I originally sat down with the proclaimed “Wu-Tang Clan” of a cappella with the intent of filming our interview. However, the video was so amazing and life-changing that it deleted itself from my computer recording software. But even though the potentially universe altering video was lost, I still had a pretty fun time with these guys.
What sort of music do the Stairwells sing?
Cullen: Exclusively trap music.
Rory: Trap house jazz specifically.
Ethan: We sing all sorts of things. Hip/hop, R&B, some of that good old fashioned rock n’ roll…
Brian: A bit of Motown.
Ethan: Definitely Motown.
Aidan: We sing the music that the people want.
Favorite Stairwells Tradition?
Cort: Every New Year’s Eve in Alexandria we put on this huge concert, sing New Year’s Eve songs…
Bobby: What other New Year’s Eve songs are there? We sing Auld Lang Syne…
Cort: We sing Auld Lang Syne and throw a huge party. It’s just a really fun time.
Ethan: Homecoming is really cool because we have this song we’ve sung since the beginning of the group’s existence called “Glory,” and so at our Homecoming concert we bring all of our alumni up on stage to sing it with us and it sounds amazing.
Brian: Fall Tour is always super fun. The past few years we’ve gone to South Carolina. We perform, we go camping, and just hang out with each other.
Favorite part of Thanksgiving?
Aidan: I like going home and….talking to my family.
Rory: I like to tell my family I’m majoring in disappointment.
Ethan: I have a really big family so Thanksgiving is the one time I get to see everyone. There’s so much food, my aunt makes FiFi Rolls, which…well I can’t really explain what they are but they’re really good.
Bobby: My family doesn’t really do the whole turkey feast thing. Sometimes we just order a bunch of Chinese food. I remember one year we ate a bunch of different types of stir fry. Stuff like that ya know? Keep it fresh.
Favorite Christmas song?
Bobby: That song, about the chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Except that’s not what it’s called—it’s called “The Christmas Song” and its fantastic.
Ethan: We sing “O Holy Night” and it’s beautiful. Except I have the solo in it, which is really high. It kind of scares me. I wish someone else would take that solo.
If you were a Disney princess, which one would you be and why
Cullen: Ariel, no question.
Cort: I can appreciate Ariel, considering she’s a metaphor for the evils of capitalism.
Wave: PRINCESS JASMINE.
Ethan: Nala from the Lion King, cause she can pin ya, then pin ya again.
Aidan: Tiana from The Princess and the Frog is pretty cool.
Bobby: But for real if you’re not answering Cinderella, you’re crazy.
Anything else we should know about you guys?
Brian: Our Wren Ten is December 2nd, come and hang out with us, we have some cool new songs and it’ll just be a fun time!!
*special shoutout to Gav Bishntok, who spoke exclusively in Italian during the length of the interview and thus I could not transcribe any of his words