Deny it all you want, but we both know that you love to sing. Anywhere and everywhere: in your car, in the shower and even in your dorm (once your roommate has left for that grueling 8 a.m.). And after seeing Pitch Perfect approximately a thousand times, you’ve become obsessed with a cappella groups. You’ve already seen our picks for the best a cappella groups in the country, but it’s time to give that list a dash of girl power. Check out the 10 best female a cappella groups in the country. We have a sneaking suspicion you’ll be singing along to these groups’ amazing covers!
10. Daughters of Triton (University of California, San Diego)
These girls are so good, they might as well be Ariel’s group of singing sisters from The Little Mermaid. Founded in 2000, the Daughters of Triton are loved on both a university-wide and national level. Not only have they performed at several UCSD events, the a cappella group has also participated in the California Los Angeles A Cappella Festival. Additionally, the DOTs competed at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (a.k.a. ICCA) and won the Asian Pacific Islander Student Alliance’s talent show in 2009. While V V Brown’s “Shark In the Water” is their go-to song, we also love the group’s rendition of “Call Me Maybe.”
9. Out of the Blue (Duke University)
As Duke University’s oldest female a cappella group, Out of the Blue is an international sensation. Need proof? From belting their hearts out on Turkish television (yes, you read that correctly) to singing at Carnegie Hall, the a cappella group has performed everywhere. But if you want to hear them in the comfort of your own dorm room, OOTB has been featured on several compilation albums, such as “Best of College A Cappella” (a.k.a. BOCA) in 2007 and “Voices Only” in 2012. Nothing like unwinding to some Beyoncé or Imagine Dragons covers after a long day of school!
8. Terpsichore (Boston University)
With 23 years of musical bliss under their belts, Terpsichore is Boston University’s oldest a cappella group. Performing songs like Maroon 5’s “Never Gonna Leave This Bed” and the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris”, this group is loved for its eclectic repertoire. In 2009, the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards (a.k.a. CARAs) awarded Terpsichore with awards for Best Female Collegiate Solo and Best Female Collegiate Arrangement. Not to mention the group’s arrangement of “There’s Hope” was featured on “Voices Only” in 2008. Where can we get our hands on a copy?
7. Pitch, Please (Northeastern University)
From decking the halls at Copley Mall to belting their hearts out at collegiette-approved bars, Pitch, Please is a pretty big deal in Boston. And after hearing their show-stopping covers of songs like Adele’s “Hometown Glory,” we can’t help but love them too. In 2013, this group tied with the University of Oregon’s Divisi (who are also on our list!) for “Favorite Female Collegiate Group” at the A Cappella Community Awards. And is it just us, or does their cover of “My Kind Of Love/ Titanium” also remind you of Pitch Perfect? Pretty impressive for a group whose first gig was in 2012!
6. Significant Others (Northwestern University)
How could you not love a group who sings hits like as “Can’t Make You Love Me” and “Call Your Girlfriend” ? Exactly. Though Significant Others only has three annual performances on campus, the group can often be spotted bringing musical cheer to the Chicago metro area. Does this group sound familiar to you? Sig O auditioned for season two of NBC’s The Sing-Off and made it to the contracting phase of the competition show. Casual.
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5. Men in Drag (University of Chicago)
Don’t let the name fool you; this a cappella group is made up of 100 percent collegiettes. Whether they’re sporting dresses to competitions or wearing their iconic shirts with ties, Men in Drag is one of the coolest female a cappella groups around. Their latest album, “Late Nights, Paraders,” scored five CARA nominations and won “Best Scholastic Original” in 2013. If that’s not impressive enough, Men in Drag has also been featured on several a cappella compilation albums: their rendition of “Cherry Pie” was featured on 2013’s BOCA album, and you can hear the group’s “On the Wing” arrangement on the 2011 “Voices Only” album. We know what you’re thinking, and we’re also extremely jealous of their talent.
4. Noteworthy (Brigham Young University)
It’s amazing how much nine girls can accomplish. With three albums, a bevy of incredible mash-ups, and even a few music videos, Noteworthy’s nine talented singers are nothing short of amazing. Don’t believe us? Well, both The Sing-Off Season One and the judges of the ICCA also think so. Additionally, Noteworthy was featured in an NBC Sports story and the group’s rendition of “Listen” was featured in BOCA’s 2010 album. Long story short, they’re amazing.
3. Divisi (University of Oregon)
When we listen to Divisi’s covers of Alicia Keys’ “Fallin’” and Sara Bareilles’s “Many the Miles”, we can’t help but sing along! And given Divisi’s long lists of accomplishments, we have a feeling that we’re not the only ones. Not only did Divisi tie for “Favorite Female Collegiate Group” at the 2013 A Cappella Community Awards, the group also won CARAs for “Best Female Collegiate Album of the Year” and “Best Female Collegiate Arrangement” in 2006. When they’re not traveling the country, Divisi performs every Friday for University of Oregon students and community members. Save us a seat!
2. The Loreleis (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Between dropping new albums every other year and touring nationally and internationally twice a year, it’s safe to say that the Loreleis are one busy a cappella group. Fortunately, all their hard work has paid off. Their most recent album, “A Kick & A Wallop,” earned six CARA Awards nominations in 2012. In addition to winning two CARAs for their album “Philophony” in 2011, several members have snagged awards for their incredible solo performances. Oh, and in case this wasn’t impressive enough, the Loreleis placed second at the Southern Quarterfinals of ICCA in 2011 and were featured on “Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!” in 2009. We don’t know about you, but we’re definitely getting tickets to their next a cappella concert.
1. The Sil’hooettes (University of Virginia)
They’re too modest to admit it themselves, but The Virginia Sil’hooettes are basically celebrities. And no, we’re not referring to their place on our original co-ed list. Not only has the all-girl a cappella group performed on a radio station in Boston and had a brief cameo on MTV’s The Seven, the Sils have also opened for B.o.B. and Ben Folds. As expected, the Sils’ amazing arrangements have landed them on multiple BOCA albums: their rendition of Radiohead’s “Idioteque” made the cut in 2012,“Telephone” was featured in 2011 and “You’ll Think Of Me” is on the compilation’s 2008 album. Oh, and did we mention their album “Playing with Lightning” snagged three CARAs this year? Impressed yet? Yeah, us too.
Which a cappella groups did you love? All of them, right? Which of your favorite female awesome a cappella groups did we leave out? Sound off below!