World renowned group Naturally 7 had the audience dancing and singing at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center Thursday, Nov. 17.

The show began with Tim Irr, an anchor from WSAZ, introducing the band. He also talked about the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Choir, which was supposed to perform, but had to cancel due to protests shutting down their university and forcing them to cancel their North American tour.

The music group, Naturally 7, has a distinct a cappella style called “vocal play,” which is the art of becoming a musical instrument using the human voice. They simulate the sounds of an instrumental band using only their voices, mouths and distortion effects.

Naturally 7 discussed the surprise reactions they receive when people see them perform with only a microphone and no instruments.

The band sang songs including “Summer Breeze” by Seals and Crofts, “Fix You” by Coldplay, a “Hey Ya” remix and “Jericho.” Throughout the performance, the group encouraged the audience to stand up, dance, clap, sing along and take pictures of them for social media.

Audience members took them up on the offer once the band came out after the audience asked for an encore. People in the crowd were clapping, dancing down the aisles and in their seats, and singing with the band members.

“They have amazing talents that they just have fun with,” Ronica Hensley, a senior communication disorders major, said. “They make you part of the fun and it was the best experience.”

During the performance, Roger Thomas, the fourth tenor, gave advice to audience members while talking about their history starting out.

“Whatever you do in life, make sure you love it,” Thomas said.

“This is my second time seeing the group,” Heidi Dennison, a senior communication disorders major, said. “I saw them in seventh grade when they came to my high school to perform. I knew it would be good, but they went above and beyond my expectations.”

The next performance for the Marshall Artist Series is the Big Band Holidays — Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Special Guest Catherine Russell at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center.

Krislyn Holden can be contacted at [email protected].