Her Campus Adelphi had the amazing opportunity to speak with Adelphi’s own a cappella group Paws and Rewind before opening for Blue Jupiter. All of the members were super talented and had some really great things to say about their group
Her Campus Adelphi: What inspired you guys to start your group and how’d you go about it?
Paws And Rewind: Senior Steph McKenna answered:When I was a freshman, I envisioned an a cappella group getting started and I collaborated with Katie Masters. We tried to get it going but weren’t able to until junior year. We’re seniors now and we finally got something together. Just the fact that we persevered and kept trying…this is just such an amazing talented group and I’m glad that we kept at it and didn’t give up.
HCA: How’d you guys come up with the name?
P&R: It was a collaborative group effort. I think one of our graduates came up with the name and we all kinda fell in love with the name and the idea and we stuck with it.
HCA: What are some of your favorite gigs that you’ve performed so far?
P&R: We went to St. Joseph’s for an a cappella educational and that was fun. We performed for Relay for Life. That was really great as well.
HCA: What is your favorite thing about being in an cappella group?
PAR: Andrew Ostrow responded: when I got here, I was looking for the opportunity to perform because I had done theatre. When I heard about this, I knew it was definitely something I wanted to be apart of. It’s so much fun. Everyone’s like a family. I just have a great time.
HCA: What are some of the challenges that your group faces?
P&R: Kindeya Chiyaro responded I think communication’s one of our biggest issues, but we’ve definitely taken big strides. Katie Masters also said that it’s also really tough keeping a room with a large amount of people under control. Sometimes it gets a little out of hand so it’s tough to keep everyone in check. But I think we always are able to bring it in.
HCA: What does your group do to be involved on campus?
P&R: One of our co-founders who was a senior last year was really involved. She made a lot of connections for us. One of them was SASA and we were asked us to perform at its fashion show. They asked us to come back again this year so that’s how we get reoccurring gigs. Through that new organizations find out about us. That’s how we branch out—it’s like a cycle. Also we’re all involved in other organizations so people from those will ask us to perform.
HCA: How does your group go about learning a piece?
P&R: Jenn Krang answered I arrange the music with a couple of people and then we just learn it. Sometimes we split into groups and voices will switch around to what the song needs. Then we use our motor memory and work it until we learn it. Everyone’s super talented and a musician so we’re able to get it down pretty quick.
HCA: What’s your favorite style of music to cover?
P&R: We mostly do Pop/Top 40’s.
HCA: Do you have a favorite piece that you like to perform?
P&R: Run to you is great because it’s different for us because there’s no beat-boxing—it’s all ooh’s and ah’s, and there’s no soloist or conductor so it’s something that we all have to really feel.
HCA: Do you have any projects that you’re working on for the future?
P&R: We have a surprise album dropping—just kidding! We’re working on Christmas music. Last year we went caroling with Circle K so we hope to do that again.
HCA: What’s different about being in an a cappella group compared to any other singing group you’ve been in before? Is it like Pitch Perfect?
P&R: Obviously that’s exactly what it’s like. No we’re kidding. Katie Masters added that as a music major, she has been in a lot of professional, faculty-run music groups so there’s a whole different balance to it. As a student group, it’s a little more laid back, but we still get just as much work done. Steph McKenna added it’s a little more collaborative. Usually in other groups, there’s a conductor standing up front telling everyone what to do, but with this, everyone’s working together with the music.
HCA: How does everyone come to work together as a group?
P&R: We’re really like a family. We all have roles like the mom and the dad and the grandma. There’s so much diversity amongst us and we use that to collaborate and come together as one big group. One of the members added that she feels like she can talk to anyone in the group and that it helps that they’re not only musically connected, they’re also friends. Another member added that since we’re a large group, there’s a lot of different opinions and voices that want to speak out. But we always manage to overcome it and come to agreements.
HCA: What’s your a cappella inspiration?
P&R: Pentatonix!
HCA: How do you feel about opening for Blue Jupiter?
P&R: So excited! It’s a big honor!
Paws and Rewind did a phenomenal job performing at the Blue Jupiter concert! Her Campus Adelphi wishes the best for it in its future endeavors! If you want to hear P&R for yourselves, check out its promo video and cover of Stand Up!