"a capella" | |
---|---|
Single by Ylvis | |
Released | January 5, 2016 |
Length | 3:52 |
Label | Discovery Networks Norway |
Songwriter(s) | Vegard Ylvisåker, Bård Ylvisåker, Christian Loechstoeer, Lars Bleiklie Devik [1] |
"a capella" is a song and music video by the Norwegian duo Ylvis. It parodies a cappella groups like Pentatonix. Ylvis revealed "a capella" on I kveld med YLVIS on TVNorge on January 5, 2016. Three days after the song's release, it had 250,000 views.[2]
Ylvis revealed the music video and song "a capella" on I kveld med YLVIS on TVNorge on January 5, 2016.[2] It parodies a cappella groups like Pentatonix.[3][4][5] In the music video, a small boy is bullied. Ylvis brothers Vegard and Bård Ylvisåker head an a cappella group that attempts to save and galvanize the bullied child through their singing and joyful facial expressions.[3][6] They are able to defeat the bullies because they have the "scary" talent of being capable of "sing[ing] a song in any musical style".[7]
Caricaturing rousing a cappella songs, the song exploits frequent a cappella customs such as fake words, grinning "like you know Jesus personally", and a male beatboxer.[6] The song includes rock and rap, and a cappella members make trumpet and drum sounds.[7] One of Ylvis' fictional words is "Boodelooap", a fictional Nigerian soft drink.[3][6] Boodelooap is cherry-red and stored in a long tall bottle.
L.V. Anderson of Slate wrote that the song was "a pitch-perfect spoof of self-serious a cappella groups like Pentatonix".[3] Anderson noted that "purists" could argue that the song is not "strictly" a cappella because it likely has had electronic music components added after production though "that's not really the point".[3]
Entertainment Weekly's Dylan Kickham said the song was "fairly timely" because a cappella is "still very much in the public eye".[6] Kickham cited three examples of a cappella's high visibility: Pentatonix is drawing large crowds, Pitch Slapped opened on TV network Lifetime, and the Pitch Perfect franchise is making Pitch Perfect 3.[6]
Time's Olivia B. Waxman said the song was "aca-awesome".[7] Hoai-Tran Bu wrote in USA Today that the song was "a spot-on parody of a cappella groups that is both amazing and odd". She praised their performance for "delv[ing] into just what makes a cappella cool", citing the combating of bullying, the singing like they personally know Jesus, and props like leather straps and matching woolen hats.[8]
Jojo Girard of WFGR called the song a "a weird tribute to a capella groups" that was "wonderful".[9] KBMX's Tony Hart said the music video was "a funny look" at a cappella groups, noting "[t]his parody is perfect, right down to the reference to the leather straps these groups always seem to wear, and what's with all the smiling?"[10] KSL's John Clyde praised the song for being "pretty darn catchy and incredibly clever".[11]