The Best I’ve Seen: Best Solo

The best I’ve seen highlights the very best in collegiate a cappella, as seen in the admittedly biased and limited view of the author.

This time, we share the best solo I’ve seen in collegiate a cappella.

It has become a cliché in NBA basketball—a vertically challenged broadcaster watches a gifted player soar to the hoop, and throw down a gravity-defying dunk, then comments, “Just once in my life, I’d like to do that.” This line couldn’t help but come to mind, watching University of Delaware Vocal Point’s Alfredo Austin take flight with Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” at 2007 ICCA quarterfinal at Lafayette College. This solo was the perfect combination of silky smooth vocals, stage presence, and a certain it-factor. Simply put, Austin owned the stage, showing a perfect ease and confidence, not to mention the smile of showmanship to help win the crowd to his cause. He rightfully earned outstanding soloist honors for the night, thought the group did not progress to the next round of the competition.

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