American a cappella group Naturally 7 will tour Korea in May — starting in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province on this Friday and Saturday to go onto Wonju, Gangwon Province on May 23.

By Kwaak Je-yup

A cappella singers have a distinct advantage over fellow musicians when they tour. Performing without instruments, and therefore light on luggage, they can break into tune on any street corner or city plaza. They can also travel more easily to remote corners of the world.

Audiences in regional cities, therefore, will not have to travel to Seoul to see two world-famous ensembles — Naturally 7 and b vocal — when they visit Korea in the next few months.

While not the most popular of all genres, a cappella has a considerable following worldwide. It has spawned well-recognized bands like The Real Group, Rockapella and The King’s Singers among others. Some of these groups have sung to packed Korean venues in recent years, garnering critical acclaim and commercial success.

Each group has been active for more than 20 years and will both perform here as established names in the world of a cappella.

Naturally 7, an American group of seven singers, make their Korean debut at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province south of Seoul on May 11 and 12.


Having made their name in R&B, the group’s 2006 impromptu performance on the Paris Metro became a phenomenal success on YouTube. Riding on the wave of sudden publicity, the group then made several TV appearances in the United States. Two years ago, they even opened for Canadian crooner Michael Buble on his tour.

Their tentative setlist includes some of their biggest hits like “Non Fiction,” “What Is It,” “Christmas It’s a Love Story,” “Ready II Fly,” and “Feel It (in the Air Tonight),” which they performed in their famous video clip.

The members of Naturally 7 are Garfield Buckley, Rod Eldridge, Warren Thomas, Napoleon Cummings, Roger “N’glish” Thomas, Dwight Stewart, and Armand “Hops” Hutton.

The five-member group hailing from the Spanish city of Zaragoza, b vocal, will venture further into the provinces, their tour lasting for two weeks in June. The trek, their second in the country, starts from Seoul (June 9-10) and moves on to Daejeon (June 13), Cheongju (June 14), Bucheon (June 17) and Pyeongtaek (June 19). The group will wrap up their Korean leg in Wonju (June 23).

They are known for their versatility, winning fans and admirers worldwide by reinterpreting music of all eras and genres, from pop to classical music and flamenco to name a few.

Members of the group are already celebrities in their native Spain, even representing their country as a part of the Shanghai Expo two years ago. Last year, they sold out every one of their Broadway performances.

According to organizers, the group is preparing to perform some Korean oldies, in addition to their regular repertoire that includes hits by pop legends the Bee Gees, Elvis Presley, ABBA and the Beatles.

The band b vocal is composed of five men. The website lists just their first names: Juan Luis, Carlos, Fermin, Alberto and Augusto.

For Naturally 7’s performances, tickets cost 22,000 to 77,000 won. For more information, call Interpark at 1544-8117 or the Seongnam Arts Center at (031) 783-8000.

For b vocal, tickets cost 30,000 to 100,000 won. For more information, call SPA Entertainment at (02) 523-5391.