The Real Group
The Real Group is a Stockholm-based Swedish vocal ensemble founded in 1984 that performs a cappella music globally and operates The Real Group Academy, an educational platform offering online courses, live workshops, coaching, and festivals for individual singers, choir conductors, vocal groups, and music educators worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersStockholm, Sweden
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Real Group does
The Real Group is a privately held Swedish vocal ensemble founded in 1984 at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm by five students who set out to explore vocal music at the intersection of jazz, pop, and Northern European choral traditions. The group operates as a 5-person core unit owned and managed by four of its founders (Margareta Bengtson, Anders Edenroth, Katarina Henryson, Peder Karlsson) following the 2015 departure of Anders Jalkeus, and has produced more than 20 albums, performed 2000+ concerts across Scandinavia, Europe, Asia, and North America, and released recordings continuously for four decades. Its activities center on two interlocking business lines: a global concert touring operation spanning 12+ countries, and The Real Group Academy, an educational platform that packages the ensemble's accumulated expertise into structured learning products.
The Academy product portfolio includes three named online courses — Unlock Your Potential (a Play It By Voice collective singing pedagogy course by Peder Karlsson covering rhythm, intonation, sound/blend, and expression across 19 lessons), Sound Talk: The Art of Recording Vocals (a recording technique course hosted by Morten Vinther, Anders Edenroth, and Josef Sjöblom), and Body and Voice Warm-ups (a routine-building course by Katarina Henryson available in English and Swedish) — delivered via tiered subscriptions ranging from €25 lifetime access to €350/year with individual coaching. Adjacent service lines include live workshop sessions for vocal groups, choir conductors, individual singers, vocal arrangers, and sound technicians; online and in-person coaching (feedback on arrangements, mixing, and strategy); non-competitive festival organization and external consultation; free webinars and an inspiration toolbox; and merchandise/CDs sold exclusively at concert venues.
The go-to-market is a hybrid of event-driven touring and direct-to-consumer digital education. Concert tickets are sold directly through therealgroup.se, with no third-party distributors; streaming distribution is via Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and YouTube Music; and course delivery is self-serve on the Academy platform. Marketing channels span YouTube (music videos and educational content), Instagram (Academy and main brand), Facebook, an Academy newsletter, the website, a downloadable press kit, and live concert venues. The customer base is horizontal and long-tail: individual singers, vocal groups, choir conductors, music teachers, vocal arrangers, and sound technicians across the globe, with selective artistic collaborations (Greczula, Niello, Big Band Musique Militaire Grand-Ducale) functioning as brand/positioning vehicles rather than revenue anchors.
The Real Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Real Group
- Legal name
- The Real Group
- Website
- https://therealgroup.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Real Group is a Stockholm-based Swedish vocal ensemble founded in 1984 that performs a cappella music globally and operates The Real Group Academy, an educational platform offering online courses, live workshops, coaching, and festivals for individual singers, choir conductors, vocal groups, and music educators worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Real Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Music Education Services
- NAICS
- Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms (EDAMANAI)
Keywords
Where The Real Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Stockholm
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Real Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Concert performances: Live concert tours across Scandinavia, Europe, Asia and North America with ticket sales as primary revenue driver. Includes anniversary tours featuring original members.
- Online courses and subscriptions: Digital course delivery with multiple subscription tiers. Courses include Unlock Your Potential (€35-350), Body and Voice Warm-ups (€25), and Sound Talk recording course. Includes group webinars and individual coaching sessions bundled with subscriptions.
- Merchandise sales: CDs and merchandise sold exclusively at live concert venues through the concert shop.
- Live workshops and coaching: In-person and online coaching sessions for vocal groups, choir conductors, individual singers, and ensembles. Services include feedback on arrangements, mixing, strategy and planning.
- Festival organization: Non-competitive a cappella music events and festivals organized by the Academy. Revenue includes consultation services for external festival organizers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Test pilot - 6 months access with evaluation |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Quick learner - 6 months access |
| Subscription | Annual | Self-paced - 1 year access |
| Subscription | Annual | Comprehensive - 1 year access with coaching |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Body and Voice Warm-ups course |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
The Real Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Real Group is a Swedish a cappella vocal ensemble that tours internationally delivering live concert performances, and operates The Real Group Academy offering online courses (Unlock Your Potential, Body and Voice Warm-ups, Sound Talk), live workshop sessions, individual and group coaching, and a cappella festival organization. The group also sells CDs and merchandise exclusively at live concert venues.
Product overview
The Real Group is a Swedish vocal music ensemble that operates The Real Group Academy as its primary educational platform. The Academy offers a portfolio of online courses including Sound Talk (recording vocals), Unlock Your Potential (collective singing pedagogy), and Body and Voice Warm-ups, alongside live workshop sessions, coaching services, and festival organization. The group also sells CDs and merchandise exclusively at live concerts. The products are delivered through a combination of online learning management system, in-person workshops, and live performance experiences, all centered on advancing vocal music education worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Real Group Academy: An outreach initiative created and operated by The Real Group to advance learning of amateurs and professionals engaged in vocal music. It arranges non-competitive a cappella music events, festivals, workshops, webinars and other activities.
Products and services
- The Real Group Academy
Quantifiable outcome
- 40+ years of continuous operation as a leading vocal group
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Real Group
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
The Real Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Real Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GreczulaminorThe Real Group collaborated with Greczula on The Real Group Sessions, featuring the Melodifestivalen artist who achieved second place in the competition. The collaboration showcased musical fusion between different genres.
- Big Band Musique Militaire Grand-DucalecoreLuxembourg military big band collaboration with The Real Group and Katarina Henryson for a unique performance in Sanem, Luxembourg. The concert featured both new and classic big band arrangements with a cappella vocals.
- NiellominorSwedish hiphop artist and rapper collaboration on The Real Group Sessions. Niello is known for hits like Legenden with 33+ million Spotify streams and Melodifestivalen 2022 participation. The session combined rap with refined a cappella arrangements.
- Musta Lammas choirminorFinnish choir performed as supporting act during The Real Group's concert at Savoy Teatteri in Helsinki, Finland on May 4, 2024.
- Jim Daus HjernøeminorGuest contributor to the Unlock Your Potential course, providing Rhythm module content. Known for The Intelligent Choir methodology and Vocal Painting concepts for jazz/pop choral music learning.
- Choirs for Ecocide LawminorChoir and artistic project founded by Peder Karlsson to raise awareness of Ecocide Law as a tool for global sustainability transition. The Real Group participated in Berwaldhallen's choral concert 'Let's Change The Rules' supporting this initiative.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Real Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chanticleer: American male vocal ensemble performing repertoire from Renaissance to contemporary. Comparable as a long-established professional vocal ensemble with educational outreach and international touring.
- Rockapella: American a cappella group known for contemporary vocal jazz and pop. Comparable in the a cappella niche with touring, recordings, and crossover appeal to general audiences.
- New York Voices: American vocal jazz quartet blending jazz, pop, and Brazilian influences. Comparable as a professional vocal group with international touring, educational workshops, and crossover genre positioning similar to The Real Group's jazz/pop/choral mix.
- Rajaton: Finnish a cappella ensemble performing a similarly broad repertoire with Nordic choral sensibilities. Comparable as a Northern European vocal group with international touring, albums, and a similar five-voice vocal blend tradition.
- Take 6: Grammy-winning American a cappella vocal group performing jazz, gospel, and pop. Comparable as a long-standing professional vocal ensemble with deep catalog, touring presence, and choral music heritage.
- The King's Singers: British vocal ensemble founded in 1968 performing a cappella and accompanied vocal music across classical, jazz, and popular genres. Highly comparable as a long-established vocal group with international touring, recordings, and educational outreach programs.
- Pentatonix: American a cappella group known for contemporary pop arrangements, massive streaming presence, and global touring. Direct competitor in the a cappella space with a similar combination of performance, recording, and audience engagement, though with broader mainstream appeal.
- Swingle Singers: British-American vocal ensemble pioneering jazz, pop, and classical a cappella. Directly comparable to The Real Group in repertoire breadth (jazz/pop/classical crossover) and international touring model.
Broad incumbents
- MasterClass: Premium online education platform featuring celebrity instructors across creative fields including music. Comparable as a subscription-based online education platform with tiered pricing and content from renowned performers, though broader in scope.
- Berklee Online: Online extension of Berklee College of Music offering courses across all music disciplines including vocal performance. Comparable as a structured online music education platform with tiered subscription and course offerings, though broader in scope than The Real Group's a cappella focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Real Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Real Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Real Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
The Real Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Real Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Real Group
What does The Real Group do?
The Real Group is a Swedish a cappella vocal ensemble that tours internationally delivering live concert performances, and operates The Real Group Academy offering online courses (Unlock Your Potential, Body and Voice Warm-ups, Sound Talk), live workshop sessions, individual and group coaching, and a cappella festival organization. The group also sells CDs and merchandise exclusively at live concert venues.
Is The Real Group a public or private company?
The Real Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Real Group founded?
The Real Group was founded in 1984. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Real Group based?
The Real Group is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does The Real Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Concert performances are the primary driver. The others are online courses and subscriptions, merchandise sales, live workshops and coaching and festival organization.
Who are The Real Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chanticleer, Rockapella, New York Voices, Rajaton, Take 6, The King's Singers, Pentatonix and Swingle Singers. Broad incumbents are MasterClass and Berklee Online.
Does The Real Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Real Group.
What industry is The Real Group in?
The Real Group's product category is Music Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAC, Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir), with a secondary code of EDAMANAI, Online / Virtual Music Instruction & Platforms. Its NAICS code is 71113.