Vocal Point star leaves a legacy for BYU

PROVO — Jensen Diederich has had the time of his life for the last four years.

As part of the BYU a cappella group Vocal Point, he has sung at sold-out performances, traveled around the world and learned the value of selfless artistry. Diederich recently finished up his senior year at BYU and with it, his journey with Vocal Point.

Diederich said he can’t seem to pinpoint a certain moment when he knew he wanted to sing. Growing up, he was constantly humming in the car, at school events and even joining local theater productions. His parents noticed his talent and decided to enroll him in voice lessons, singing camps and other experiences to boost his vocal abilities.

In high school, Diederich’s vocal technique improved drastically. During an audition for the school play, his teacher noted that his voice sounded scratchy, as if he might have a nodular infection impairing his singing. The teacher sent him to renowned vocal coach Dean Kaelin, who had coached stars such as David Archuleta and Olivia Rodrigo.

“I went to a 30-minute lesson with him and it was instantly healed. Doctors had told me it was totally infected, but when I went to him, it was gone,” Diederich said.

With his newfound knowledge, Diederich signed up for Remix Vocal Academy, music camps put on by BYU’s Vocal Point. Diederich learned even more techniques to ensure he was singing healthily and gained a deeper understanding of singing in general. Little did he know that those camps would change the course of his college journey forever.

After serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Peru, Diederich had to make the tough college decision of where to go to school. Although he was rejected from BYU on his first application, he enrolled in the Flex GE program and was admitted with his second application.

Inspired by his time at the summer camps, Diederich decided to audition for the prestigious performing group Vocal Point.

“The process is unlike anything I’ve ever done, but it’s also uplifting and a really fun process,” Diederich said.

Since 1991, Vocal Point has been serenading Utah and beyond. The group looks to fill seven spots each year. Members must reaudition each time, regardless of whether they have been a Vocal Point member before.

The first round of auditions takes place over a week, with 85 to 115 people vying for the coveted spots. Callbacks require auditioners to learn songs, memorize lyrics, participate in an interview and perform a dance learned in a few minutes. Auditioners are gradually cut until only a few members are left. Emails go out in the following weeks to inform members whether they made the cut.

After the grueling audition process, Diederich received the fateful email while in Lake Powell. He had been asked to join the group.

“I immediately got so excited. It really felt amazing. It was this thing that I had been dreaming about since I was a kid. It’s something that you always imagine in your head, and the fact that it was actually happening was such an amazing feeling,” Diederich recalled.

Diederich and the other members jumped immediately into rehearsals for the group. Multiple rehearsals throughout the week, learning choreography, music video shoots and marketing are all large parts of being in Vocal Point. Members are also expected to learn songs arranged by the director in a matter of days.

“It’s fun because everyone has such unique parts. We have a bass, high tenors, a beat boxer, trumpet, guitar and all the weirdest parts come together. It’s cool because it sounds like an actual band,” Diederich explained.

Rehearsals also try to incorporate faith at every turn. A hymn, a prayer and a reading of 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 begin each practice.

Outside of performing, Diederich has also used his social media and marketing skills to become a sort of face for the band. With over 27,000 followers on Instagram, Diederich has done his part to help the group grow its street cred.

Through his time with Vocal Point, Diederich had the chance to perform with Adassa, the voice of Dolores in “Encanto” — racking up over 24 million views on YouTube — play sold-out shows across the U.S., and travel to five countries, none of which has English as its primary language.

“I don’t know if they heard about us before, but they heard an American boy band was coming,” Diederich said. “Music is a universal language, and everybody understands it. They may not know the words that we are saying, but you could tell that they understood the emotion.”

Vocal Point doesn’t only create singers, according to Diedrich, it also creates a family.

“I can’t stress enough how important the guys are to me and each other,” Diederich said. “We all love each other. I honestly consider them brothers more than bandmates and more than friends. … These are connections that will stand a lifetime.”

Looking toward his future, Diederich wants to keep music in his life in whatever way possible. He is extremely grateful to each director, bandmate, alumnus and person who made his journey at Vocal Point possible.

For more information about Vocal Point, visit their website. To follow along on Jensen Diederich’s journey, find him on Instagram.