Art by Livvie Goble
meet the members
Leadership
Denise Nalibotsky
Music Director
Denise is a founding member of VICE. The resident vocal percussionist of the group, Denise was awarded Outstanding Vocal Percussion at Varsity Vocals’ 2019 Open competition. She is an internationally-ranked competitive beatboxer, and was the only woman to compete in the Solo Category at the past two American Beatbox Championships. Denise works to break gender stereotypes in beatboxing and encourages more women to join the community. Click here for more!
Mason
Van Gieson
Creative Director
Mason is an actor/vocalist/bonafide a cappella nerd based in Queens. She is a founding member of VICE; she also sings with BLACKOUT and brand-new quintet HRMNX. She's an award-winning a cappella choreographer and alumna of the University of Michigan's Amazin' Blue, with whom she was an ICCA finalist. Outside of performing, she also serves as a clinician for scholastic groups across the nation; highlights include instructing at BOSS and Highlands AcaFest. She is an avid reader, proud Michigan native, and devoted cat mom. Click here for more!
Karine
Bruce-Doe
Social Media Director
Karine sings all things bass, arranges, and is the resident Social Media Manager of VICE! She's a graduate of New York University, where she served as Music Director of the NYU Cleftomaniacs, as well as a backing vocalist for various NYC artists. Outside of VICE, she merges her love for creative and strategic thinking in the digital marketing space. Click here for more!
Collective members
Miranda Commisso
Miranda is a 24 year-old vocalist and music educator based in NYC. Miranda works for the New York City Department of Education teaching general music and chorus to students age K-5. Although she loves teaching, Miranda is happy to be able to continue her own performance ventures as a part of the VICE collective!
Sophia Retief
Soph is a soprano who joined VICE in 2021 with a wealth of a cappella experience from her time with London's The Rolling Tones, the first all-female UK ICCA champions. During Soph's membership, the Tones also won two CARAs, performed on a US West Coast Tour, and were invited to Bahrain to sing for their International Youth Festival on live TV. Soph recently graduated from her Master’s in Songwriting at NYU and is currently releasing music on all distribution platforms, her previous single making it onto 11 curated playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, including 6 New Music Fridays and features on TimeOut Singapore, SGWonderwall, The Straits Times as well as Power 98 Raw radio.
Adriana Ellis
Adriana is an actor and vocalist living in New York City. She has been singing with the powerhouse women of VICE since the fall of 2022. Adriana received her BM in Vocal Performance from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music. She’s also a graduate of the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, where she completed the 3-year Professional Conservatory program. Adriana strives to merge her love of storytelling with musical performance.
Ava Snyder
Ava is the newest member of the collective, singing with VICE since 2023.
Patience Ojionuka
Patience is a virgo sun, gemini moon originally from Texas, where she got her bachelor's in psychology. Patience was awarded Outstanding Soloist in the 2020 ICCA's Regional Semi-Finals as part UT's award winning co-ed group One Note Stand, and now serves as an alto/bass for VICE! Outside of music, Patience is a clinical psychology doctoral student, and does professional photography, which you can find at chnyere.com
Bren Stace
Bren is an award-winning vocal percussionist, composer/arranger, and vocalist excited to be performing with VICE! She received her Master's in Music Composition from Binghamton University, where she also won Outstanding Vocal Percussionist in the 2020 ICCA Regional Quarterfinals. Bren is passionate about helping others learn more about beatboxing, working with first-time and advanced beatboxers alike to help hone their craft and set them up for success.