The Bostonians of Boston College joined the holiday festivities with their recent showcase on Dec. 2. The BC award-winning a cappella group welcomed the crowd to its Fall Cafe at Gasson 100, where students and families alike enjoyed a wintery welcome.
Dim blue and purple lights littered the room to emphasize a winter-wonderland feeling. Staying classy and simple, the Bostonians filed in from the entrance and lined up on the aisle facing the audience. They opened with a beautifully harmonized “Carol of the Bells” to establish the Christmas spirit.
They continued with their “Dance Mashup 2023,” which featured popular songs from the year, including “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, “Dance The Night” by Dua Lipa, and “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift. Following that mix, soloist Ryan Kim, CSOM ’25, performed “Ride” by HYBS to maintain the relaxing vibes.
Then, soloist Nicole Carrara, MCAS ’26, performed “I Was Made For Loving You” by Tori Kelly and Ed Sheeran. Her angelic voice stunned the crowd. Emily Misiewicz, MCAS ’24, followed with “Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac, where the group proved its ability to harmonize.
“Open Arms” by SZA, featuring Travis Scott, showcased soloist Brooks Galbraith, MCAS ’25. The track flaunted a mix of strong vocals and rap lyrics. Soloist Alice O’Connell, MCAS ’24 then gave a passionate performance of “Hopelessly Devoted To You” by Olivia Newton-John from the movie, Grease.
Next, the Boys Project, a subsection of The Bostonians featuring exclusively the group’s male members, took the stage, entertaining the crowd with “The Sweet Escape” by Gwen Stefani. The piano accompanied the song and received encouraging cheers from the crowd. The members regrouped to perform “True Colors” by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, adding an uplifting beat to the heartfelt song.
After a quick 15-minute intermission, the a cappella group returned with Lady Gaga’s “Always Remember Us This Way,” performed by soloist Anna McCabe, MCAS ’24. The ending of the rendition earned a wave of applause.
The Newbies Project, a subgroup formed by its newest members, continued. Throwing on some shades, the audience cheered as they performed “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys.
Soloist Hayden Erikson, MCAS ’26, impressed the crowd with “Heaven” by Niall Horan. His small chuckle at the end of the solo was wholesome and showed how invested he was in the song.
Then, Lulu Arundale, MCAS ’24, performed “Love Is A Game” by Adele. She was full of passion and emotion, bringing justice to the song’s wide vocal range.
The last of the sub-group performances was the Girls Project. Lots of giggles and fun choreography filled the room as the girls pointed at the audience while performing the holiday classic “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey.
To end the solo performances, Payton Allen, MCAS ’24, slowed the night down on a sentimental note with “Creep” by Radiohead, receiving positive reactions from the crowd.
Closing off with the same Christmas spirit the show started with, the group sang “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” by Frank Sinatra, in the traditional choir style.
The finale was the a cappella group’s theme song “Love The One You’re With,” which is the group’s take on the Stephen Stills song. The Bostonians and their alumni performed this song, giving a special shoutout to Ella Cromwell, MCAS ’27, as her former Bostonian father Brian Cromwell, BC ’96, joined her on stage.
After the show came to a stop, the audience cheered nonstop, and a few of them excitedly rose up and approached the singers to compliment them. With hearts warmed, the holiday spirit carried throughout the remainder of the evening.
