Showing why they're semifinalists… with a bit of a strong future sprinkled in.
Just six weeks after making history for the program with
its first-ever berth in the Varsity Vocals International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Southwest Semifinals, the
Grand Canyon University Club A Cappella teams delivered a varied and entertaining 12-song performance at the GCU Spring Showcase at Howerton Hall on the GCU campus. The hourlong event showcased the program's two main teams - the Canyon Crescendos and the first-year, all-female team of the Canyon Belles - as they took turns dazzling the near-capacity crowd to officially put the cap on their 2025-26 season.
"Having the showcase be equal between the Belles and the Crescendos was so important to us because we wanted this showcase to be a true celebration of the GCU Club A Cappella family," said
Lopes' Student Leader Elyse Reed. "Both groups have accomplished so much this year, so we wanted to take the time to highlight both teams."
The evening began with the Canyon Belles performing a pair of songs as a group, with
Madi Hatfield and
Solveig Levang soloing in front of the group during Ariana Grande's "Problem" before
Madison Reese stepped to the front of the stage to lead them on "Lose You to Love Me" by Selena Gomez. The Canyon Crescendos then closed out the first half of the show with the trio of numbers they performed at the ICCA events, leading off with a mashup of a pair of Muse songs: "Butterflies and Hurricanes" and "Follow Me", with Lopes' freshman
Isaac Johnson delivering a powerful lead vocal. Heavy metal fans did a double-take on the next number as Reed's arrangement on Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters" put a completely different spin on the composition. The trio of Reed,
Sariah Otero-Sermeno and GCU senior
Emily Foran then worked magic between each other in sending the crowd to intermission with Yebba's "Stand".
After the break, the Belles took center stage again, with
Sydney Estrem putting her signature in lead on Lorde's "Green Light", then giving the lead mic to
Morgan McKinney for "Vortex" (a Lizzy McAlpine song) before Hatfield and
Grace Baker ended the set as co-leads on One Republic's "Counting Stars". The Crescendos then finished out the show by taking the audience back a few decades. Otero-Sermeno delivered a masterful version of '70's favorite "Come Sail Away" (Styx) before the group moved to the mid-'90's for the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris". Glendale native
Caleb Simpson debuted his version of the Foo Fighters' song "Holding Poison" before the two departing Crescendos' seniors, Foran and Zach Colin, stepped the front of the stage for a duet of Fleetwood Mac standard "Landslide", drawing a tear or two from their teammates as they watched them deliver their final song as members. Reed bid the audience good night after Foran, Colin and Belles' senior
Aurora Coltrain were given farewell bouquets by the team and saluted by the crowd.
"The growth and success of the Canyon Belles - alongside the newly formed Heights Ensemble - highlights something bigger than any one group," said
Lopes' Student Leader Enrique Urbina. "The Crescendos' advancement and placement show that the program as a whole is reaching a new level. It reflects a shift we haven't seen before: one where multiple groups are not only participating but truly thriving."
