On Nov. 14, Hearsay, one of Cornell’s all-women a cappella groups, performed their annual Fall Concert. The hour-and-a-half-long performance ultimately left the audience in awe of the group’s talent and presence. The atmosphere of Call Auditorium only served to enhance the performance, with the speakers amplifying the energy and rhythm of the group through the floor and seats.
Before Hearsay took the stage, the audience was presented with a funny video skit the group recorded during their preparation for the concert. When the lights dimmed, the girls emerged in denim outfits, cohesive yet unique to each member. The concert opened with a mashup of “Everybody Wants To Rule the World” by Tears for Fears and “Electric Love” by Børns. Soloed by Madeline Lee ’28 and Maya Pousson ’29, this song was lively, upbeat and a great starter.
Up next was the group’s cover of Rihanna’s “California King Bed,” soloed by Sabrina Kogan ’26. This song was a bit slower than the previous one and showcased a pretty wide range of vocals, stretching into the upper range of Kogan’s head voice. I really liked the group’s harmonies and rhythms, but the arrangement sounded simpler than many of the other songs. Though still enjoyable, this song was one of the least memorable ones of the performance for me.
Immediately following was “Crazy,” originally performed by Gnarls Barkley, which was soloed by Hearsay sophomore AJ Hecht ’28. The group’s background vocals and slow increase in tempo created a beautiful climax to the real star of the show: Hecht’s solo, which was definitely the most vocally impressive part of the first set. Her use of forced flips, falsetto and riffs created a soulful sound and left the audience in awe.
The penultimate song of the first set was Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile,” performed by Emma Linscomb ’27 and Aubrey Klippenstein ’29. The melody and delivery of lyrics was slightly different from the original, but both soloists, especially new member Klippenstein, still sounded amazing. Their high notes were stunning, albeit slightly less engaging than the original because the original is sung with a more contrasting blend of voices due to the separate male and female vocal parts. It was during this song that I noticed how strongly I could feel the rhythm from the beatboxing (done by Brianna Ramnath ’26), which really elevated the vibes of the song.
To close the set, Hearsay sang Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” a fun 2010s pop hit. Soloed by Paige Cobrin ’27, this was my favorite of the first set. Cobrin’s voice had a slight rasp, which added to the spunk of the song. Additionally, her expressive facials and movements, combined with the group’s choreography, made the song fun and dynamic and ensured the energy remained high from the start to the end of the set.
After this song, the group left the stage for intermission. Admittedly, the intermission was quite long (almost the same length as both sets, in fact). Nevertheless, the second set was well worth the wait. The group came back on stage with an outfit change, switching from the denim theme to brown dresses. In general, I enjoyed the second set more than the first — the arrangements were stunning, and the increased confidence and flow made me almost feel as if the group was holding back in the first set.
The first song of set two was RAYE’s “Oscar Winning Tears.” Not only was the song fun and sassy, but Ramnath’s solo also became my favorite part of the entire concert. Throughout the song, she never strayed from pitch, and her technique was impeccable. At the song’s climax, she belted and held her note for 15 seconds while the audience — amazed — cheered, and then she continued on perfectly as if it had been nothing.
Hannah Quigley ’26 kept this talent alive in the second song, “She Used To Be Mine” by Sara Bareilles. The song was slower, allowing the energy in the room to calm down after Ramnath’s performance. The backing vocals and harmonies in this song were probably my favorite of the show, coming together ethereally. Quigley’s solo and Ramnath’s beatboxing tied it all together into another of my favorite songs of the concert.
When I initially looked at the setlist, I was immediately excited for “Green Light” x “Supercut,” a mashup of two of my favorite Lorde songs. Before the song, Ramnath directed the groups with six pitches, indicating a six-part song. This is much more complex than the songs I have heard at previous a cappella performances, which are usually four or five parts. Out of all the night’s soloists, Tess Furno ’28, who performed this one, seemed to have a voice most similar to Lorde’s, and she definitely did the original songs justice.
The final two songs of the second set were Adele’s “Turning Tables,” soloed by Nitya Shamdasani ’26, and NIKI’s “Every Summertime,” performed by Su Jin Kang ’26. I was unfamiliar with both songs before the performance, but the simpler, cozier songs beautifully finished the set.
Finally, the group ended the concert with their alumni song, Kansas’ “Carry On My Wayward Son,” and invited Hearsay alumni to the stage to join in their final performance. Without their mics, this song felt much more down-to-earth and showcased the group’s fun dynamic with one another.
Out of the several a cappella performances I’ve been to at Cornell, Hearsay’s concert was certainly one of my favorites. The group is full of dynamic singers, and their talent is sure to leave you in awe throughout the show. For any a cappella lovers, I would highly recommend going to Hearsay’s performances!
Katherine Winton is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at kgw45@cornell.edu.
