The members of Bellacappella, the Saint Mary’s a cappella group, are preparing to say goodbye to the graduating seniors with their annual spring concert Friday. The concert, titled “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” will feature all 11 members of the group singing and dancing to a variety of songs.
First year Bellacappella member Annie B. Zingalis said the setlist this year focuses on songs about female strength and empowerment, while fellow Bellacappella member and senior Lauren Zyber said the songs allow for a fun, high-energy concert.
“It’s an energetic concert,” Zyber said. “It’s not a very long concert, but the songs we have this semester are super fun. The audience will enjoy it, and we’ll have fun singing.”
According to Zyber and Zingalis, the setlist includes “All the Small Things,” “Quiet” and “Rise Up.” The group also plans on performing a mashup of the songs “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”
As per tradition, the group will also sing “The Bells of Saint Mary’s” as a tribute to the College. For the group, junior Mackenzie Griffin said singing this song can be an emotional moment.
“This will sound cheesy, but I always look forward to ‘The Bells of Saint Mary’s,’” she said. “We sway and hold hands together.”
The hardest part of the spring concert is saying goodbye to the seniors, Griffin said. This year, there are three Bellacappella seniors graduating.
“It’s really bittersweet,” she said. “We’re saying goodbye to the seniors. It’s our last hurrah, but seeing what we’ve done with them past two or three years is exciting.”
Zyber said the a cappella group becomes like a second family, and that it is tough for her to say goodbye. She said what she will miss most after graduation is singing with people she loves.
“I’ll miss the relationships,” Zyber said. “Singing has a very connecting power. We have to listen to each other and think about balance and how we blend. It can be vulnerable. We become really close with each other. It’s a deep bond.”
Zingalis agrees, and said the seniors have become like sisters to her.
Though the time commitment is heavy, Griffin said the group enjoyed putting in a lot of work to make their spring concert a memorable one. Throughout the year the group performs at fun events and tailgates, she said, but the end of the year concert is the most rewarding event. Zingalis said the time commitment of multiple hours of practice a week is worth it.
“It’s a big time commitment, but it’s fun,” she said. “It’s stress-relieving. It’s a good break from hard academics. It takes time, but it’s a good use of time.”
Griffin said the group hopes their bond translates from practice to the stage, and they are excited for their friends and family to see all the hard work they’ve done this year.
“We have a group of people who are always willing to turn to each other,” she said. “We’re super supportive. Even when somebody messes up, we tell each other we did great.”
The concert is Friday at 7 p.m. in Carroll Auditorium. Tickets are $3, and the money will go toward funding Bellacappella events next year.
