Hold the applause. 

The lights dim as their voices bounce off the walls of Briarcrest Christian School. As the audience takes their seats, all eyes are on Key of She and DoReHe. As the curtains open, their talent is presented to the city. On Jan. 20, Briarcrest hosted their 7th annual A Cappella Invitational. The spotlight was on Key of She and DoReHe, as they had the chance to perform with other talented schools around the Mid-South. The Invitational gave students the chance to take the stage and sing their hearts out.

“[When I am on stage,] I feel like I’m in a movie, like, everyone is in my story,” Natela Bonaparte (12) said. “[I] feel special [to be able] to share … the moment with [my] Key of She [and] DoReHe family.”

The ability to sing on stage is not a talent learned overnight, but one earned through hours of practice. Key of She and DoReHe prepared for months to show the Mid-South everything they had to offer.

“[I was] excited to see it all come together … all of the work we’ve been putting [in for] months,” Jaylon Jones (12) said.

The verse of a song tells a story. It is where the story begins. The story of Key of She and DoReHe began in the choir room. They worked for weeks to be able to perform with confidence. They spent days memorizing lyrics and perfecting harmonies to shine brighter than ever before. They sweated and choreographed for hours to be able to tell their story to the Memphis area.

“[We were] going for … an upbeat feeling this year because last year [our songs] were more soulful,” Miles Goble (10) said.

As the choirs entered from stage right, some students felt a weight lifted off their shoulders. They were able to put their fear of messing up aside and sing in the moment. As the choirs sang the chorus, their worries were eased as the lyrics took over their bodies.

“I used to be a very anxious child [but] singing has always been a thing that … helped me calm down and express myself,” Goble said.

The bridge of a song works as the buildup to the final chorus but is also the most unique part of the song. In the same way the bridge connects two different parts of the song to create unity throughout the piece, the choir connects students of different backgrounds and allows them to unify through beats and melodies. Members of Key of She and DoReHe have earned the unique gift of having a voice that moves people. Singing has allowed most of these students to soar higher than they ever knew was possible.

“[Being able to put] myself out there on that stage … in front of so many people, knowing that any mistake [I make] people are going to hear … has inspired me to do my best at what I do,” Jones said.

As their harmonies rise above and the outro begins, Key of She and DoReHe leave the Invitational with a new understanding of music. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform had become a treasured memory. The most memorable part of most songs might be the chorus, but for Key of She and DoReHe, the most memorable part of their experience was the journey.

“White Station’s auditorium … is nothing compared to Briarcrest,” Bonaparte said. “I felt like a real star at Briarcrest with the big stage, lights and microphone.”