If there was one talent I wish I had, it’d be to sing like an angel. After watching shows like American Idol and X Factor, I somehow become inspired to sing all over my apartment, when I’m in the shower, when I’m cooking, you name it. The sad fact of it all is that my voice is excruciatingly horrible and I’m quickly silenced when my roommates threaten to duct tape my mouth shut. Unlike myself, Sam Fleischman, has a set of rockin’ tubes. With a sweet mash-up of sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses, Sam is a part of Wisconsin’s premier co-ed a cappella group-Redefined. In the words of Fat Amy, “you guys are gonna get pitch-slapped so hard, your man boobs are gonna concave.”
When did you start singing and who are your inspirations?
I’ve loved to sing my whole life, but the first time I joined a choir was my sophomore year in high school. That same year I was asked to join my high schools’ a cappella group and had an awesome time with the group. I’m a bit all over the place with my taste in music, but some of my favorite musicians are Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, Fleetwood Mac, Mumford & Sons, Beyonce, Zac Brown Band – just to name a few haha.
What made you choose to sing with Redefined?
I actually hadn’t really heard of any of the a cappella groups at Madison, but I knew I wanted to continue singing. So I kind of just auditioned on a whim. I was lucky enough to make it into two groups actually, but decided to go with Redefined because I like the co-ed sound.
I hear you don’t like to sing in front of people outside of Redefined, what’s the reasoning behind that?
Haha yeah. I don’t really know the reason for that. I guess I just feel more comfortable performing on a stage. It’s also pretty awkward when you’re just hanging out and someone finds out you can sing and asks, “can you sing something for me?”
What is the hardest part about singing a cappella?
Once we learn a song, I would say the hardest part is just working out the kinks. Things like matching vowels, blending, dynamics, and figuring out how we want to perform the song. We want each song to both sound and look good for our audiences.
When judging potential members, what do you look for?
First and foremost, a good voice: someone who is strong on a solo, but also solid with blending and matching the group. Then I look at personality and the way they perform – often times they are the same. Overall, if they have a good voice, I look for someone who could potentially mesh with the group.
Where does Redefined perform and when can we see the next show?
Redefined performs all over Madison and the Midwest. In this semester alone we are going to La Crosse, Green Bay, and Minneapolis. We will be performing a bunch in Madison, but our big show this semester will be Friday, May 10th at the Overture Center. Come check us out!