After one week of turbulent show choir in the south, we're going right back at it with another four competitions spread throughout the region. One of these competitions, the Jackson Academy Show Choir Invitational, is setting up to already be the top competition in the southern circuit this year. Let's take a dive into each of these and see what storylines follow along with predictions, albeit very volatile predictions, for each.
Jackson Academy Show Choir Invitational
Listen. Before you go and look at my predictions below, keep this in mind: not a single person in show choir can accurately predict what is going to happen here without valid criticism. No one knows what is going to happen here. No one. This just happens to be my own random dart that I’ve thrown at the board. This competition is setting up to be this year’s top competition in the south and for good reason. You have the two southern powerhouses, Brandon and Homewood, both looking to bounce back from shocking upsets last week. You have numerous groups debuting their 2024 competition show, with a highly dangerous Tupelo Synergy in that mix. You have a slugfest in the single-gender division between the aforementioned Tupelo, Homewood, and Brandon. Then, keeping ALL of that in mind, I would like to recall the jaw-dropping results that happened here last year, with a middle division group winning first overall in the preliminary results and a handful of the top large groups receiving time penalties. So yeah. You don’t know what’s going to happen here. I don’t know what’s going to happen here. No one knows what’s going to happen here. The only thing I do know is that I will be there, start to finish, witnessing this show choir spectacle first-hand. I’ll see all of you there, and may the best show win.
Predictions (five finalists):
GC) Brandon “Brio” (BC/Show Design)
1RU) Homewood “The Network”
2RU) Tupelo “Synergy” (BV)
3RU) Northwest Rankin “The Ambassadors”
4RU) Jackson Prep “Reveillon”
First one out: Madison Central “Reveille”
Mississippi State Show Choir State Contest
Looking at this competition on the surface, it seems to be a repeat of last week’s South Jones Invitational, albeit throwing a competitive Pearl River Central into the mix. However, this competition’s gem lies in the small division. It was show choir figure Bradley Davis who mentioned last year that small mixed needed a matchup between the state-separated groups at the top of the division to really sort out who is who, and we finally have it. At the Mississippi State Show Choir State Contest, we will have West Marion New Era, Oxford Sound, and Laurel Showstoppers. The results between these three groups will really set the tone for the rest of the year in small mixed, as well as any possible upsets by some of the others competing here, such as Wayne County Orange Sensations. It’s also worth noting that we will get another matchup between Oxford and Laurel later in the year.
Predictions (five finalists):
GC) West Jones “Imagination” (BV/BC/Show Design)
1RU) Northeast Jones “Gold Horizons”
2RU) Biloxi “Sound Surge”
3RU) Pearl River Central “Central Attraction”
4RU) West Marion “New Era”
First one out: Oxford “Sound”
Enterprise Southland Show Choir Classic
This competition features a rematch between two of the top competitors from last year’s premier competition in the south, the 2023 Homewood South Central Classic, where Petal swept finals and won the single-gender division over both Oak Mountain groups. We’ll see a strong showing from both of their mixed and single-gender groups here as well, with Vestavia Hills and Spain Park (in their first comp under new direction) looking in from the outside, seeking a chance to mix up the final placements.
Predictions (five finalists):
GC) Petal “Soundsations” (BV/BC/Show Design)
1RU) Oak Mountain “Singers”
2RU) Petal “Innovations”
3RU) Oak Mountain “The Muses”
4RU) Vestavia Hills “Singers”
First one out: Spain Park “Rhapsody In Blue”
Albertville Diamond Classic
As for the top placement here, Tift County looks to repeat their placement above Hoover from the Tallassee Capital City Classic. The rest of the results are truly up in the air though, as there isn’t really any great reference to use when judging these groups against one another. This competition will really serve as a way to sort out the underdogs of Alabama show choir.
Predictions (five finalists):
GC) Tift County “8th Street Singing Company” (BV/BC/Show Design)
1RU) Hoover “Paradigm”
2RU) Jasper “Phoenix”
3RU) Rome “Grand Finale”
4RU) Opelika “Ovations”
First one out: Tift County “Ladies Choice”
With nothing left to say, I wish good luck this week to all the groups competing! Happy show choir season y'all, and may the best group win!
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