The Backbeats have… Read Full Bio ↴From http://www.backbeatsvocal.com/bio/index.html
The Backbeats have barely taken off and already they’ve set the world on fire.
When they first stepped before the camera on Season 2 of “The Sing-Off,” opened their mouths and unleashed their jubilant harmonies, that was not only their network debut – it was the first time these gifted young men and women had ever sung together in public, anywhere.
And by the time they’d seized third place at season’s end, they had ignited a blaze whose light had drawn thousands of fans not only to their unique sound but also to the contemporary a cappella phenomenon as a whole. No one in the Backbeats had any idea where their path would lead when they resolved to compete in the popular NBC series. But once it was over, they knew that they were riding a wave that would take them places none had imagined reaching before. That wave crests with the release of their self-titled, first album on the aptly named Arrival Records/Madison Gate imprint. Drawn together by their televised adventure, knowing that something bigger than their considerable individual gifts was leading them now, they hit the studio with a unified vision and a determination to spread the joy they draw from music to listeners everywhere.
Listen to the shimmering textures, gentle at first and blossoming into the choruses of Katy Perry’s “Firework.” The gentle ecstasies of the lead and backing vocals on their version of Adele’s “Turning Tables.” The full-bodied treatment of “Need You Now” takes on new intensity through expansions on Lady Antebellum’s original three-part arrangement. Every track on The Backbeats crackles with the excitement of artistry energized by the sheer love of singing. That same quality brought them into the spotlight on “The Sing- Off,” but here it rises to a higher level of achievement. Impeccably crafted, this album will be remembered as a milestone in the chronicle of a cappella recordings.
“It definitely encapsulates us as a band and as artists,” says alto Rachel Saltzman, speaking for the group. “It demonstrates a lot of what we did on the show – we portrayed deeply expressive and emotional qualities in our performances. Using that as our backbone, the album gave us a chance to showcase our voices differently than we could on the show. The emotions hit even harder because of the bigger sound we can create in a studio setting.”
That sound comes not only from their talent and camaraderie; it also results from the fact that they insist on singing only songs that speak to them personally. “Every single song tells a story about somebody and something in relation to the meaning of our group and what we try to express as individuals and as a whole,” Saltzman comments.
It is frankly difficult to accept that the Backbeats accomplished all this while most of them were still in college, singing with their school’s a cappella groups, with baritone Kenton Chen, soprano Kelley Jakle, tenor Eitan Nir and alto Saltzman at USC, from which bass Todd G. Levin had recently graduated, soprano Joanna Jones at UCLA, and alto/vocal percussionist Courtney Jensen at Brigham Young University, while Jordan Pharoah, an alumnus of the Los Angeles County High School of the Performing Arts, was performing around Southern California.
This diverse gathering found common ground in the skills demanded for unaccompanied vocals. Perhaps the most important of these is to be able to listen to every voice in the blend while singing, making sure that it all comes together seamlessly. But with the Backbeats in particular, there was an additional requirement that each note convey the greatest possible feeling.
The bonds of trust developed rapidly as they began rehearsing for “The Sing-Off.” “We didn’t know what our group’s sound would be like when we came into it,” Saltzman says. “Like I said, our first performance ever was on the show, so we went on this little retreat before the taping. For a week we lived in a house together and just sang and ate and got to know each other more. You could tell even then there was something special here. We had no idea how people would react to us; we didn’t even think it would last past this summer. But it has and we wanted to keep it going.”
That’s what brought them into the studio. Ben Bram and Kenton Chen, who arranged and produced the album together, kept the magic alive by combining careful execution with spontaneity. “In the recording studio, options are limitless,” Bram explains. “On ‘The Sing- Off,’ The Backbeats only had their ten voices. In the studio, we could track as many times as we wanted. So we arranged everything carefully while also using the strengths of the studio, to maintain the soul and passion of the individual voices and the group sound as a whole. This gave us a chance to explore new songs and dig deeper into a variety of styles.”
“We do more than just sing,” Saltzman concludes. “We tell stories. We evoke emotions in ourselves and, hopefully, in the people we’re singing to. At the end of the day, it’s about making great music. We are a singing group, we are singers and we’re happiest when that’s what we’re doing.”
Breakeven
The Backbeats Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just praying to a God that I don't believe in no,
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't breakeven
Her best days will be some of my worst
She finally met a man that's gonna put her first
While I'm wide awake, she has no trouble sleeping
What am I suppose to do when the best part of me was always you?
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces
You got his heart and my heart and none of the pain
You took your suitcase, I took the blame
Now I'm tryin' make sense of what little remains, oh
'Cause you left me with no love and no love to my name
I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
Just prayed to a God that I don't believe in
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
'Cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break
No it don't break, no, it don't break even, no
What am I suppose to do when the best part of me was always you?
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?
I'm falling to pieces
I'm falling to pieces
The lyrics of “Breakeven” by The Backbeats talk about the aftermath of a painful breakup. The singer is still alive, but he is barely breathing and is just praying to a God that he doesn't believe in. He realizes that while he has time, his ex-partner has freedom. He’s struggling to come to terms with the fact that her best days will be some of his worst, while she has already moved on to another man who puts her first. He’s wide awake while she has no trouble sleeping, and he realizes that when a heart breaks, it doesn't break even.
The chorus repeats the lines “What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was always you? And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay? I'm falling to pieces” twice, emphasizing the pain and turmoil the singer is going through. The lines illustrate how heartbreak and a failed relationship can leave a lasting impact on a person's life, making it difficult to move on even after some time has passed. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has been through a breakup, and the melancholic melody adds to the emotional power of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing
I am physically present in the world but emotionally devastated
Just praying to a God that I don't believe in no
Expressing a desperate plea out of custom or habit
'Cause I got time while she got freedom
I am currently stuck in a state of grief while she is free to move on
'Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't breakeven
Emotionally, the one who lost does not come out with equal footing
Her best days will be some of my worst
Things are going to be going great for her while I suffer
She finally met a man that's gonna put her first
She has found someone who prioritizes her above all else
While I'm wide awake, she has no trouble sleeping
I am unable to sleep due to emotional turmoil while she is at peace
'Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even, even, no
The theme that when someone is emotionally broken, it is not an equal loss between the parties involved
What am I suppose to do when the best part of me was always you?
I am lost without the person who was the highlight of my life
And what am I supposed to say when I'm all choked up and you're okay?
I do not know how to express my emotions when you appear unaffected
I'm falling to pieces
These events have shattered me and I am struggling to keep it together
You got his heart and my heart and none of the pain
The person she moved on with has received both of our hearts without experiencing any hardship
You took your suitcase, I took the blame
She left and I took responsibility for the problems in the relationship
Now I'm tryin' make sense of what little remains, oh
I am trying to piece together what is left of myself after this traumatic experience
'Cause you left me with no love and no love to my name
I am left without love, both in the present moment and even in my identity
Writer(s): Stephen Alan Kipner, Daniel John O'donoghue, Mark Anthony Sheehan, Andrew Marcus Frampton
Contributed by Vivian V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MaryEllen
Nine years after this was posted and it still gives me chill bumps!
Such an emotional delivery!
Simon Chun
they're so emotionally invested in every song it's just way too beautiful
Sonia Avia Aihi
Honestly
MusicSweetly
OMG the back up vocals from 1:13 to 1:40! Took my breath away it was so good! :D
Malcolm Miller
gotta throw down for my hometown group!!! this group rocks so hard. interesting and dynamic arrangements, excellent soloists. this is what contemporary a cappella should sound like
cavitekaren
Goosebumps all over me holy cow! They're brilliant!
rollership
still love this from the first time I heard them on the show
Dante Perry
i still get chills everytime i watch this
Kat Jane
1:40 - 1:55 you go joanna! love her voice <3
Hunter Yeager
That last chord!!! AHHHH!!! Beautiful!