VoicePlay are an all-male A Cappella group based in Orlando, Florida. Although the group have had several member changes throughout the years, the current group consists of Tenor, Eli Jacobson, Baritone and Tenor 2, Cesar De La Rosa, Vocal Percussionist, Layne Stein, and Bassist, Geoff Castellucci.
Their unique A Cappella style paired with the carefully handpicked modern classics turned theatrical twist portrays an authentic, talented group, that are able to emphasise the raw feeling that are associated with the lyrics. In 2019, VoicePlay covered Chris Stapleton’s ‘Tennessee Whiskey’, with music and lyrics conducted by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove.
The group has a unique style and uses solely their voices to combine a range of different styles from a range of eras. Typically, VoicePlay sings covers of popular songs, like the Doctor Who theme tune or Pirates of the Caribbean’s ‘Hoist The Colours.’ VoicePlay keeps up to date with current affairs and trending tunes, trying to reach the biggest fan base possible.
As Supernatural concluded, VoicePlay covered ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ by Kansas, a song unofficially associated with the show. Fans of both the show and VoicePlay were elated that the two had come together to create this magical fusion.
‘Remember Me’ from Disney-Pixar’s Coco became one of the most significant songs, not only in the film but within contemporary Disney. VoicePlay recognised the love shown for the tune and jumped at the opportunity to cover this emotional, heartfelt song that was perfect for their tones.
The group posted the video to their YouTube channel, which they started in 2012 as a way of demonstrating their talent. As time progressed, they became more than just a group on YouTube and were widely recognised, currently having a subscriber count of over 1.1M.
Their platform has led them to new opportunities in the musical world, including winning the 2019 A Cappella Music Awards Pop Group of the Year, becoming finalists for the 2019 Shorty Awards for YouTube Musician of the Year, participating and making as finalists in Season 4 of NBC’s ‘The Sing-Off’ and have gone on 8 national tours.
Each member of VoicePlay has their own ventures outside of the group, but they congregate monthly to brainstorm and practice songs they would like to perform. No matter what song they are performing, VoicePlay utilises the individual talent of each member.
Evident in their cover of ‘Tennessee Whiskey’, the group sit together in a bar setting and perform in unison. The 5 members, Earl Elkins Jr, Eli Jacobson, J. None, Layne Stein and Geoff Castellucci all take turns to put their unique spin on the song. While there is one lead singer, the group backs him up and echoes certain phrases like ‘strawberry wine.’ Their rhythm, riffs, runs, and soulful tone makes this a perfect cover of Stapleton’s song.
VoicePlay shares some snippets of their music on other platforms, including Instagram, Twitter, and Tiktok, which you can find at @thevoiceplay, as well as individual and group Facebook pages. If you are interested in listening to full versions, with double the talent, check out their covers on their YouTube channel.
If you want to see more from this band of a capella singers you can subscribe to their YouTube channel or you can follow them on Facebook page. Alternatively you can also visit their official website for their latest news and events.