” by Little Mix.
“We really wanted to do that with our ICCA set,” she said. “Just show the audience what good performers we are and how we can really send a message and not just sing.”
In the middle of competition season, the group had some challenges with balancing school and work with rehearsal. Despite the stress, Noteworthy member Grace Ibarra said the weeks before semifinals brought them closer than they’ve been before.
“We felt really good that we had put in the work and we had grown together as members of Noteworthy, and I think that was the most important part,” Ibarra said.
