We are Pitch Perfect and Sing It On

Our tournaments have already inspired blockbuster movies, TV shows, books, podcasts, blogs … what’s next?

Our ICCA tournament is featured in the hit movie franchise Pitch Perfect — now the highest-grossing musical series of all time. (The movie is based on the non-fiction book Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory, which documents the true story of two rival groups competing against each other in the ICCA.) Our executive director is a judge in one of the scenes, and some of our real-life ICCA competitors appear in the movie!

But it isn’t just a fictionalized version of our tournament that’s hit the pop culture mainstream. The stories of our real ICCA competitors and events in 2015 and 2016 were featured over two seasons in the reality TV docu-series, Sing It On. The show followed five a cappella groups on their journey to the ICCA Finals. Varsity Vocals partnered with POP TV, a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate, and CORE Media Group, makers of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, to create the show. It was executive produced by John Legend, who once made it to ICCA Finals with his college a cappella group, the Penn Counterparts; our executive director, Amanda Newman, served as co-executive producer on the series. Sing It On aired in 80 million homes in the summer of 2015.

Series Preview

Filmed during our 2015 and 2016 competition seasons, Sing It On followed five of our competing groups on their journey to ICCA finals!

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An Old Friend

A clip from Sing It On season 2, featuring a visit from one of the stars of season 1!

Sing It On at ICCA Northeast Semifinals

The Hexachords take the stage at Boston Symphony Hall, ready to earn their way to the ICCA Finals in New York City.

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Prepping for Finals

Faux Paz made it to ICCA Finals for the second year in a row, so they know how hard they’ll need to prepare to come out on top.

Faux Paz Observes

Faux Paz sizes up the 2016 ICCA Finals competition and breaks down where they think they fit in.

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John Legend

The one and only John Legend tells us how he originally got into the a cappella scene.

“My a cappella group in college, the UPenn Counterparts, were once ICCA finalists ourselves, so I know personally how much hard work, commitment, and talent it takes to win a place on (the ICCA finals) stage. The skills you’ve shown to get here and the friendships you’ve made along the way will lift you up for the rest of your lives.” — John Legend in Sing It On