UC Santa Barbara Brothas from Otha Mothas

Founded in 2003, The Brothas from Otha Mothas are the lone all-male a cappella group at UC Santa Barbara. Members of the group took the time to answer questions from A Cappella Blog co-founder Mike Chin.

A Cappella Blog (ACB): What advantages or challenges come with Brothas from Otha Mothas being an all-male mixed a cappella group?

The Brothas from Otha Mothas (BOM): Well right off the bat, its really hard to find GUYS. You would think there are a lot of guys out there, but they are scarce here at UCSB. However, the talent that is available here is incredible, which makes it the greatest pleasure to sing with such talented people. I mean, not to mention we are a big hit with the ladies.

ACB: Where did the distinctive and humorous name for your group come from?

BOM: Well the founding members, Daniel & D.J., came up with the name while in Italy for an opera workshop. Brothas from Otha Mothas was very catchy and the name was the spark for starting the group. Without Daniel and D.J., we would be the nameless guy group at UCSB.

ACB: Being one of the three a cappella groups at UC Santa Barbara, how do the different groups co-exist? Is there any competition between them?

BOM: All three groups here at UCSB get along quite well. Since each group offers something different to the table (i.e. all guys, all girls, co-ed, and different rep), it is essential that each group exists. In fact, we've performed in a joint concert last year.

ACB: The Brothas offer the unique service of "Brothagrams." Can you explain what this is all about, and where the idea came from?

BOM: Well, Brothagrams are just like any singing telegram service except for the fact that our service has a cool name. I came up with the name early on when we first decided to provide this service to the UCSB/Isla Vista community during Valentine's Day of 2003. We are hired by people to sing for their loved ones, sorority sisters, sports events, or weddings. We've been privileged to sing in offices, class lecture rooms, dining commons, sororities, and our very own Thunderdome Events Center.

ACB: Describe a typical rehearsal for your group. How often do you guys practice and what do you do to achieve such success by the time you hit the stage? Do rehearsals change before a big show?

BOM: We have practice twice a week for a total of 4 hours. The key to a successful rehearsal is to maintain a friendly and fun environment. The more we get along and have fun, the more we get done. Simple as that. Before big shows we hold hands and meditate...ok we really don't. We just evaluate our progress before a show and see if we need to practice a little more before the show.

ACB: How does your group go about deciding which songs to add to its repertoire?

BOM: We decide our rep by voting on songs that benefit the group's interest.

ACB: What would you say is the most important element to having a successful collegiate a cappella group?

BOM: It's very important to have people who have a strong passion for a cappella music.

If you would like to learn more about The UC Santa Barbara Brothas from Otha Mothas, you can visit the group online at http://orgs.sa.ucsb.edu/bfom/index.html.