The battle has been raging for weeks.
Tonight is the final push.
This is history in the making!
Season three! It's crazy!
Four groups have risen to the top.
Congratulations.
I love you all.
But only three will lock down a coveted spot in the finale,
a shot that changed their lives forever.
I have the judges' results in my hand.
For one group, it all ends tonight.
The $200,000 cash prize
and the dream-making Sony Music recording contract
are just heartbeats away.
Getting the recording contract,
it would be a dream come true. It would be amazing.
But to take one step closer,
the top four will face our toughest challenges yet.
We're gonna have to work harder than we ever have.
First, they must combine two chart-topping hits
from completely different artists
into a single, show-stopping master mix.
It has to be great or else we won't be in the finals.
Then, they'll deliver a song chosen by our judges
to put their group to the ultimate test.
Judges' choice, baby.
This time we got to chose the songs.
Yeah, us.
But remember, there's no room for mistakes.
And it all leads up to a fateful elimination
as the top three are chosen.
We can't go home now. We're too close.
Then we open the voting lines
and turn this competition over to you.
The fight for the finale is on.
America will decide who takes the title.
Music like you've never heard.
A competition like nothing you've ever experienced.
And it all begins with a breathtaking opening number.
This is the Sing-Off.
Sync and corrected by dr.jackson for www.addic7ed.com
You just witnessed our top four groups singing
a master mix medley of hits by Gwen Stefani,
the Verve, Katie Perry, and the Who.
Our most epic season ever began with 16 vocal bands
fighting for the $200,000
and the Sony Music recording contract,
and after weeks of nonstop battle,
the four best groups in America
are left standing:
The kings of charisma, the Dartmouth Aires.
The groundbreaking remixers, Pentatonix.
The exciting hip-hop daredevils, Urban Method.
And the maestros of a classic sound, Afro-Blue.
These groups delivered powerful performances
and poured their hearts into every single note
this season, but for a shot at the title,
they'll have to win over
our heavy-hitting trio of judges:
The spectacular spectacled a capella champ,
Ben Folds!
The Grammy-nominated chart-topping songbird
- Sara Bareilles. - Thank you.
He's got a phd in R&B,
Boyz II Men's Shawn Stockman.
Tonight is double trouble
for our top four.
First, they'll tackle an all-vocal master mix,
blending two huge hits into a seamless performance.
Next, it's judges' choice,
songs handpicked by our judges
to put the groups to the ultimate test.
After both performances, the judges will make
their final decision of the season.
Three groups will pick up their mics in the championship.
One will fall from glory tonight.
The pressure is on.
A single missed note could cost them
a spot in the top three.
And, at the end of the show, we're going to open
the voting lines across America.
Your votes will crown our winner
on next week's action-packed live finale.
When we come back,
the vocal prizefight begins
with the remixing renegades, Pentatonix,
smashing together Cee Lo and Kelly Clarkson.
The Sing-Off is counting down to the championship.
You know it's hard enough to perform any song
with an all-vocal arrangement,
but tonight our Sing-Off final four
have gotta merge two songs with different tempos,
keys, and styles, and somehow make them
work together with just their voices.
Let's kick it off with a group of vocal dynamos
who've stayed strong all season
by giving every song a futuristic twist.
Now the daring members of Pentatonix
are gonna combo two hits about breaking up
to try and break in to the finals.
Pentatonix put on another stellar performance
with Usher's "O. M.G."
And then brought the house to its feet
with their passionate rendition
of Marvin Gaye's "Let's get it on."
I can't express enough how incredible that was.
It's a scary feeling. I'm always nervous and anxious,
but after hearing things like that, it's just thrilling.
This week, we're doing two songs.
We're doing a master mix
of "Since u been gone" and "Forget you."
With our master mix, we're having trouble
jumping from song to song.
I think that knowing that this is
the most important performance of the show
is kind of freaking us out,
and I think it's hurting our arrangement.
I'm so afraid people will be like, "they ruined 'forget you, '"
or "they totally ruined 'since u been gone, '"
because we're changing it up so much.
We're just not sure if people will say,
"this is the group that needs to win."
I don't know if we can do this, seriously.
I know all our voices are tired.
We're all mentally exhausted, as well,
so all of us are struggling.
This is the last opportunity to show America
"We want this. We wanna be here."
No, you were doing something wrong.
Yeah, did an extra line that time.
We really want to win so we can keep doing this
and go on tour and record
and live our dream together.
We don't want this to be the end.
Hoping to leave the judges
with another unforgettable performance,
with a master mix medley of Cee Lo green's "Forget you"
and "Since u been gone" by Kelly Clarkson,
here's Pentatonix!
One, two.
One, two, three.
Oh, no.
That was crazy!
Pentatonix! Wow.
Let's go ahead and go right to our experts.
Ben, what'd you think?
Nice work. I mean, going from the Kelly Lo Green
to the Cee Lo Clarkson was really seamless.
You knew you had a non sequitur after non sequitur to deal with,
and you just made that entertaining.
Avi and Kevin, you guys are getting to be
amazing rhythm section. You guys...
Watching the battle between Avi on bass
and Kevin on the beatbox was bitchin'.
I mean, it's like you guys gave voices to the instruments.
You're getting like a really tight touring band
that's been out doing this for years,
and you always come up with some kind of trick that you don't expect.
I keep thinking, "they're gonna run out of stuff," and you didn't.
And you did something really cool, it was great.
I heard you guys out of tune
for the first time of the series.
It wasn't serious, but I think it was in
the second chorus of, God, which song?
I don't know. It was going back and forth so well,
and you brought the whole thing together
and made it entertaining, so yay, Pentatonix, nice work.
Sara?
That was a great performance.
First of all our lead singers here, Kirstie and Scott.
What I loved in this performance
is that you guys were telling a story with your motion
and your choices on stage, as well.
And you ditched Scott for Avi in the end
and then it worked out, so...
But it was really entertaining.
You guys were telling a story,
and that was a lot of fun to watch.
I was smiling and grooving like a loser,
so I think you've done your job. Thank you.
Shawn?
I'm so used to you guys actually doing like these
like, real ill breakdowns and all this other stuff
and
And transforming all that stuff,
but, you know, you didn't do that and I still enjoyed it.
You seamlessly put together those two songs
where it was almost like, "okay, they're singing Kelly...
No. There's Cee... okay, now they're singing that one.
Now they're singing that one."
It was just so fluid how you guys did it.
You know, just creating something different
that even the artists themselves might not have thought of.
Avi and Kevin, you guys
are no longer named Avi and Kevin.
Okay? I officially name you meat and potatoes.
Because...
You made the whole music mega-mix thing work
because you stayed constant.
You're so intelligent when it comes time
to arrange certain things 'cause you know
how far to push the envelope,
and that's why you guys are so enjoyable to listen to.
So, good job, man.
All right, thank you, Shawn.
And Pentatonix will be back again later
for the judges' choice round. Thanks, guys.
Don't forget, all the songs you hear tonight
are available for download on iTunes.
After the break, Denver studio musicians
Urban Method fire it up on a mix of songs
made famous by Nelly and Madonna.
And at the end of the night,
the voting lines open to America.
The Sing-Off is kicking into high gear.
We're back on the Sing-Off.
You know, one of the coolest things
about master mix medleys is how the lyrics
and message of totally different songs
play off each other to create a brand-new musical experience.
Our next mixologists are a Colorado crew
that brings a gritty hip-hop edge
to every performance.
But for their master mix challenge, Urban Method
is gonna turn up the heat and blend a sultry classic
with a dance club hit.
Last week, the ladies of Urban Method
gave a powerhouse performance that propelled
the group forward in the competition.
That was awesome.
I feel like I keep getting surprised by you ladies.
You're stepping out and finding your voice.
Our master mix this week is Nelly's "Hot in here"
with Peggy Lee's "Fever."
We had originally planned to have Katie on the "Fever" solo.
As it was going on, I didn't feel like it was right.
You guys, I need your help,
and I need you to tell me what sound you like.
It gets pretty tense sometimes in rehearsal.
There have definitely been some emotional moments.
As soon as he said that, it all kind of made sense
because she has that voice that fits that song.
The master mix has been really difficult.
You have sultry and sexy.
Then you'd have fun and carefree,
and we've been having a difficult time
fusing the two moods together.
No, no, no, wait.
- Then we go back... - We go back to "Fever."
We are hoping to just make a statement,
just solidify ourselves in this competition
and leave no doubt in anybody's mind
that we should be going to the top three.
- Let's go. - Let's go.
Hoping to get the temperature rising,
performing a master mix medley of "Hot in here" by Nelly
and the Peggy Lee classic hit "Fever,"
here's Urban Method.
Urban Method! Very nice.
Sara, sweatin' a little bit?
I mean, my God. Wow.
What'd you think?
That was sexy, you guys.
That was amazing.
I'm so glad you guys figured out
a really smart, cool way to meld those two songs
because "Fever" is really restrained,
and it's seductive, but it's not over the top,
and "Hot in here" is the exact opposite.
So, you guys made a really successful
master mix of those two songs.
And miss Liz! You are so hot up there.
That was awesome. I'm so glad.
You're right in your sweet spot.
That is where your voice just shines.
I loved the Breakdown where you guys brought it back
to the jazzy feel of "Fever."
I came away a little... A little hot in here.
"Hot in herr!" "Hot in herr!"
It was good.
- Shawn, what did you think? - I loved it.
Liz, that was such a sexy lead, how you brought that out.
You have such a beautiful raspy alto.
It was perfect for that.
The cool thing about this particular performance
was that there was so much going on, in a good way.
There was eye candy, ear candy.
I honestly believe that was the best arrangement
you guys have done because it showed
so many characteristics of the groups
and the way that you blended them all.
I guess you needed to do a master mix
to actually show that off,
but you guys pulled it off great. Good job.
Ben?
That was really good.
It was a really engaging arrangement,
and not so much that it wore you out.
Like, it was still dynamically right
and it was all really great.
Richard, was that a saxophone? Right on.
Not many drummers play saxophone, too.
That's very good. That's very cool.
And the last transition when you went
actually into the old-style version of "Fever"
was really effective.
You got stars in the group,
and you all share it really, really well.
You guys are just great. Nice work.
Very well said. All right, we'll see Urban Method
back in a bit for their judges' choice performance.
Thank you, guys.
Coming up, the vintage voices of Afro-Blue
blast us into the stratosphere with a duo of hits
by R. Kelly and Nicki Minaj.
And we're just one week away from our biggest finale ever,
with the momentous return of this season's top ten groups
plus performances by superstar guests.
The Sing-Off is amping up.
Week after week on the Sing-Off, these groups have given us
stunning vocal versions of the greatest songs in history,
but tonight they're delivering hit master mixes,
combining multiple tracks into one spectacular performance.
Next up, a group that's impressed the judges
with intelligent arrangements that tap deep emotions.
Now just one step from the finale,
the members of Afro-Blue
need to push their passion to new heights
on two high-flying hits.
Last week, Afro-Blue delivered a strong
and emotional performance with "We belong together."
So beautiful to watch you lose yourself in the music.
But there wasn't enough momentum
with "The best of my love" to keep them
out of the bottom two for the second week in a row.
The group that still Afro-Blue!
So, Afro-Blue, we've been
in the bottom two quite a few times,
and we definitely can't be there this week.
And we won't be there this week.
One, two.
Afro-Blue's master mix this week is
"I believe I can fly" by R. Kelly and "Fly" by Nicki Minaj.
The lyrics fit Afro-Blue so well,
and we so connected to the message
that "we came to win, we came to conquer."
The R. Kelly song is the easy part for us.
But the "Fly" by Nicki Minaj is a little more difficult.
I am doing one of the rap verses.
It's scary. I'm not a rapper at all.
We really want the Sony contract.
It would mean so much for our careers.
This week, one mistake means elimination.
We're really gonna just work to being perfect.
Hoping to soar into the top three
with a master mix medley of "I believe I can fly"
by R. Kelly, and "Fly" by Nicki Minaj and Rihanna,
here's Afro-Blue.
One, two, three.
Afro-Blue! - Very, very nice.
Shawn, what'd you think?
Nice blend of that Afro-Blue style
along with a gospel feel to it.
It had a soul, a sprit to it.
It lifted everybody up.
Mariah, um, I know you don't rap,
but you fooled me tonight.
Mariah Minaj. That was all right.
I hope you understand how much you've grown
in the midst of this competition.
I've enjoyed watching you guys, you know, take the rides.
You went high and you had your share of lows
and things of that nature,
but I think that in the midst of it
you learned a lot about yourselves
and you guys are a lot deeper than when you first came here.
You showed some beauty tonight. That was great.
Ben?
Yeah. It was cool, you blended the two songs together.
You used the complex harmonies in your arrangement
which allowed the two distinct melodies
to flow seamlessly back and forth.
Mariah, that was really good. What you did was good.
And you don't hear many rappers
that end it with the way you sang that.
Yeah, right, right. That...
That had a lot of attitude.
I would've liked for the accompaniment
behind Mariah's rapping part to have held
onto it a little bit more, not quite been
as much of a transition, maybe even drop out.
It could've just used some space there.
The thing is is Mariah was so powerful
that no one's ear is gonna go towards that.
I thought it was good.
You know, I haven't heard a master mix
that was moving like that. That was a nice job, y'all.
All right, Sara?
I love you guys in this competition
because I feel like you show so much heart
and so much humility,
and then so much courage on top of that.
You're such powerhouses.
I mean, Christie and Trent, I really love your voices.
Great performances from both of you on this.
I loved the theme that came out of this combination.
It was about empowerment and believing in yourself.
It think it's only gonna get deeper and more profound
as you grow as a group, and you're so talented.
So, thanks for being here.
Thanks, Sara.
And Afro-Blue will be back one more time
with their judges' choice song.
Thanks, Afro-Blue.
When we return, the Dartmouth Aires
try to catch lightning in a bottle,
using Lady Gaga with the rolling stones.
And later, an all-important elimination.
Four groups began tonight, but only three
will land in the epic finale one week from today.
The Sing-Off! Keep it tuned.
The top four are breaking down the barriers in music tonight
with master mix medleys.
They're fighting for a spot in next Monday's explosive live season finale,
where one of these groups will be named
the best vocal band in America.
These next guys have risen to the top of the class
with nonstop energy and powerhouse performances.
But for this challenge, the Dartmouth Aires
have to match the stagecraft
of two of the biggest live acts in music history.
With both of their R&B performances,
the Dartmouth Aires provided enough style
and refinement to stay in the competition
for another week.
That was a wonderful performance, thank you.
This is gonna be a hard week,
but I think we all really, really want to be in the finale.
This week we're doing a master mix challenge
where we have to take two songs and combine them into one.
The two songs we're doing are "Born this way" by Lady Gaga
and "Sympathy for the devil" by the Rolling Stones.
I'll be singing the Stones, trying to pull of Mick.
Bringing these songs together has been difficult
just because they're from such different genres and styles.
We originally gave "Born this way" to Ethan.
Stop, stop. You were a little sharp.
All right, guys, come on, we've gotta get this.
We then decided that since it's so late in the competition,
we should just stick with the safe choice,
which was Michael, since he's done a solo before.
There's no other person that we are more comfortable
singing behind than Michael.
Winning the Sing-Off and getting that recording contract
would mean the world to me.
There has been no all-male collegiate
to win the Sing-Off so we want to be that group
that holds that title up.
There is no room for error.
There can be no pitch problems,
no choreography slip-ups,
no solo lead slip-ups.
We want to make top three so badly.
To go home at this point of the competition would be devastating.
Trying to roll all the way to victory,
performing a master mix medley
of Lady Gaga's "Born this way"
and "Sympathy for the devil" by the Rolling Stones,
here are the Dartmouth Aires.
One, two, three, four.
- Just put your paws up. - Whoa!
- 'Cause you were born this way, baby. - Whoa!
Yes!
The Aires.
Ben, what'd you think?
Wow, that's a lot to take in.
Where do I start, man?
There's, like, 100 dudes on stage.
They split up into two parts.
Have two different theaters going on at once,
and it was a really great concept how at the end
you had the devil versus... The devil, or what...
I'm not sure who was the devil.
You both gave it hell. It was good.
The bass was going out of tune a little bit.
Dan, you got a tough job
because you're the only bass there
in the middle of a lot of other people,
so I totally understand why that is.
Good news is that those are the parts
where you're the most entertaining
and it's probably the most engaging to the audience.
The Jagger lead, in that it wasn't overly Jagger,
Brendan, was really cool. That was a good interpretation.
I like that you're always great, so...
Ethan, every musician has been in a band
and has had to go through that moment where
you're doing a part and it's not the best
for the group for that moment,
and it takes a lot of humility to back off
and say that that's okay. I applaud you for that.
Nice job, the whole group, for hanging together
on that one, and, Ethan, I salute you.
Nice work, guys.
Sara?
I'm with Ben.
That was a lot to take in.
There was so much happening,
and that is sometimes where you guys shine the most.
For me, this one fell off a little bit.
But, that being said, you guys chose
the perfect leads for these songs.
Brendan and Michael, you guys deliver
with so much passion and so much conviction.
It is really a joy to watch you onstage.
You sing your asses off so consistently.
There's so much love between you guys on stage.
You're so much fun to watch.
So, yeah, thank you for that. That was great.
Shawn?
You guys definitely have a flair for the dramatic
in a good way.
I mean, it's theatrical every time you guys go on stage,
and it's always enjoyable.
Not my favorite performance of you guys
because I'm so spoiled because of how good
you guys really are, but it's a feat in itself
to mix an ultra-modern pop song with classic rock royalty.
I loved the battle waging between good and evil
and that whole thing, and that was good.
You guys are always entertaining, so thanks.
Thanks, Shawn.
We'll see the Dartmouth Aires sing again
in the second half of the show.
Thanks, fellows.
All four contenders flexed their muscles
with master mix medleys, but when we come back,
the experts take over.
The judges' choice round leads off
with the mind-bending voices of Pentatonix.
Next week's live finale
is just within reach on the Sing-Off.
I'm Nick Lachey, and our Sing-Off groups
are stepping up to the plate
for the judges' choice challenge.
The experts chose the playlist,
and the top four have got to deliver
because $200,000 and a recording contract
are up for grabs.
First up is our Texas team
that's always pushing the limits of a cappella.
We checked in with the judges
to get their thoughts on the inventive vocalists
of Pentatonix.
Pentatonix are freakish.
These guys are making it hot with five.
That's hard to do.
Every one of those kids
packs a punch in a big way.
I think Pentatonix could be competitive
in the music world.
They're really innovative,
and they fuse pop and a cappella
and make it into this really cool thing.
You're doing things that are...
...The future.
Their arrangements are very risky,
and they work.
They did some real ill stuff
with "Video killed the radio star."
They made themselves skip.
Who would think of that, you know what I'm saying?
Pentatonix's challenge is gonna be
are they gonna do anything new?
How much more new stuff can come out of them?
The whole trick is don't become too ambitious
with their arrangements, where they lose sight
of the feeling of the original record.
That could be the difference in them staying or leaving.
All right, let's see what the judges have in store
for Pentatonix.
Sara, which song did you guys choose?
Well, Pentatonix has a style all their own,
and they are always so innovative
in their arrangements and pushing the boundaries,
so we wanted to challenge them to reimagine a song
that has a lot going on:
A super-powerful lead vocal
and some pretty serious drums and percussion,
so we choice Florence and the Machine's
"Dog days are over."
Thank you, Sara.
Hoping this day ends with a spot in the finale,
performing this year's megahit,
"dog days are over" by Florence and the Machine,
here is Pentatonix.
Pentatonix!
Ending it on a high note.
All right, all right. All right.
Shawn?
Pentatonix, man.
You guys are ri-dic-ulouman.
Like...
That was like audio drama.
We're coming down to the wire of this record contract,
so you want to have something that you know you can play,
and everybody is like, "yo, that is crazy!"
That's what, you know, this whole thing is about.
Um, Mitch...
- Go, Mitch! - Whoo!
I'm gonna tell you, man...
You have one of the prettiest voices
I have ever heard in my life.
It was so many elements that was just ear candy,
from Kevin and the horse hooves
and the choo-choo trains that you were doing,
to, you know, the breakdown to Mitch...
And... and that was so ingenious,
like, the way that you guys
were able to just give Mitch his moment.
And you were... aaahhh! That was...
Man...
It was a wonderful performance. That was awesome.
Sara.
You guys are just... You're riveting onstage.
You know how to use your instrument,
and it's a God-given gift, and you guys all have it,
so... really, really fantastic performance.
I learned today that three of you are 19 years old.
- Mr. - Scott, singing the lead on that...
Is 19. Am I correct?
Miss Kirstie is 19 years old,
and Mr. Mitch is 19 years old as well.
So, what we have here is a young group of people
that show so much promise and potential
to become even that much more great over time.
I love hearing you sing.
Well done, you guys. It was fantastic.
Ben?
A surprise is a rare gift in a musical arrangement.
They're hard to come by, and you guys always give us
one or two of those in every performance,
and that one was where Mitch popped in this time.
It's not just about the fact
that he has a beautiful voice, which he does.
It was partially the way you guys set that up.
And then you get a surprise.
You guys were so focused,
and Avi didn't even want to let go of the focus after the song was done.
- He was just like... - My God!
That.
Avi!
That's... that's really in the moment and amazing.
Thanks for the surprises, guys.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Nice work.
All right, judges...
We'll find out in moments if Pentatonix
will be standing tall in the season finale.
Thank you, guys.
Coming up, we'll find out what epic hip-hop jam
the judges picked for Urban Method.
We're gearing up for next Monday's star-studded finale,
where we'll not only crown the new champ,
but our top three will share the stage
with our very own judges.
The Sing-Off... Stick around.
This has always been my dream,
and now that I can do my dream
and, like, to be recognized
like I have been all season is a dream for me.
And I feel so blessed to share it with these people.
They're my family now,
and I want to do this for the rest of my life,
and I want to do it with them.
We're moments away from opening the voting lines,
but right now The Sing-Off top four
are trying to survive their hardest challenge yet.
For the first time this season,
the songs have been chosen by our trio of judges.
Next up, a Denver street posse with a wild rap-apella style.
We asked our experts how Urban Method
has been keeping the beat every week.
Urban Method has brought
such a distinct style to the show
because of the hip-hop rhythm.
That was so good!
Urban Method's really interesting.
They're taking a lot of the things they know about the studio
and they're applying it to live performance,
and it's very effective.
Nobody missed the band in that one. That was great.
Myke has that swag that you'll go pay and see,
but Urban Method had to show that they're
not just a group based around Myke.
They had a couple of weeks of really harsh criticism
because the females in the group
weren't really stepping up.
Liz and Katie, you guys did the lead.
I wish it was stronger.
We're glad that they actually took our advice
because we've seen some things come out of Katie
that we never knew existed.
And they're back. They're back better than they started.
We really want to see Urban Method super solid.
They vacillate between being amazing
and being really good, and to be on par
with the rest of the groups on the show,
they have to be just stellar.
Okay, Shawn, what do you guys have in store for Urban Method?
Well, Nick, Urban Method
has got that hip-hop-apella thing on lock.
When you hear Myke rap, his delivery is always intense.
He's such a showman, and Katie has become
this season's, actually, breakthrough performer,
so we wanted them to combine the strengths
in hopes that they do they thing and shine,
so we chose Kanye West's "All of the lights"
featuring Rihanna.
- Ah, all right. - Thank you, Shawn.
Aiming to blaze a rap-apella path
to the championship, performing
"All of the lights" by Kanye West,
here is Urban Method.
Urban Method!
Shawn, did they rise to the challenge?
That was exciting!
You guys do that the best.
You shine when you blend the hip-hop
with the harmonies and all of that.
And it's so good now that we have, you know,
a stand-out in Katie, who just came outta nowhere
and just knocking everybody out the box right now!
You've become stronger,
and with each episode you guys became better and better.
I loved seeing you guys evolve in this competition.
It was awesome. Myke, as always, dude.
You know what you do, big bro.
You go in, man.
It's coming down to the wire, guys.
This is what it's all about,
and you are showing that you are in it to win it.
So, great job, man.
Ben?
That was great build of arrangement.
It kept the tension building and building
and you had a really mature way of hanging onto that
but keeping it exciting.
The middle harmonies were shimmering,
and that's ozzy, whose name I haven't uttered the whole time.
Nice work, ozzy.
Ozzy, Kim, and Liz.
Like, you guys were really locking there.
Obviously then Katie breaks out
and then just takes it to another level.
Myke's lead... I really like that you sang
in a way that just was very comfortable.
And then you came back into rap and you went back into singing.
The way you did that was really honest.
That might've been my favorite performance of you guys.
Nice work.
Sara?
It seems like you guys have just blossomed
into this whole other entity.
I mean, you show so much confidence on stage now,
and it's really, really exciting to watch from here.
I also wanted to mention that the mic trick,
I haven't seen anybody do that,
and I thought that was really, really cool.
And I liked that it lingered for a minute.
It shows that you guys are really thinking about
how to make your arrangement stretch
and how to make the amount of instruments
you have on stage really stretch and speak for you.
That was awesome. I loved it.
- All right. - Thank you, Sara.
And we'll learn soon if Urban Method
will float into the final round.
Thank you, guys.
If you want to keep the music rolling
through the holidays, pick up the new album
- - Songs of the season,
available now, featuring beloved holiday songs
recorded by your favorite groups from this year.
Coming up, the judges' soulful pick
for the smooth operators of Afro-Blue.
Three groups will explode into the championship,
but one will fizzle out.
The Sing-Off is on.
That was incredible to hear Ben say
that this was his favorite performance
of ours of the whole season.
It was just like, "thank you!"
We're just a week away from our electrifying finale,
where this season's top contenders,
plus superstar artists, will take the Sing-Off stage.
Right now, our esteemed judges are running the show,
putting the top four to the test
in the judges' choice challenge.
Next up, a D.C. group with deep roots
in classic American music.
Let's see why the judges have been swept away
by Afro-Blue's perfect blend.
Afro-Blue are the cool kids in jazz.
They take this really high-brow version of the music
and find a way to make that accessible for the everyday Joe.
I loved Afro-Blue from the second they took the stage.
They've got chops, they've got loads of personality,
and I relate to them because they're students of music.
My favorite performance was "American boy."
I loved the way that they did that.
It sounded good, it looked good, it was good.
They have so much potential. What stops them is themselves.
You guys are so good,
you might overthink parts of the arrangement.
You lost me a little bit.
We've had some ups and downs
with Afro-Blue being so complicated,
but they really seemed to crack the code
when they were singing
"Need you now" by Lady Antebellum.
Everybody got goosebumps.
I get goosebumps when I think about it right now.
To win this whole thing, Afro-Blue have to understand
that every song doesn't need a jazz chord;
it just needs some heart.
Well, Ben, what song did you guys pick for Afro-Blue?
Well, Afro-Blue have such a classic sound
and they're just masters of the traditional chords
and traditional jazz sounds,
and they're at their best when they're combining that
with some emotion and some heart,
so we chose Sam Cooke's "A change is gonna come."
All right, thank you, Ben.
Trying to show America why they deserve
to land in the championship,
performing "A change is gonna come"
by Sam Cooke, here's Afro-Blue.
Afro-Blue!
Leaving it all up on the stage tonight.
Ben, they do you proud on that one?
Oh, yeah, I'm really happy for you guys.
How good was that?
Christie, that was just, you just killed it.
You know, you'd figure this song was in your sweet spot,
but that really,
that just really pulled out something from you guys.
I mean, you guys just made a record there.
That was a record. I'll buy that. I'll buy that.
It's like you guys were born 50 years ago.
That was completely in the zone.
I thought that was really good.
Nice work, guys.
Sara?
I got really emotional watching that performance,
and I'm even getting a little choked up right now.
My eyes were just filling with tears
because I feel like we just saw you guys...
Return to where you were supposed to be this whole time.
You know, I feel like we
maybe confused you along the way,
and, my God, that vocal.
Oh, my God.
Whoo!
That is, uh, that is otherworldly, my friend.
Christie, you are an angel.
And all of the rest of you,
you sounded like one voice behind her.
That is so incredibly hard to do.
I'm so proud of you guys.
That was just phenomenal.
That was amazing.
Shawn?
Man...
My God, man.
That was absolutely soul-stirring.
Y'all straight took us to church on that.
That has such a spirit
and such a strong, soulful, just wailing.
It was honest. It was melancholy.
It was everything that Sam Cooke song originally was,
but how you guys made it a capella...
I could hear this on the radio.
I could hear this live.
I could see the video.
It was so beautiful, guys.
That was the best performance y'all did.
All right. Thank you, Shawn.
We'll find out in a bit if Afro-Blue
will be elevated into the top three.
Thank you, Afro-Blue.
After the break, we'll see if the Ivy leaguers
of the aires can ace their final exam
with a college-party classic that gets everybody shouting.
When the music ends tonight,
the voting begins on the Sing-Off.
I'm just so incredibly proud
of every single member of this group,
and I love them all so, so dearly.
I'm just grateful, so grateful.
Everything is on the line tonight
as our top four try to take
that final step toward Sing-Off victory.
Only three of them will stand tall
in next week's life-changing finale,
but first they gotta survive the judges' choice challenge.
The final group is a charismatic force
that steered clear of elimination
with crowd-pleasing performances.
We asked the judges what makes them smile
about the fun-loving guys of the Dartmouth Aires.
The Dartmouth Aires are rooted in university a capella tradition.
Where they stick out is that they have
that theatrical edge to them.
Out of all the guys in the competition,
I think they're the most explosive.
They blend humor...
And high-energy performances
and an emotional sensibility
that is unique to them.
The queen performance, to me, was the most memorable.
They were smart to close it with Michael, and he just took it on home.
I remember I didn't write a single thing down
at judges' table. I was just in awe.
That was my favorite performance of this entire competition.
For the Dartmouth Aires to win this competition,
it's gonna take for them to show us that they're
more than just entertainers on stage,
but that can be Sony recording artists.
We are down to the final four,
and any little mistake can send you home.
They're gonna have to just really nail it.
All right, Sara, what track did you guys choose for the aires?
Well, the aires are so theatrical
and have so much heart
and are a ton of fun to watch onstage,
so we wanted to give them a song
that would let them bring a party to the stage with them.
So, we chose the Isley Brothers and "Shout."
Very nice. Thank you, Sara.
All right, trying to get the judges and America
singing along, performing "Shout" by the Isley Brothers,
here are the Dartmouth Aires!
Sing-Off!
Finish!
The Dartmouth Aires!
All right.
Sara, how did they handle your choice?
You worked the room. Michael, Michael, Michael.
You perform like you've been doing this
for, like, 35 years,
and you walk around as if you were born
on this very stage and we have come to your home
and it's your birthday or something.
I mean, this is... It's ridiculous!
And the boys, I just love you so much.
You have so much heart,
and you guys are working your butts off.
And it's so much fun to see and to be a part of.
There were some pitch problems
because I think you were jumping for the rafters.
By the end, I was clearly singing and clapping along.
So, you guys are such a special, special group,
and I'm so glad you're here.
Shawn?
If the Dartmouth Aires
were, like, sold in, like, a supermarket,
the instructions would say, "instant party."
Just add water."
Mike, you are a frickin' superstar, boy.
This song actually, you know, exemplifies who you guys are.
It was Dartmouth Aires at its best.
It was great. Good job.
Um, there was a little, like, you know, flarp,
and I think it was just because of the fact
that y'all were doing a lot of jumping
and backflips and somersaults,
so, again, I pardon that.
But overall, you guys showed
what Dartmouth Aires is all about.
So, good job.
Ben?
I grew up on exactly these kind of records.
Like, all I listened to when I was a kid
and all I knew that exist were, like, Sam & Dave
and the Isley Brothers and Otis Redding
and James brown and all this stuff.
Michael, you're a classic singer.
I haven't really heard a singer do what you're doing
really convincingly for me that moves me in that way
since I was a kid listening to those records...
You're a total star. The rest of the group,
you're all working together towards the same things.
It's still causing some pitch train wrecks
which are just when you've got a group that big,
you've got a tighter margin for error, and sometimes it does show.
But, Dan, you were nailing it on the swing parts.
When you had longer notes to work with,
then it was sounding really, really great.
It was a load of fun. Thanks, guys.
All right, well said, judges.
And the aires are just moments away from learning their fate.
Thanks, gentlemen.
Remember, for behind-the-scenes videos, blogs, and tweets
from all your favorite contenders,
go to nbc.com.
Over two ferocious rounds, the top four gave us
every ounce of vocal strength they had.
The judges are conferring,
and when we come back we'll hear the results.
Only three groups can move on to next week's live finale,
where your votes will crown the winner.
The Sing-Off! Hold that note.
This whole process has been such a phenomenal experience.
We all have grown as people, as musicians,
and we're all so blessed to be in this position.
So, we're really happy with both our performances,
and now we'll see what happens.
We're back on the Sing-Off,
and it's judgment time.
America's top four groups just put it all on the line
through two high-adrenaline rounds of competition.
They are Pentatonix.
Urban Method.
Afro-Blue.
And the Dartmouth Aires.
Three of these groups will be singing
their hearts out in next week's live finale.
But one group's journey will end right now in heartbreak.
I have the results here in my hand.
All of these groups came here with a dream,
and they've pushed themselves to the limit.
They've put their hopes and their voices on the line,
but only three can contend for the title.
The first contender that will definitely advance
the Sing-Off championship is...
Afro-Blue!
Urban Method!
Congratulations. You made it.
You're in the live finale next Monday.
Three groups remain,
but only two will earn a spot in the final show.
The next group that's still in the chase
for the title is...
Pentatonix!
You're safe. Congrats.
We'll see you at next week's live finale.
Afro-Blue and the Dartmouth Aires.
Only one of you can advance to the final round.
After a tough deliberation,
the judges have not yet reached a final verdict.
To help them make their ultimate decision,
each of you must reprise what you feel
was your most impactful song of the season.
When it's over, the judges will consider this encore,
as well as every performance from this season,
and choose one of these groups to join Urban Method
and Pentatonix in the finale.
First up, with their do-or-die Sing-Off encore,
here is Afro-Blue.
One, a-two. A-one, two, three.
That was Afro-Blue with their song from week three,
"American boy" by Estelle featuring Kanye West.
They just made their plea for the judges
to push them into the championship.
Now, their rivals have to get the judges on their side.
Hoping to keep the Sing-Off dream alive,
here are the Dartmouth Aires!
That was the Dartmouth Aires
with their song from week seven,
"Somebody to love" by Queen.
Both groups have given their last-chance encores.
Now they gotta hold tight while our experts
make their most important decision of the season.
One group will advance to the live finale
a week from tonight.
The other is about to face the music.
The Sing-Off sings on.
Afro-Blue and the Dartmouth Aires
are just a breath away from the Sing-Off finale,
but there's only one spot left.
Each group just gave an encore performance
to make one last impression.
The judges have considered that song,
along with all their other performances from this season,
to come to a final decision.
Only one of these groups will be singing
on this stage a week from tonight
in the live finale.
Let's go to the judges.
Sara, who did you chose
to move ahead to the championship?
Whew. Well, I, uh...
I can't express to you how difficult this is for us,
but ultimately we have to think of the entire season,
as Nick said, and I chose the group that,
for me, um, I always was moved to an emotional place
and had a wonderful reaction from it.
And they're really consistent,
and I chose the Dartmouth Aires.
All right, Shawn, which group won your vote?
Uh, well, it's hard because, you know,
I guess you could say
I'm emotionally involved with both of them,
you know, and I think they're both great.
Although they may not have been
as consistent throughout the season,
I felt like this group has the potential
of actually having a longstanding career in music
and making albums and records and...
That's why I chose Afro-Blue.
Ben, looks like you're the tie-breaker.
Who's it gonna be?
Well, this sucks, Nick. Um...
I have to go with... with who was connecting
the most consistently over the season,
and, um, that's the Dartmouth Aires.
Dartmouth Aires. You did it.
You made it to next week's live finale.
Congratulations.
Afro-Blue, come on down, guys.
All season, you guys elevated
the music tradition you hold so dear,
and we were so honored to have you grace our stage
each and every episode.
You guys are incredible,
incredible singers.
Danielle, do you have any final thoughts
as you guys say good-bye tonight?
You know, this has been such an amazing, incredible,
stupendous, spectacular, uh...
It's just been quite the journey for Afro-Blue.
We're just a class at Howard university.
And, you know...
Here we are at the Sing-Off in the top four.
So, you know, we've learned so much.
We're gonna take this with us wherever we go,
and I'm sure we're gonna go lots of amazing places from here.
Absolutely.
I just want to say, personally,
thank you guys so much.
You made it so fun to come to work
each and every day and be a part of this.
Thank you guys so much and best of luck to you.
All right, now I'll ask you to raise your mics
one last time.
Leaving the Sing-Off with their swan song,
here's Afro-Blue.
That was Afro-Blue singing
"We've only just begun" by the Carpenters.
Don't forget, all the great songs
you heard tonight are available on iTunes.
Okay, America, it's your turn to cast your votes
and chose the champion.
Which group will take The Sing-Off title?
Will it be Pentatonix...
Urban Method...
Or the Dartmouth Aires?
As we give you the voting info,
let's look back at some highlights
from this season's performances.
Pentatonix raised the bar all season long.
If you want these masters of the remix to take the title,
vote by calling 1-877-6-sing-01,
or text "1" to the number 97979.
Urban Method brought a hip-hop style
that changed the game for good.
To help these musical mavericks win the crown,
vote by calling 1-877-6-sing-02,
or text "2" to the number 97979.
The Dartmouth Aires unleashed their big sound
to rule the school.
To push these high-octane undergrads
Sing-Off glory,
vote by calling 1-877-6-sing-03,
or text "3" to the number 97979.
Voting opens at the end of the show
and closes November 27th at 9:00 A.M. eastern.
You can vote up to ten times per method.
Calls are toll-free from land lines;
text message and data rates may apply.
For more info and to vote online,
go to nbc.com.
We started off with America's 16 best vocal groups,
and now just three contenders remain.
Only one will earn enough votes
to win the recording contract, the cash,
and the Sing-Off title.
We'll announce the winner on the Sing-Off live finale
one week from tonight,
Monday, November 28th, at 8 P.M.
It's gonna be a night
packed with awe-inspiring musical numbers.
We'll have special guests,
our very own judges will perform,
plus our three finalists,
and all your favorite groups from this season
will be back to sing and celebrate
as we crown the champion.
It's gonna be a night to remember.
Until then, I'm Nick Lachey,
signing off from the Sing-Off.
Good night.
Sync and corrected by dr.jackson for www.addic7ed.com