Getting to know Vocal Group Cimorelli

Original Work by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin

To be completely honest, it is not me to review a pop group targeted at today's young.

Being the old school me, my connection to the youth and music of today fails at times.

But it does not mean that I have absolutely no favorite music idols who enjoy present day popularity.

Cimorelli, a six-member, all-girl acapella group, is a teen pop sensation I do admire. The young stars perform my preferred musical genre, acapella, with great skill. I was impressed after I watched a few videos introduced by my teen choir.

But who are these young vocal sensations, what are their successes and do they have potential to excel in the music industry?

We start answering these questions by uncovering who makes up this fascinating all-girl group.

Cimorell is a musically adept, six-member bevy of lovely young women. The name of the group is also the last name of the sisters Christina, Katherine, Lauren, Lisa, Amy and Dani.

In 2007, Christina, Katherine and Lisa began to sing acapella covers of popular hits and post them on YouTube.

How do the sisters give these YouTube covers their signature feel?

You know that Cimorelli is singing when you hear their dulcet, clear harmonies. The girls take on the different parts depending on the lyrics and age appropriateness.

The sisters, who do not believe in swearing, sometimes change the lyrics for that reason. This simple but effective formula gave rise to their success.

The Pre-Cimorelli Years

Credit for their achievements goes to the girls' mother, Lynne, who began introducing music to each girl and their brothers at the age of two. The energetic Lynne homeschooled them all.

She was a college music major, composer and choir director who introduced the girls to the classical piano, three-part harmonizing and vocal jazz. They immersed themselves in musical theater and instrument lessons.

2007

Once they gained enough experience in these areas, Christina, Katherine, and Lise began performing locally. They roped Amy, Lauren and Dani into the group once they were old enough.

They posted their covers of different hits on YouTube.

2008

Their musical endeavors on YouTube progressed. The now six-member group released their first EP, Hello There.

2009

The next year, the girls posted a cover of Mylie Cyrus' Party on YouTube in 2009. Their video was noticed by their manager. Sarah Stennet, who signed them on to Universal Music.

The girls officially launched their musical career, with Christina and Lauren on the keyboards, Amy on the rhythm guitar and Kristina on bass.

2010

With their various talents, the girls worked with singer-songwriter Aaron Michael Cox.

To further their careers, the family moved to Southern California.

2011

The move proved fruitful for the girls. They collaborated with singer-songwriter Ryan Beatty on a cover of Selena Gomez' song, Who Says.

They released, unofficially, the EP CimFam.

2012

The following year, the girls won Bieber-Off, a contest devised by Ryan Seacrest. Contestants performed covers of their favorite tunes. They won the contest with their version of Boyfriend.

The girls also received a nomination for a Teen Choice Award for upcoming Web Stars. They lost to Sophie and Grace, two British children known for their appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. In June of that year, they appeared in a Just Dance trailer featuring Fio Ria.

The talented youth then teamed up with AT&T later that year for their Don't Text and Drive campaign. The girls uploaded many videos on the topic. They covered songs like Some Nights, As Long As You Love Me and contributed to the AT and T text rally.

2013

A year later, Cimorelli teamed up with singer-songwriter James Maslow and covered the Justin Timberlake song, Mirrors. They also released their fourth EP, Made in America.

The EP was not the only project that kept the girls busy. They embarked on a concert tour, Unsaid Things, and wrote a few songs they are preparing for release.

2014

The girls are intending to showcase these songs in an EP this year. A few weeks ago, they performed at the digital music festival, Digifest.

A few songs show why the girls have stood And performed at festivals such as Digifest. Their musical panache is obvious in the songs they deliver.

Hello There (Original)

The first of these musical examples is Hello There. Written completely by the girls, the song, from their first EP of the same name, showcases the warm harmonies they are famous for. Well-arranged with harmonic echoes that are not overdone, it is not surprising that it gained them attention.

The girls' sustained this attention with a cover of Jessie J's Price Tag, from their 2nd EP, Cim Fam.

Their version of the song is sweet and melodic. The 6-part acapella combination is a showcase of youthful musical ability, though their voices still need maturity.

They showed their skills once again with an all female version of the One Direction's What Makes You Beautiful. Much vocal clarity shows in this work, with Amy playing a mean rhythm guitar.

Though their instrumental technique is obvious , it is their vocals that reveal their musical aptitude.

Their version of Pink's Perfect was a near flawless harmonic blend, though it still needed more depth.

So saying, that depth is clearly growing. The girls' version of the Cups by Anna Kendrick showcases outstanding vocal harmony and youthful vigor. Lauren and Dani show a clear affinity with uncannily accurate, percussion beats.

Cimorelli is a young group that has many more years of growth ahead. With their diligence and talent, they will definitely surge ahead in the world of music.