Try: SSA Choral Octavo

Ryan O'Connell's SSA voicing captures the infectious momentum of the original while giving students genuine melodic and harmonic material to sink their teeth into. The arrangement stays true to the song's emotional core without oversimplifying or over complicating the parts, making it accessible for developing choirs that still want to sound polished and current.

Determined and purposeful. The piece carries emotional weight without becoming heavy; there's a resilience threaded through the melody that makes singing it feel meaningful rather than novelty. The harmonies are modern and clean, grounded in the song's conversational directness.

High school and college choirs looking to program contemporary pop with substance. SSA voicings work for treble choirs, mixed ensembles performing pop sets, or groups wanting to build confidence with current repertoire.

• Keep the rhythm section locked tight. The groove sits in the space between syllables, so clarity on text articulation prevents the arrangement from feeling rushed or sloppy.
• Balance the upper voices carefully during the layered sections. Each part has melodic integrity, but the lead line needs to cut through without the altos and sopranos II disappearing.
• Lean into the dynamic shape. This arrangement builds in waves, and committing fully to the softer moments makes the peaks land harder.

This works perfectly in a pop or contemporary concert alongside other arranged hits. You could also program it as a standalone feature in a mixed repertoire concert, where it demonstrates your ensemble's range and contemporary musical literacy. The 14 pages suggest a piece that doesn't demand excessive rehearsal time, freeing up energy for coordinating with other selections.

• Singing contemporary pop idiom with authenticity and control
• Maintaining rhythmic precision in syncopated accompaniment patterns
• Balancing multiple melodic lines in close harmony
• Interpreting dynamics and phrase shape in modern song structure