Citizen Queen
American girl group formed in 2018 under RCA Records.
Citizen Queen is an American girl group formed independently in 2018, later signing with RCA Records, with guidance from Pentatonix’s Scott Hoying. The group originally had five members but, as of May 2024, is a trio made up of Kaedi Dalley, Cora Isabel, and Nina Ann Nelson. Two earlier members left: Hannah Mrozak announced her departure in May 2022, and Kaylah Sharve' followed in May 2023, with the group stating each time that it would continue.
The founding members were handpicked by Scott Hoying, along with arrangers and producers Ben Bram and Shams Ahmed. Cora Isabel, a singer and beatboxer, was chosen first after sending audition videos. Bram spotted Hannah Mrozak on season 13 of *The Voice*, where she made the playoffs in 2017 as part of Adam Levine’s and Jennifer Hudson’s teams, and encouraged her to audition. Aside from Nelson and Sharve', who both belonged to the SoCal VoCals (a group Bram had previously directed), the members were strangers before forming. Sharve' had also released an album and performed in Texas.
The group has been credited with helping revive girl groups in the U.S. Refinery29 said their debut “kicks down the doors” and that “girl groups ain’t dead, y’all.” *Nylon* called them “the girl group we deserve,” while *Cosmopolitan* compared them to Fifth Harmony and their origin story to *Pitch Perfect*. The group is noted for relying on their voices rather than backing tracks, and they have received praise from Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor.
Initially, the group worked out of an Airbnb in Los Angeles, recording four songs and music videos in one week. Their first popular video, “Evolution of Girl Groups,” a six-minute medley of 25 songs, was posted to YouTube in January 2019. It reached nearly 10 million views by June 2019, over 18 million by August 2020, and passed 20 million in December 2020. In July 2019, they opened for Pentatonix on a short run of tour dates that also featured Rachel Platten. They later recorded well-viewed covers of “No Tears Left to Cry,” “Lost in Japan,” and “Never Enough.” In June 2020, they performed “Free Your Mind” for a Pride benefit concert by RCA Records and the Human Rights Campaign.
Their first original song, “Call Me Queen,” was released in December 2020, written by Justin Tranter, Nova Wav, and Shawn Wasabi, with a music video by Lauren Dunn. That month they also performed at TheWrap’s Power
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Quick Facts
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- Genre
- Pop / R&B / a cappella
- Years Active
- 2018–present
- Label
- RCA Records
- Associated Acts
- Pentatonix
- Website
- citizenqueen.com
- Current Members
- Kaedi Dalley / Cora Isabel / Nina Ann Nelson
- Past Members
- Hannah Mrozak / Kaylah Sharve'
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Citizen Queen was formed independently in 2018 and later signed to RCA Records, with mentorship from Pentatonix member Scott Hoying. The original five members were hand-selected by Hoying and arrangers Ben Bram and Shams Ahmed. Singer and beatboxer Cora Isabel was the first member chosen after sending audition videos. Bram first saw Hannah Mrozak on season 13 of The Voice and encouraged her to audition. The members were complete strangers before the group's founding, except for SoCal VoCals members Nina Ann Nelson and Kaylah Sharve'. The group first worked out of an Airbnb in Los Angeles, recording four fully produced songs and music videos in a week. Their first popular video was 'Evolution of Girl Groups', a six-minute medley of 25 songs posted to YouTube in January 2019, which had received nearly 10 million views by June 2019 and
Reader's Guide
Citizen Queen's significance lies in their role in the revival of girl groups in the United States, as noted by Refinery29 and Nylon. The group has been described as unique because they rely more on their voices rather than singing along to a beat. Cosmopolitan compared them to Fifth Harmony and their origin to the movie Pitch Perfect. The group received praise from Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor. Their original songs include 'Call Me Queen', 'No Ego', 'Y', 'XO', and 'Waste My Time'. They opened for Pentatonix on a nine-week world tour in 2019. In December 2020, they had three songs on the South African iTunes Pop 100, and in May 2021, 'Y' reached #48 on the Nigerian iTunes Pop 100. Nelson and Dalley were writers on the Twice song 'Moonlight Sunrise' released in January 2023. The group's legacy includes demonstrating the viability of a cappella-based pop groups in the modern music industry.
Did You Know?
- Citizen Queen was formed in 2018 under RCA Records with mentorship from Pentatonix member Scott Hoying.
- Their first popular video, 'Evolution of Girl Groups', had over 20 million views by December 2020.
- The group opened for Pentatonix on a nine-week world tour in 2019.
- Nelson and Dalley were writers on the Twice song 'Moonlight Sunrise', released in January 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Citizen Queen?
Citizen Queen is an American pop girl group that was independently formed in 2018 and later signed with RCA Records. As of 2024, the group operates as a trio of Kaedi Dalley, Cora Isabel, and Nina Ann Nelson.
Who put Citizen Queen together?
The founding members were personally handpicked by Scott Hoying of Pentatonix, working alongside arrangers and producers Ben Bram and Shams Ahmed. Hoying served as the guiding creative force behind assembling the original five-member lineup.
Why did Citizen Queen go from five members down to three?
Hannah Mrozak announced her departure in May 2022, and Kaylah Sharve' followed in May 2023. The group publicly stated after each exit that it would carry on as a smaller unit.
What label does Citizen Queen record for?
The group started out independently before landing a deal with RCA Records. Their recordings are shaped by producers and arrangers Ben Bram and Shams Ahmed in collaboration with the label.
What sets Citizen Queen apart from other pop girl groups?
Instead of being assembled through a talent agency or televised competition, the group was curated around a specific creative vision led by Scott Hoying and a dedicated production team. This producer-driven approach gives the group a more crafted, behind-the-scenes sound compared to many mainstream pop acts.
More in American pop girl groups 1-24
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