Any kind of music can benefit from an effective acapella song, whether it’s because the vocalists can hold the listener’s attention or because there aren’t any unnecessary instruments that call attention to the lyrics.
This is particularly true of the acapella performance of Josh Groban’s 2003 hit song “You Raise Me Up” by Brigham Young University (BYU) Vocal Point. They breathe new life into this upbeat song.
Learners In 1991, Dave Boyce and Bob Ahlander started BYU Vocal Point, an acapella group. The quartet became well-known on campus after their debut performance, which was sold out.
Not only did BYU Vocal Point finish fifth in the third season of NBC’s The Sing-Off, but since its founding, the group has received additional awards.
When they revealed on social media in December 2018 that they had signed a record deal with the classical label Decca Gold, part of the Universal Music Group, they became even more well-known for their talent.
“We’re just regular college students doing amazing things,” said member Jason Bromley.
The vocal performance in the “You Raise Me Up” music video is powerful.
The gorgeous landscape of mountains and valleys serves as the backdrop for the music video for “You Raise Me Up.”
The tape starts with a single, distinct voice, and a second later, another one harmonizes with it to create a rich, multilayered sound.
In addition to their crisp, bright vocals, the group produces amazing vocal percussion noises.
The vocalists’ performance of the song gets more engrossing as they move through the hilly landscape.
The situation nearly descends into an overly serene condition, demonstrating the ability of music to carry listeners away.
It’s hard to tell who the lead singers are because of how well their harmonies mesh.
They offer a strikingly distinctive interpretation of this much covered song, rather than just copying the original.
The song incorporates their distinct style and arrangement, and the new hook at the end improves the harmonies. An extra student chorus supports the crescendo, resulting in an incredibly potent finale.
You will love BYU Vocal Point’s amazing performance of “You Raise Me Up.” Enjoy this memorable and moving performance while you relax.
11 Actors Who Had a Chance to Portray a Legendary Character but Missed It
There are many ways to get a starring role. Some actors are selected during castings, while others are invited due to their popularity, which is what happened to Kate Winslet after Titanic. But not all auditions end successfully, or actors may not agree to offers made by film directors or producers. For example, Russell Crowe refused to star in Lord of the Rings because his intuition told him so.
At Bright Side, we imagined what our favorite characters would look like if other people portrayed them.
Daenerys Targaryen — Elizabeth Olsen
The actress, who has become famous for her role of the Scarlet Witch, failed auditions for the role of Mother of Dragons at the beginning of her career. Elizabeth Olsen later described what happened: “It was the most awkward audition I’d ever had. I was doing the Khaleesi speech when she comes out of the fire. It was awful. I didn’t get a callback.” As a result, Daenerys was played by Emilia Clarke.
Aragorn — Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe was asked once whether he regretted refusing to play Aragorn in the iconic trilogy, Lord of the Rings. The actor honestly replied that he had never thought about it and explained why he didn’t join the project. According to Crowe, Peter Jackson never really wanted to cast him for the role of Aragorn. Russell’s instinct told him that the director already had a suitable person in mind, so he politely declined the offer.
Ellie Sattler — Gwyneth Paltrow
In 1992, Gwyneth Paltrow wanted to get the role of Dr. Ellie Sattler. This part would’ve really helped the career of the aspiring actress because Jurassic Park had become a popular franchise. However, the future star failed, and the role went to Laura Dern.
James Bond — Henry Cavill
Now it’s hard to imagine anyone but the brilliant Daniel Craig playing this role, but Henry Cavill had a chance to become the new Agent 007. The actor was turned down because he was “a little chubby.” Cavill accepted the criticism with dignity and began to do more physical training, which helped him in his future career.
Jane Smith — Gwen Stefani
Popular singer Gwen Stefani is a truly versatile person. She almost landed the lead role in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Stefani went to quite a few auditions, but eventually, she made a choice in favor of a musical career. And Jane Smith was played by the amazing Angelina Jolie.
Indiana Jones — Tom Selleck
The actor almost played the cheerful adventurer. Tom Selleck got the role of Indiana Jones, but by that time, he had already signed on for the Magnum, P.I. TV series, and the producers didn’t allow him to combine the 2 projects.
Prince Caspian — Nicholas Hoult
According to the actor, auditions for the role of Prince Caspian were the worst in his career. Nicholas Hoult was asked to speak with a Hispanic accent, like Puss in Boots from Shrek. Holt was embarrassed by this request because he wasn’t prepared for it. Eventually, the role went to British actor Ben Barnes, who was the perfect fit.
Viola De Lesseps — Kate Winslet
After the resounding success of Titanic, Kate Winslet received many offers from different film directors. She was invited to take part in Shakespeare in Love, but the actress refused because she wanted to work on more independent projects. Eventually, Gwyneth Paltrow landed the role. And she made the right choice, as she was awarded an Oscar for her performance.
Alex Munday — Angelina Jolie
We know from Angelina Jolie’s filmography that she loves to take part in action flicks. But still, there was a similar project the actress rejected. Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz did their best to convince Jolie to play their partner but to no avail.
Jolie felt she wasn’t right for this role and later explained her refusal: “I’m not at that point in my career, so audiences won’t have as much fun watching me run around in high heels chasing bad guys and flipping my hair.”
Patrick Bateman — Johnny Depp
Initially, American Psycho was supposed to be directed by Stuart Gordon. The director saw only Johnny Depp in the main role and persuaded him to take it. But the author of the novel abruptly changed his mind. He pulled Stuart Gordon’s rights to the book and called Johnny Depp a lightweight actor who was too old to play the part. Depp was 28 at the time.
Christian Grey — Charlie Hunnam
In 2013, all the newspapers announced the news of the year: Charlie Hunnam would star in the screen adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey. But a few months later, the actor changed his mind and refused the role. As it turned out, Hunnam had a nervous breakdown due to his busy work schedule.
The actor realized that he wouldn’t be able to do his job properly, but this decision was very difficult for him. Hunnam hasn’t seen any of the films in the trilogy because he called that situation “the worst professional experience” of his life.
Do you think the actors from our article would have been more convincing in these roles? Share your opinion in the comments below.
Preview photo credit Game of Trones / HBO, Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP / East News
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