- Three time national a capella champions, Vocal Rush!

(audience applauds and cheers) # I'm up in the woods # I'm down on my mind (audience members yell out) # I'm building a stair # To slow down the time # One, two.

# I'm lost in the woods # - Vocal Rush has always been a group of diverse kids.

It's something that we're all proud of too, but this year, the fact that black lives and the lives of minorities are in jeopardy, That all shook us and touched us emotionally.

We wanted to use the stage as a platform.

# You're my devil, you're my angel # You're my heaven, you're my hell # You're my life, you're my forever # You're my freedom, you're my jail # You're my lies, you're my truth # You're my war, you're my truth # You're my questions, you're my proof # Said you wanna be starting something (audience applauds and cheers) # I'm up in the woods # Dark from the light # - How your group gets along on a personal level is really important.

Everyone is valuable and everyone is worth something to the group.

# Hey, oh # - Just having that respect, it changes the sound of the music you're making.

# Hey, oh # Hey # Hey # (audience applauds and cheers) - Okay, everybody up in front.

Let's go from the top again.

One, two, one, two, three, four.

This year's group, we've had a lot of conversations about identity and being a young person.

(women singing) What is our role in the world at large and especially as an artist?

- Being an African American girl and living in Oakland, California, I have to be very aware of who I am and cautious of who I am.

# Heroes ... # - [Crowd] No more police shootings.

Arrest Darren Wilson.

Shut it down for Michael Brown.

- And we're living in the 21st century and this is still going on.

(crowd yelling) - We're not touching.

We're not touching you.

(people yelling) - [Crowd] Who do you protect?

Who do you protect?

- All of these cases, it really affects me because, you know, that could be me.

- [Crowd] This is a peaceful protest.

- To see my brothers and my sisters suffer is very hard for me.

# Awake # my soul # Oh, oh, oh # Awake ... # - We decided when we get on stage, we have to dedicate this to all the families.

# But we can stop fear and must finally show # In these bodies, we will live # In these bodies, we will die # And where you invest your love ... # - Black lives matter gives me hope that the issue is being recognized and my life should matter.

# In these bodies, we will die # And where you invest your love # You invest your life # (audience applauds and cheers) # You can be amazing # You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug # - It takes a lot of courage to put yourself out there.

# When the words fall out # Speak out # - But that's what I feel like music should be about.

# Your word should be ynything but empty # Why don't you tell them the truth?

# Say, what you wanna say, say # And let the words fall out # Honestly, I wanna see you be brave # Say what you wanna say # And let the words fall out # Honestly # Be brave # I just wanna see you # Be brave # (audience applauds and cheers) # Angels watching over me # With smiles upon their face # 'Cause I have made it through this far # In an unforgiving place # Feels like sometimes this hill's too steep # For a girl like me to climb # But I must knock those guards right down # I do it in my own time #