The Touchtones, an all-female a cappella group, will be releasing its third E.P., or extended play, on Spotify by the end of this semester, just in time for the group’s 35th anniversary.
The Touchtones, founded in 1983, is the University’s first officially recognized a cappella group and is known for performances featuring “bold musicality” and an “electrifying stage presence” centered on a wide number of genres, according to the group’s website.
Three years since the group’s last E.P. release, this upcoming E.P. will feature five songs, which, in addition to showcasing the group’s usual bold and powerful vocality, will also feature new sound and talent, according to Nicole Lehman ’20, Touchtones’ business manager.
Lehman said that the Touchtones took this recording opportunity very seriously because this upcoming E.P. not only serves as a record of the group’s growth and progress over the past years but also as a platform for the group to amplify their voices at the University and beyond.
“Having professionally recorded music is a huge opportunity for any a cappella group and especially for us … because that’s where you can show your most polished work, and it’s something that is easy to share with friends and family,” Lehman said.
“[Recording this E.P.] adds some legitimacy to the work that we do on campus, and it also is something that is long-lasting … we can leave a little bit of the current group’s legacy by having this music online, kind of forever,” she added.
Lehman said other Cornellians can look forward to this E.P. because the Touchtones “do something really special in the realm of all female a cappella.”
Lehman said the Touchtones try to create music in an innovative way that not only challenges themselves but also challenges their listeners by going beyond what is stereotypical of the genre.
“I think that we really try to create a sound that is very raw and authentic, in that you can hear our personalities … and the energy we have,” Lehman said.
Despite being one of many all-female a cappella groups on campus, the Touchtones prides itself on being able to showcase “a ton of attitude and talent” in the compelling and dynamic shows that they deliver to their audiences, according to Lehman.
She said the Touchtones value femininity as a part of their identity, but don’t let it limit them from singing songs by rock bands, singer-songwriters or songs from other unstereotypical genres.
“We want everyone to know our name, know what we can bring,” Lehman said. “Having that E.P. which everyone can hear at anytime is going to be a really great way to get our voices out there.”
While the full E.P. will likely be released by the end of the semester on Spotify, one single from the collection will come out in just a few weeks. Lehman also said that the entire E.P. would possibly also be available on iTunes.