Cheap Thrills (feat. Sean Paul) (Arr. Mark Brymer): SATB Choral Octavo

Brymer's arrangement captures the infectious energy of the original while keeping the voicing accessible for high school and early college choirs. The piece strikes that rare balance where students feel genuinely excited to perform it, audiences respond with immediate recognition, and the musical challenge keeps singers engaged throughout rehearsal.

Joyful and purposeful, with a rhythm that propels everything forward. The arrangement maintains the original's playful confidence while giving voices room to shine both individually and in layered sections. There's an immediacy to the piece that makes it feel contemporary and accessible, yet the four-part writing creates depth and complexity under the surface.

High school and early college choirs looking for contemporary secular repertoire that generates genuine excitement without sacrificing musical substance. Directors programming pop music for audiences who know the original track and want an arrangement that honors both the source material and vocal ensemble technique.

• Lock the rhythmic pocket early. This arrangement thrives on precision in the rhythmic lines, especially in the sections where voices layer against each other. Spend time on the exact placement of each entrance and cutoff rather than smoothing over the rhythmic edges.
• Balance the feature moments carefully. The original's appeal lies in Sia's distinctive vocal character, so when soloists emerge in your arrangement, make sure accompaniment voices sit underneath them dynamically. Let the melody breathe without drowning it.
• Shape the dynamics across phrases rather than holding one level. Pop music often reads as static dynamically, but this arrangement actually benefits from slight swells and pulls in energy. Your singers will sound more polished and the piece more intentional.
• Treat the accompaniment figures as rhythmic propulsion, not filler. Rhythmic ostinatos in the lower voices should sound deliberate and bouncy, not background texture. This lifts the whole arrangement.

Drop this into a concert that mixes genres or features a pop segment. It works particularly well as an energy boost mid-concert or as a finale that sends audiences out with momentum. The familiarity of the song title also makes it excellent for recruiting student singers who might not otherwise audition for choir.

• Rhythmic precision in layered vocal parts
• Blend and balance in homophonic arrangements
• Stylistic interpretation of contemporary popular music
• Ensemble confidence with recognizable source material
• Handling syncopation and pop rhythmic conventions in classical ensemble settings