Exceptional Rendition Of 'O' Holy Night' Will Blow Listeners Away — Stunning

Nov 25, 2020 by apost team

It takes compellingly raw talent to be able to take an audience's breath away in an a cappella performance. In their O' Holy Night music video from 2014, the band Home Free was able to do just that.

Home Free was first formed back in 2000 in Minnesota by brothers Adam and Chris Rupp in order to pursue their passion for a cappella and country music. They rose to fame thirteen years later after winning season four of NBC's The Sing-Off.

Home Free now consists of Adam Rupp, Austin Brown, Rob Lundquist, Tim Foust, and Adam Chance.

In their 2014 video, all five men can be seen standing on a church podium surrounded by candles that illuminate their presence on the heightened platform. More subtle lighting can be seen radiating throughout the stained glass windows located in the church as well. The interior decor is composed of soft gold and beige hues that complement each member's attire perfectly. This all makes for one awe-inspiring set for this Christmas Eve single.

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The performance starts by Tim Foust singing the first verse with his signature southern drawl that naturally gives off an inviting energy. The large, empty setting of the church allows each member's voice to echo beautifully off of the walls making every pitch sound flawlessly balanced. The talent of Home Free's members is unmistakable in such an open and otherwise quiet place of worship.

To be able to create such a memorable piece without the help of any background noise takes a level of talent that is exceptionally rare to come by. Home Free has left a lasting mark by performing this classic hit in such a riveting manner.

This incredible a cappella group was originally formed all the way back in 2000, more than two decades ago, in Mankato, Minnesota — a town of around 30,000, at the time. At that time, some of its members were still teenagers.

"Home Free began as a hobby 15 years ago in Mankato, Minnesota. Honestly, at the time, we were just trying to be Rockapella," the band said in an interview with Entertainment Focus in 2016. "Luckily, it slowly snowballed into a career, and over time we solidified our lineup and found our original voice as a band. In 2013, we won NBC’s The Sing-Off which catapulted us into international acclaim."

Their Sing-Off win supercharged the a cappella group's success. After winning the fourth season of the show, they received $100,000 in prize money along with a recording contract with Sony Music. That success led to the band's album Crazy Life, which was released on the well-known label Columbia Records. 

"Typically, we’ll head into the studio with a basic shell of an arrangement charted out, and then we’ll all chime in with ideas for taking it to the next level," the band told reporters at Entertainment Focus when asked about their process. "There is a lot of experimentation in the studio, and we really trust and rely on our brilliant producer, Darren Rust, to breathe contemporary life into everything we do."

Most recently, Home Free released Warmest Winter, a 2020 Christmas album that came out in October. The album boasts 12 holiday-themed tracks for those of us who love to revel in the Christmas spirit months before the big day. Some of the songs are classics while many are also Home Free originals.

"I think [great Christmas music] is whenever you can convey a message that can relate to most people, and I know that both Austin and Tim were able to really tap into that," Rob Lundquist told Taste of Country in a November 2020 interview. "It's a time to hang out with family, to experience each other, love each other. And, yeah, [songwriters Austin Brown and Tim Foust] both were able to really tap into that on this album."

The album's title track, Warmest Winter, is an especially personal song, the band explained in the Taste of Country Interview. It explores a personal memory from Brown's life — the loss of his grandma.

"I think he's going to have a hard time actually performing it, because it's so real," Lundquist told the publication. "It comes from personal experiences, you know, with losing his grandma. So I think [singing Christmas music] just sometimes maybe allows us to get a little bit more emotional and show off some more vulnerable sides."

To experience Home Free's touching, personal, and vulnerable Christmas music, check out the below video. Not only are these men talented, but they also know how to connect with their listeners.

Passing on Home Free's rendition of O' Holy Night to your friends and family will certainly bring them some holiday cheer! Don't forget to let us know what you think in the comments.