The SoCal VoCals, a collegiate a cappella group formed in 1995 at the University of Southern California, began with a small ensemble of male and female students arranging pop, rock, and jazz pieces. Their breakthrough came in 2008 when they won the Grand Champion title at the ICCA in New York, a feat repeated in 2010, 2012, 2015, and 2018, making them the first group to win the competition five times. The group released the studio album This Ain't No Choir, Babe in 1997, followed by albums such as Unanimous in 2009 and Permit to Harmonize in 2013, and the EP V in 2018. Performances at the Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Carnegie Hall highlighted their energetic style, while alumni such as Scott Hoying and Ben Bram went on to national acclaim.
