We caught up with Semi-Toned about how things have changed since The Choir

The Acapella sensation that captures the hearts of all who watch and has everyone wishing they could be an aca-groupie. Gods amongst men is perhaps more fitting at this time. Following their smashing capitulation into the finals of BBC’s The Choir (and their switch on of the Forum Christmas lights that drew far bigger crowds than any careers’ fair could dream), we decided it of the utmost importance to interview the one and only, Semi-Toned.

What’s it like watching yourself on TV?

It’s slightly surreal, but great fun because we get to re-watch everything that we filmed and it brings back loads of great memories and experiences we had on location! The best bit is seeing people’s reactions: obviously we’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but the Twitter reaction to the Semi Finals was incredible.

What does it feel like to be through to the finals?

It’s a massive honour to be through to the grand final of the whole competition. We’re so excited to continue flying the flag for the south west and hopefully we can do people proud.

Did you make friends with any of the other groups? Who do you think is your biggest competition for the finals?

We always ended up chatting to the other groups on location and they were all lovely. Special mention has to go to Pastor Samuel from EAGA who never failed to make us smile, but the other groups were lovely too. Mums in Durham were especially funny during the big group filming in Royal Holloway! Not only that but all the groups are hugely talented, and Bulmershe have some especially talented soloists, so we’re in for a tough final round.

What would winning the show mean to Semi-Toned?

To win would be such a huge thing for us. All we really set out to do was raise the profile of a cappella and the University, but the further we go in the contest the more we want to win! It would be an amazing honour and would be a brilliant way to end a very successful 2016 for the group.

What do you think of Gareth Malone, nice guy?

Gareth is such a musical genius and a genuinely lovely guy. The way he comes across on telly is exactly like he is in reality. Working with him was lovely, as we were given a chance to really develop musically, and he would challenge us with his song choices. Gareth is something special and he still keeps in touch with the group, which is really nice.

What’s the response been like from the general public?

Not everyone in the world is going to like us, but the overwhelming response has been a positive one and watching our social media follows go up has been quite a shock! The popularity of the group, especially in the Semi Finals, is mainly thanks to our wonderful Michael Luya who used his extraordinary talents to capture most of the hearts of the nation!

Has your recent national fame turned you into mini Kanye’s or are you all still grounded?

Although some of us have been spotted around and about in public (Eddie got spotted in Pret-A-Manger), generally it hasn’t really changed us much. It certainly hasn’t changed how the group operates… but maybe you should ask our flatmates whether our egos are inflated or not!

2016 may be the year it all went wrong, but what’s this year been like for Semi-Toned?

2016 has been the most incredible and one of the most successful years yet for the group. We began the year by winning the Exeter Quarter Finals of the ICCAs, and placed second in the UK Semi Finals. We’ve released our second EP, ‘Sing Theory’, and held a major performance at the Barnfield Theatre. We also managed to squeeze in another three-week tour up the East coast of the USA, and a two-week Edinburgh Fringe run. And filmed ‘The Choir’! It’s been a hectic year, but we are so proud of what we’ve achieved.

Do you have any new songs or videos coming out soon?

Funny you should ask. We have just finished filming our music video for our ‘Christmas Medley’ which will be coming out in the form of a charity single in the next few weeks: so watch this space! We’ve also got a few other releases and videos planned for the New Year: but we can’t tell you any more than that.

You can watch the final episode of The Choir tomorrow night (6/12) WITH SEMI-TONED at the Grove.