UNC Loreleis release ninth album, continuing legacy of excellence in a capella

On Friday, UNC a cappella group, the Loreleis, released their ninth studio album in preparation for their upcoming spring concert on April 12. 

The group performs twice a year at their Fall Jam and Spring Concert. Since their first release in 2011, they have dropped several studio albums available on all streaming platforms.

Founded in 1981, the group was named after mythical sirens in German folklore who were said to have lured sailors to their deaths with their enchanting voices along the Rhine River.

President of the Loreleis and UNC senior Ramya Kunduru said the group was created to provide a space for “upper voices,” people who sing in higher pitches. The organization has historically consisted of women. 

In 2022, the Loreleis held a special concert to commemorate the group’s forty year anniversary, with many Lorelei alumni in attendance. 

“That spring concert was a time to really remember the forty years of women that have come before,” Kunduru said. 

Over the years, the Loreleis have been featured on the CBS News Sunday Morning Show, NBC’s Today Show, and ABC’s Good Morning America. They have also performed at the White House and won eighteen Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards. 

In 1996, the Loreleis became the first group to win the National Championship of Collegiate A Cappella, now known as the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA). 

Kunduru said, in recent years, the group has chosen not to compete in the ICCA to allow them more time to focus on other performances.

In addition to performing at their fall and spring concerts, the Loreleis also collaborate with other a cappella groups. Each year, they host a winter showcase in partnership with local high schools. They have also traveled to perform at other universities. 

“Last year, we went to the University of Virginia, and we sang at the intermission for one of the Virginia groups, the Hullabahoos, and they have come to campus and mixed with us here a few times, so we really enjoy their company,” Co-Publicity Manager and UNC senior Madeline Nguyen said.

As members graduate and new students arrive at UNC, the group experiences continuous change.

“Every year, you lose a class and gain a class. Each iteration is very different from the ones before it,” Loreleis alumnus Ellie Riggsbee said. “But at the same time, it seems like there's always this sense of camaraderie.”

This year, the Loreleis consists of 15 members. First-year Shreya Ravi said joining them was one of the best decisions she made at UNC. 

“They're all just genuinely so supportive and so talented,” she said. 

Upon joining the group, each member is given a short nickname. Music Director Abby Workman said shorter names are easier to call out during rehearsals, but it is also a part of the group’s culture. 

Workman’s nickname came after she mentioned her love of drinking chai in her audition, which inspired the group to start calling her “Kai.”

“I don't think I've ever said many of these girls' real names in a long time,” Kunduru said.

The Loreleis newest album, "A Crowded Room," has been four years in the making. The album has eleven songs and includes the voices of members from the classes of 2022 through 2027.

Recently, the group has been preparing for their spring concert, which features solos from each of the four seniors to celebrate and commemorate their time as Loreleis.

“It's also a matter of letting each senior show their individuality, beyond our traditional set to be like, ‘Hey, this is like the little piece of me that I'm going to leave with the group,’” Kunduru said.

Nguyen said the Loreleis are a big family, saying she met some of her best friends through the group.

“It's kind of amazing how music brings us all together, and we've been able to still create this beautiful bond,” Nguyen said. 

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