Photo by Lisa Abitbol

The Tupelos get together for six hours of rehearsal every week—and for its members, the a cappella group feels like a home away from home.

“There’s something wonderful about being able to sing with people,” says president Charlotte Stout ’20. “It’s a really close-knit group, which also adds to our sound.”

Kyler Murria Castro ’20 chimes in, “I’ve been singing since I was 3. It’s a passion of mine. It’s a passion of all of ours. It’s different when you share a passion. Like a family, we support each other in ways that go beyond the rehearsals and the memorization and making sure we’re on top of the music.”

The Tupelos have been harmonizing since 1947, and claim the title of the College’s oldest a cappella group. “The Wellesley Archives posted something that said we were the oldest group, so I’m going to stand by that,” says Stout.

Lizette Ortega ’22 didn’t sing in high school, but says, “It’s become a really big part of my identity here. I had friends who struggled to transition to Wellesley. The Tupelos made it so much easier.”

The deep connections current Tupelos feel extend to their alumnae, particularly when the group performs the Indigo Girls’ “Love’s Recovery.”

“There’s part of the song that only the seniors sing,” says Stout. “When it’s your first time as a senior singing that part, it’s a beautiful thing. When alums come to a concert, they get up and sing it with us. We just get really emotional.”