For over a decade, Northern Lights A Cappella, our student‑run and award‑winning singing group, has been a standout part of our student performing arts community.
Many of our singers remain involved in music after they graduate, as shown when a group of Northern Lights alumni, now performing as The Menagerie Club, appeared on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent during the Blackpool auditions for the series.
Image: The Menagerie Club members appear on stage at their Britain's Got Talent audition. Image credit: Tom Dymond / Talkback Thames.
Their performance featured an A Cappella medley of ‘Man I Need’ by Olivia Dean, ‘Beautiful Things’ by Benson Boone, and ‘Golden’ from K‑Pop Demon Hunters. The arrangement and delivery were well received by the audience at Winter Gardens Blackpool, with the group receiving a standing ovation. Judge Amanda Holden described the group as “joyful” and “out of this world” and mentioned Durham, recognising the musical experience the performers developed while studying here. The Menagerie Club will now progress to the next round of the competition.
The alumni members of The Menagerie Club are:
Each performer developed their musical skills and confidence during their time with Northern Lights. As The Menagerie Club prepares for the next stage of the competition, we wish them well and look forward to seeing how their journey continues.
While our alumni are making their mark on national television, the current Northern Lights group continues to achieve success on the competitive stage. Northern Lights has won the UK finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) for the fourth consecutive year, and the sixth time overall.
The group performed at the New Wimbledon Theatre in London on Saturday 7 March, securing 428 points to claim first place. They finished ahead of Aquapella from the University of Bath (404 points) and Nth Harmonic from Imperial College London (327 points).
Northern Lights will now progress to the ICCA world finals in New York on Saturday 25 April where they face nine other A Cappella groups from around the world.
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