Crimson 7 Wins A Cappella Competition

On May 3, Crimson 7 and Oxfordians traveled to Millbrook School for their annual “Golden Lips” A Cappella Competition. After doing brief sound checks, the groups performed for an audience of Millbrook students, families, and friends, competing against groups from Millbrook, Cheshire Academy, and Kent School. 

The evening started with Millbrook School’s choir director and host of Golden Lips, Mr. Joe Raciti, inviting representatives of Crimson 7 back on stage to return the trophy they had won last year and, in return, receive a framed certificate of their 2024 win.  Mr. Raciti then welcomed the crowd to the competition, reading from a Golden Book in an amusing rhyming scheme.

This year’s judges for the competition were three singers from UConn’s a cappella group, A Minor. Groups were selected to perform with the random role of a large four-sided pyramid. Oxfordians were rolled as the first group to perform, and they sang “Disturbia” (Danica Arwen de Dios ’27 as soloist, Lily Temkin ’25 as beatboxer) and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to the roar of applause from the audience. 

Next sang Cheshire’s group 1794, and then third to sing was Crimson 7.  Crimson 7 sang “Bills, Bills, Bills” (Zaire Ramiz ’25 as soloist, Riley Mapp ’26 as beatboxer) and then closed with “My Shot” (Gordon Beck ’26 as soloist, mini-solos by Leo Kollen ’26, Drake Fernald ’25, Zaire Ramiz, Aarav Mathur ’26, and Nikhil Rollan ’25, beatboxing by Riley Mapp ’26).  The last two groups to perform were Millbrook’s group, The Singers, and Kent’s group, The Kentones & Kentettes.  

While scores were tallied, the judges joined the rest of their group, and UConn’s A Minor performed a six-song set for the crowd, wowing our students with their intricate arrangements, exceptional solo singing, and engaging stage presence. Following their performance, Mr. Raciti returned to his poetic rhymes to close out the evening, naming Crimson 7 the 2025 winner of the Golden Lips competition. 

One of the best moments of the evening occurred following C7’s rush to the stage as members of all five groups ran down to the stage to congratulate and connect with each other on their performances. On top of that, UConn’s A Minor group members came to the stage afterward. They talked with many of KO’s singers from Crimson 7 and Oxfordians, answering their questions about college a cappella and congratulating them on their performances.  All in all, a great night for our singers who got to meet other students, share their talents, and enjoy a college performance.