Raise You Up/Just Be (from Kinky Boots) (arr. Mac Huff): SSA Choral Octavo

Mac Huff captures the vulnerability and defiance of "Raise You Up/Just Be" with an arrangement that lets the Broadway storytelling shine through crystal clear voicing. The SSA/SSAA flexibility means you can perform this with exactly the singers you have, and the emotional arc of the song lands hard whether you're singing it as a concert finale or a solo feature.

Defiant tenderness. The arrangement weaves together encouragement and acceptance with an underlying current of resilience, never sliding into saccharine territory. Singers feel the weight of the lyrics about becoming yourself while being supported by the harmonic foundation around them.

SSA and SSAA choirs looking to program contemporary Broadway material with real emotional substance. This works for high schools, college choirs, and community ensembles ready to tackle Kinky Boots' central message about acceptance and self-worth.

• Balance the vulnerability in the opening section; resist the urge to oversing, letting the soloists carry the intimacy before the choir enters.
• Shape the dynamic arc across the full span of the arrangement rather than hitting your peak early. The payoff comes in the final statements.
• Anchor the rhythmic precision in the accompaniment so the melodic lines can breathe expressively on top.
• Distinguish between the two song titles vocally; "Raise You Up" and "Just Be" occupy different emotional spaces and deserve different vocal colors.

Close a concert devoted to contemporary Broadway or identity-centered themes. The song's message about self-acceptance resonates powerfully as a standalone moment, or pair it with other feel-good ensemble pieces that celebrate individuality.

• Sustaining legit singing technique through a demanding range
• Balancing transparency in tight harmonic clusters
• Phrasing across longer melodic arcs without resorting to excessive breathing
• Interpreting contemporary Broadway material with emotional authenticity