By Micha Mokrani

The sixth annual SheSings Vocal Festival starts this Friday in Berkeley, California, kicking off with a party to celebrate women in music, then two full days of workshops and performances. 

Hosted by the Women’s A Cappella Association (WACA), SheSings brings together people from all over the country in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area to learn, celebrate, and grow in their musicianship, activism, and contributions to both the a cappella community and the world at large.

WACA ambassadors such as co-founder and Executive Director Lisa Forkish and Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Bryan Guffey host panels and workshops to create conversations around several topics and invite all members of the community to engage in those discussions and the opportunity to effect change. 

In a slight departure from traditional a cappella, this year’s concert will feature headliners MoonCandy, Jazz Mafia, and Honey Whiskey Trio and include appearances by scholastic powerhouses OSA Vocal Rush and Divisi.

Led by acclaimed jazz vocalist Valerie Troutt, MoonCandy is described as a “church without walls” with a soulful jazz sound and an inspirational message.

Jazz Mafia was the brainchild of instrumentalist Adam Theis, a producer, bandleader, and composer out of Oakland, California. The group is a collective that plays a mix of electro, hip-hop, world, classical, and jazz music.

And finally, there's Honey Whiskey Trio, a boundary-pushing a cappella trio that uses song and stomp to share its stories through American folk music.

The inspiration doesn’t end on stage. The weekend is packed with classes and workshops from community trailblazers including Forkish, Dr. Erin Hackel, Courtney Jensen, HIVE, and the headliners.

Learn more about this weekend’s event at Berkeley's Freight & Salvage music venue. Tickets for both the concert and workshops are still available.