They are all great singers and put group before anything else. If one had to pick the leader, it's Scott who does 90 percent of the talking and introducing, but singing wise, whoever fits the song best. They have zero egos, which I love about them
The two who do the least singing are Kevin (The beat boxer) and Matt (the bass singer). They typically provide the backbone for their songs, but they do get chances to sing depending on the song. Although I’m not religious, I love this version because it’s simply stunningly beautiful.
Pentatonix is an ensemble band. They decide the lead based on who has the best voice for the song. In "The Prayer," where they wanted to do the version with combined English and Italian, they needed two leads. For the part originally sung by Celine Dion, they had three choices. Mitch, Kirstin (the woman), and Kevin (the beatboxer, who is also a tenor, with a lovely falsetto). Kevin has the voice for it, but the song would suffer without his beatboxing. Kirstin also has the range for it, but Kirstin specializes in belting out the high notes. Mitch has the range for it, and he's excellent at those ethereal, "angelic" highs that this song calls for, so they went with Mitch. And when it comes time for some high belting Mitch demonstrates that Kirstin isn't the only one who can belt out the high notes, and Kirstin backs him up. The Italian part was originally sung by Andrea Bocelli, and calls for a baritone. There were two possibilities here; Matt (their bass, who replaced Avi - their original bass - after Avi left in 2017) and Scott. They both have the range for it, but it's near the high end of Matt's range and right in the middle of Scott's range, so Scott took this lead. Unfortunately, everybody in Pentatonix, including Scott, says that Scott is the member most likely to forget the lyrics, and this meant Scott had to memorize both the lyrics and the correct pronunciation in a language he doesn't speak, but he pulled it off beautifully. I'm told by people who do speak Italian that he even got the pronunciation right, though there was nothing he could do to get rid of his American accent. In songs that don't really call for a specific range for the lead they'll have each member take a verse, with different arrangements for each verse. Usually Kevin is beatboxing for the entire song, but there are a few songs that are either better without percussion or resolve to a rather quiet, contemplative verse where the percussion can be paused, and then Kevin will also take a verse. You've heard their rendition of "Hallelujah," right? Did you watch the official video, set in a desert? If so, you heard everyone but Kevin take a verse, and the second verse was performed by Avi. Matt and Avi have much the same range, and Avi's arrangement of the second verse of "Hallelujah" didn't require either his lowest or his highest notes; it's well within Matt's ability to sing that arrangement. But if you listen to a more recent rendition of "Hallelujah," with Matt taking the second verse, he'll be singing a totally different arrangement of the verse than Avi sang, one that seems to be intended to draw on Matt's strengths, in the same way that the original arrangement of that verse drew on Avi's strengths. If you want to hear Kevin sing, try "Imagine" (the official video - it has important visual effects that can't be duplicated live) or their original song "Run to You." If you want to see and hear Kevin totally showing off, try his KOver of Marian Hill's "Down" ( th-cam.com/video/IGjg193h4Ok/w-d-xo.html ), or "The Kevin Show/Kevin's Fifth" ( th-cam.com/video/DbCasvcNx78/w-d-xo.html ).
This album was grammy nominated. They unfortunately didn’t win this time, but they do have 3 other Grammys. I’d recommend Daft Punk, their first grammy. And then react to Bohemian Rhapsody. I hope you react to more from them. I subscribed to more Pentatonix reactions.
As for lead singer they don't have one. They find the song and match up the singer to the song. Scott does take lead in a lot of songs but the others come in and also sing a part as well. It's been said that Scott is charismatic and brings you into the song like you were there with them.
Don't apologizing for winding back on a Pentatonix song! They deserve replays on the best parts, for sure. Scott, the tall blond baritone, takes front and center most often, but they would argue that he's not the leader. The big favorites are easy recommendations: Hallelujah, Daft Punk, Imagine, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, 90s Dance Medley. But some equally worthy recs include Gold (Kiiara cover - Mitch (high tenor) will really blow you away), Sing (original, and the happiest thing you will hear this month), La La Latch (also recc'ed downthread) or New Rules x Are You That Somebody (both with super smart arranging), and Coffee in Bed (original). They are a superb live act: try the Popspring 2016 concert for the original lineup (Avi Kaplan as bass) or any of Miles Ruben's videos for the September 2022 Hollywood Bowl concert for the current lineup.
I live in nebraska and always into country but I came across PTX last fall and absolutely love them, so much so that I got tickets for my mom, my best friend and I for the Xmas concert last November in our state. Last concert my mom and o ever went to as she passed away unexpectedly a month later. When I’m feeling the saddest I come on TH-cam and find PTX reaction videos, for some reason it helps me grieve
Pentatonix They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that. The founding members are:- Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”. Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease); Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair)Not in this video), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese). Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theatre. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on TH-cam, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings. Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma. While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition. They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his TH-cam videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing". Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours! They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on TH-cam), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building. But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an a cappella group could sell records. Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on TH-cam, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live. Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers. But when their cove r of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label. They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys. Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry. Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group. If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently. After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre. Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/ Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work. If you think you have heard them before, perhaps that was in Pitch Perfect 2 where they were the Canadian group. Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place. They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win. Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET! Both Kevin and Matt have married recently and Kevin has a daughter. Scott is engaged to Mark. They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only a capella group with a star! Things you need to know because if you get these wrong Pentaholics will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!! 1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to. 2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album. 3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
If you had to pick a so called lead.. it would probably be Scott, which is common for most singing groups, the mid-tenor is lead mostly because they tend to have the rang that fit most songs.. but the real answer is No, there isn't really one lead, Kirstin, Mitch and Scott trade off on lead depending on the song and every single one of them is amazing. Matt hasn't been with the group all that long but he can certainly take lead, but as the bass, they often get overlooked because most songs are not written for a bass lead.
scott, the tall blonde one lol, he actually was the founder of an acapella group of his own: Acapop! Kids and co founder of acapella group Citizen Queen.
Welcome to the long winding road of Pentatonix, you are in for the journey of your life 😊 Pentatonix never ceases to amaze me, at just how incredibly talented they are, and take their voices to newer levels, we have never heard before.....there is something so special about their ability, to tell the songs story, allowing us to listen with a new perspective, and hear & feel emotions, we may not have heard from the original artist 💖💖💖 Not only their voices, but their delivery is also their gift! ❣ I have also come to the conclusion, that Mitch is an Alien, from the planet of WTF 🙃 😊🙃
Daft Punk, Bohemian Rhapsody, Can’t Hold Us, Evolution of Michael Jackson, 90’s Dance Medley (live from Hollywood Bowl) and Love Again (original) for a variety. They are 🔥with whatever they touch. Don’t apologize for replaying- why wouldn’t you replay gorgeous 🤯sections??? 😁 Keep going with them- your life will be blessed for it.
Being you're a country guy, you should listen to Pentatonix's video with Dolly Parton singing Jolene. They won a Grammy for it. I'm guessing the other group you're trying to remember is Homefree. They are mostly country.
Avi who was in group originally does his own music and definitely worth checking out, Matt took his spot (Avi and Matt are both fantastic, different strengths but both incredible assets to the group). Change on the Rise I think is the right title of one of Avi’s solo songs that I like the best. He also did Ring of Fire with Home Free and it’s incredible
The other group you were trying to remember is probably Home Free. Another top tier a Capella group that also won the Sing Off a couple seasons after PTX. To see a great contrast to this song, check out New Rules x Are You That Somebody. A mash up that seems to have been meant to be one song! But anything they do is terrific. Like you reactions.
That's what Pentaholics call being 'Mitch-slapped". Every member of this group is exceptional - and multi-talented. It's always a treat to hear various members featured. Stay on your Pentatonix journey - you will never be disappointed. Great reaction - thank you for sharing!
They are all LEAD singers. They work together to focus musically on each performer as each solo's and supports. One of the most amazing groups of the world because of this aspect.
The other a capella group is Home Free, made up of five male vocalists. They were founded in Minneapolis in 2001 and have been through lots of personnel changes but around 2013 they switched to doing mostly country music, covers and original songs.
Daft Punk medley will blow your mind. They won their first Grammy for it. The other group you’re trying to think of is Home Free. They’re fantastic too.
I'm on board with Pentatonix! I subscribed to follow your journey to becoming a Pentaholic. LOVED your reaction. Thanks! (Homefree is probably the other group you're talking about. Homefree, VoicePlay and Pentatonix are the elite acapella groups out there)
They take turns taking the “lead.” All of them have beautiful voices, including the beatboxer, Kevin. The one who sang first is Mitch Grassi, and you have been Mitch-slapped. 😊 FYI, their fans call themselves Pentaholics. If you do a bunch of reviews of their videos, don’t be surprised when a bunch of us subscribe to your channel. Thanks much for this reaction, I’ve subscribed and look forward to more of these. Have an awesome day!
They are all amazing on their own. Most of the time they switch verses off - my favorite of this is Sound if Silence - and sometimes one will take the general lead - Bohemian Rhapsody. Mitch has amazing control if his angelic counter-tenor, never looks like he's straining, and he always gets into the song's character. Scott has a natural soul to his singing and typically stays in his baritone/tenor octaves unless Matt is singimg and they need Scott to bring up the bassline. Matt is the newer bass (PTX started with a different bass) and he kills it especially on The Grinch. Kirstin has phenomenal control of her vibrato as evident in "Say Something" and "Amazing Grace". Kevin well he's just Kevin; he beatboxes, plays cello amd saxophone professionally, sings in tenor - "Amazing Grace" and "Imagine" showcase him very well - oh and dropped out of med school to be in PTX. Welcome to the rabbit hole of Pentatonix
Yes, they are all that nasty. 😅 They do share the leads, but Scott (tall blonde baritone) is the frontman. His personality makes him a natural leader. He may get a few more leads than the others, however, the song dictates who sings what parts. In a cappella, the supporting vocals become as important as the leads. You can’t go wrong with the three main a cappella bands. Voctave and The Bass Gang are worth a listen too. Subscribed. Recommend their cover of Sound Of Silence.
Scott would be the de facto leader tho often it depends on the song on who takes the lead. That's the great thing about this group. Not only Are each member more than capable of being the lead and actually going solo If they chose to, but each person will step aside and let somebody else take a lead if that's what the song calls for. Not many bands out there are capable of doing that because the egos are too big. They mired down in petty c*** like I get paid less than you. , you get more play than I do, you get more press than I do, et cetera. Nothing so petty in this group!
With Pentatonix it depends on the song. Kirstie, Mitch and Scott are the main singers, but Matt has taken the lead too. I tend to think its mainly Scott or Mitch when there is a "lead", but they are pretty democratic, allowing everyone a chance to shine. If you'd like to see a Kirstie lead try Say Something, Be My Eyes, Love Me When I Don't, Water. For Scott and Kirstie - Shallow. For Mitch - Royals. This is just off the top of my head. They don't miss on anything they do.
You’ve gotta keep going, there are so many songs to check out! Havana, Daft Punk, SING, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sound of Silence, and the many Evolution Of videos. Also check out there Popspring 2016 Live concert. What they do live is RIDIC!
Home Free are country A Capella. They can sing all genres though. You do need to check them out. I would suggest starting with one of their originals like "Catch me if you can" or "Dive bar saints"
You mentioned their amazing harmonies and even though it’s not Christmas season anymore you should check out their version of Mary Did you know! That’s probably my all time favorite
Pentatonix is the best group ever. They have a couple of hundred songs and videos out and not a bad one. This is the premier accupella group. There are many others that are good but there is only one Pentatonix. You need to watch Daft Punk which is totally different from what you have seen. It will blow your mind. They won a Grammy for it. After that your life will never be the same, as you will turn into a pentaholic. It gets everyone
They all take turns depending on the song, and the arrangement of the song. Check out Gold where Mitch starts, or the cover of Can't hold us where Kevin starts.
You should listen to Sam Robson. He’s an a capella band, all by himself. He does everything from bass to soprano all by himself. And he arranges it all, too. You won’t be sorry! 👍
Voiceplay and Home Free are the other acapella groups you were thinking of. Please check out Voiceplay. They have several covers that will blow your mind!
No weak link in this group. All are masters of their craft. The song dictates who leads. No egos and great people.
They are all great singers and put group before anything else. If one had to pick the leader, it's Scott who does 90 percent of the talking and introducing, but singing wise, whoever fits the song best. They have zero egos, which I love about them
The two who do the least singing are Kevin (The beat boxer) and Matt (the bass singer). They typically provide the backbone for their songs, but they do get chances to sing depending on the song. Although I’m not religious, I love this version because it’s simply stunningly beautiful.
imagine by pentatonix it's really good i highly recommend this.
Mitch's voice is so effortless.
Pentatonix is an ensemble band. They decide the lead based on who has the best voice for the song. In "The Prayer," where they wanted to do the version with combined English and Italian, they needed two leads. For the part originally sung by Celine Dion, they had three choices. Mitch, Kirstin (the woman), and Kevin (the beatboxer, who is also a tenor, with a lovely falsetto). Kevin has the voice for it, but the song would suffer without his beatboxing. Kirstin also has the range for it, but Kirstin specializes in belting out the high notes. Mitch has the range for it, and he's excellent at those ethereal, "angelic" highs that this song calls for, so they went with Mitch. And when it comes time for some high belting Mitch demonstrates that Kirstin isn't the only one who can belt out the high notes, and Kirstin backs him up.
The Italian part was originally sung by Andrea Bocelli, and calls for a baritone. There were two possibilities here; Matt (their bass, who replaced Avi - their original bass - after Avi left in 2017) and Scott. They both have the range for it, but it's near the high end of Matt's range and right in the middle of Scott's range, so Scott took this lead. Unfortunately, everybody in Pentatonix, including Scott, says that Scott is the member most likely to forget the lyrics, and this meant Scott had to memorize both the lyrics and the correct pronunciation in a language he doesn't speak, but he pulled it off beautifully. I'm told by people who do speak Italian that he even got the pronunciation right, though there was nothing he could do to get rid of his American accent.
In songs that don't really call for a specific range for the lead they'll have each member take a verse, with different arrangements for each verse. Usually Kevin is beatboxing for the entire song, but there are a few songs that are either better without percussion or resolve to a rather quiet, contemplative verse where the percussion can be paused, and then Kevin will also take a verse.
You've heard their rendition of "Hallelujah," right? Did you watch the official video, set in a desert? If so, you heard everyone but Kevin take a verse, and the second verse was performed by Avi. Matt and Avi have much the same range, and Avi's arrangement of the second verse of "Hallelujah" didn't require either his lowest or his highest notes; it's well within Matt's ability to sing that arrangement. But if you listen to a more recent rendition of "Hallelujah," with Matt taking the second verse, he'll be singing a totally different arrangement of the verse than Avi sang, one that seems to be intended to draw on Matt's strengths, in the same way that the original arrangement of that verse drew on Avi's strengths.
If you want to hear Kevin sing, try "Imagine" (the official video - it has important visual effects that can't be duplicated live) or their original song "Run to You." If you want to see and hear Kevin totally showing off, try his KOver of Marian Hill's "Down" ( th-cam.com/video/IGjg193h4Ok/w-d-xo.html ), or "The Kevin Show/Kevin's Fifth" ( th-cam.com/video/DbCasvcNx78/w-d-xo.html ).
Don't be sorry. Pentaholics don't mind listening multiple times. I think their motto must be "leave the ego at the door."
This album was grammy nominated. They unfortunately didn’t win this time, but they do have 3 other Grammys. I’d recommend Daft Punk, their first grammy. And then react to Bohemian Rhapsody. I hope you react to more from them. I subscribed to more Pentatonix reactions.
Damn Michael Bublé. 😂
As for lead singer they don't have one. They find the song and match up the singer to the song. Scott does take lead in a lot of songs but the others come in and also sing a part as well. It's been said that Scott is charismatic and brings you into the song like you were there with them.
Love mitchs part awesome voice
Don't apologizing for winding back on a Pentatonix song! They deserve replays on the best parts, for sure. Scott, the tall blond baritone, takes front and center most often, but they would argue that he's not the leader. The big favorites are easy recommendations: Hallelujah, Daft Punk, Imagine, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, 90s Dance Medley. But some equally worthy recs include Gold (Kiiara cover - Mitch (high tenor) will really blow you away), Sing (original, and the happiest thing you will hear this month), La La Latch (also recc'ed downthread) or New Rules x Are You That Somebody (both with super smart arranging), and Coffee in Bed (original). They are a superb live act: try the Popspring 2016 concert for the original lineup (Avi Kaplan as bass) or any of Miles Ruben's videos for the September 2022 Hollywood Bowl concert for the current lineup.
Hallelujah & The Prayer? Both are amazing vocally, but you need to next check out their Daft Punk medley to see a completely different side of them.
I live in nebraska and always into country but I came across PTX last fall and absolutely love them, so much so that I got tickets for my mom, my best friend and I for the Xmas concert last November in our state. Last concert my mom and o ever went to as she passed away unexpectedly a month later. When I’m feeling the saddest I come on TH-cam and find PTX reaction videos, for some reason it helps me grieve
I'm sorry for your loss. They do help people get through things. They totally got me through 2020.
They all preform according to their gifts
You didn't "forget " about the beatboxing. PTX and Kevin are just so good you tend to forget it's even a cappella.
No lead singer per se. Scott has the lead fairly often, but they all have their moments. They're just amazing.
Pentatonix
They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that.
The founding members are:-
Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”.
Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease);
Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair)Not in this video), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and
Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese).
Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theatre. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on TH-cam, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings.
Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma.
While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition.
They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his TH-cam videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing".
Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours!
They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on TH-cam), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building.
But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an a cappella group could sell records.
Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on TH-cam, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live.
Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers.
But when their cove r of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label.
They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys.
Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry.
Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group.
If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently.
After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre.
Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/
Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work.
If you think you have heard them before, perhaps that was in Pitch Perfect 2 where they were the Canadian group.
Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place.
They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win.
Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET!
Both Kevin and Matt have married recently and Kevin has a daughter. Scott is engaged to Mark.
They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only a capella group with a star!
Things you need to know because if you get these wrong Pentaholics will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!!
1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to.
2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album.
3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
If you had to pick a so called lead.. it would probably be Scott, which is common for most singing groups, the mid-tenor is lead mostly because they tend to have the rang that fit most songs.. but the real answer is No, there isn't really one lead, Kirstin, Mitch and Scott trade off on lead depending on the song and every single one of them is amazing. Matt hasn't been with the group all that long but he can certainly take lead, but as the bass, they often get overlooked because most songs are not written for a bass lead.
I suggest checking out their 'Mr Grinch' cover where Matt does take the lead.
I think Mitch has such a perfect and beautiful voice that I sometimes forget that the sound is coming from him
The beatboxer does his own videos and is one of the best
Home Free is the other major a capella group, so they're probably the one you couldn't remember.
scott, the tall blonde one lol, he actually was the founder of an acapella group of his own: Acapop! Kids and co founder of acapella group Citizen Queen.
I have listen to them for 6 years now
Both groups are from Texas originally. Love them both. Pentatonix and Home Free😊
More Pentatonix and Home Free please. Thanks!!!
Hard to imagine this is all done without instruments. They are amazing. They don’t do Covers they do upgrades.
I LOVE Pentatonix!! You should react to their Daft Punk Medley, Sound of Silence, and Bohemian Rhapsody (to start)!
What a beautiful countertenor voice Mitch has.
They share the lead vocals. No Egos in this group!!
I would actually say there are 3 primary singers, Kevin is primarily the be-boxer and Matt is primarily Bass, but they also sing occasionally
No lead singer . Each member has a special talent and We LOVE them💜
Thank you for the great reaction to this beautiful Pentatonix video. They are amazing.
If you look at the band profile online, it says lead next to each one of them.
They are all leaders in their own right and together they are mind blowing!!!❤
Welcome to the long winding road of Pentatonix, you are in for the journey of your life 😊 Pentatonix never ceases to amaze me, at just how incredibly talented they are, and take their voices to newer levels, we have never heard before.....there is something so special about their ability, to tell the songs story, allowing us to listen with a new perspective, and hear & feel emotions, we may not have heard from the original artist 💖💖💖 Not only their voices, but their delivery is also their gift! ❣ I have also come to the conclusion, that Mitch is an Alien, from the planet of WTF 🙃 😊🙃
Kevin too!
😊 *YES* 😊
Daft Punk, Bohemian Rhapsody, Can’t Hold Us, Evolution of Michael Jackson, 90’s Dance Medley (live from Hollywood Bowl) and Love Again (original) for a variety. They are 🔥with whatever they touch. Don’t apologize for replaying- why wouldn’t you replay gorgeous 🤯sections??? 😁 Keep going with them- your life will be blessed for it.
They are truly amazing, aren’t they. There is no official leader, but Scott does most of the talking.
Really enjoyed your reaction. Thank you.
Their version of Sound of Silence will blow you away!
I've listened to them since they began. They are my favorite acapella group ever.
Hey great reaction. Appreciate your comments at the end.
They are even better live! You probably Mean HOme Free!
Give a listen to their rendition of Amazing Grace. Enjoyed your reaction and have subscribed to hear more Pentatonix ❣️
Beautiful
Being you're a country guy, you should listen to Pentatonix's video with Dolly Parton singing Jolene. They won a Grammy for it. I'm guessing the other group you're trying to remember is Homefree. They are mostly country.
acapella is amazing
Perfect and Shallow
The other group is HOME FREE. I saw them on stage last Sunday in Jacksonville, Florida. FABULOUS talent, funny, and nice guys to boot!
Scott was the driving force in the early days and took most of the lead vocals , but
these days they all write and sing lead.
They are all so good they like to show off each voice. In some songs one will lead then in another someone else will.
I love your reactions to FIR- now here for PTX!!! Subscribing ❤
No one EVER steps on anyone else’s vocals
Avi who was in group originally does his own music and definitely worth checking out, Matt took his spot (Avi and Matt are both fantastic, different strengths but both incredible assets to the group). Change on the Rise I think is the right title of one of Avi’s solo songs that I like the best. He also did Ring of Fire with Home Free and it’s incredible
The other group you were trying to remember is probably Home Free. Another top tier a Capella group that also won the Sing Off a couple seasons after PTX. To see a great contrast to this song, check out New Rules x Are You That Somebody. A mash up that seems to have been meant to be one song! But anything they do is terrific. Like you reactions.
That's what Pentaholics call being 'Mitch-slapped". Every member of this group is exceptional - and multi-talented. It's always a treat to hear various members featured. Stay on your Pentatonix journey - you will never be disappointed. Great reaction - thank you for sharing!
Just feel like saying, I told you so! 🤣🤣😋
You have to watch their cover of Bohemian Rhapsody. You will be blown away.
I REALLY enjoyed this reaction! Thanks, man, for sharing your personality with us!
They are all LEAD singers. They work together to focus musically on each performer as each solo's and supports. One of the most amazing groups of the world because of this aspect.
Kevin olusola is the beat boxer. Check out his solo cover of DOWN. It will blow your mind. Truly the greatest beat boxer.
We love listening again.
The other a capella group is Home Free, made up of five male vocalists. They were founded in Minneapolis in 2001 and have been through lots of personnel changes but around 2013 they switched to doing mostly country music, covers and original songs.
In most of their videos, Scott generally takes the lead. It does change up, but it’s usually Scott.
Spine-tinglingly beautiful! Thanks for posting!
Yep, they all nasty. Love it
I look forward to more of your reactions to Pentatonix! They have a vast library to choose from.
Check out their "Daft Punk", it won them their first of three Grammy's, you will be blown away.
Pure Pentatonix Perfection - again - as always. Welcome to our world - we are Pentaholics. Looking forward to more PTX reactions.
All of them are extremely talented, and the way they choose who sings, is what voice is best for the song. There is no leader!
That dude is Mitch. You have been officially Mitch-slapped, lol.
Daft Punk medley will blow your mind. They won their first Grammy for it. The other group you’re trying to think of is Home Free. They’re fantastic too.
I'm on board with Pentatonix! I subscribed to follow your journey to becoming a Pentaholic. LOVED your reaction. Thanks! (Homefree is probably the other group you're talking about. Homefree, VoicePlay and Pentatonix are the elite acapella groups out there)
They take turns taking the “lead.” All of them have beautiful voices, including the beatboxer, Kevin. The one who sang first is Mitch Grassi, and you have been Mitch-slapped. 😊
FYI, their fans call themselves Pentaholics. If you do a bunch of reviews of their videos, don’t be surprised when a bunch of us subscribe to your channel.
Thanks much for this reaction, I’ve subscribed and look forward to more of these. Have an awesome day!
Each song has a separate dynamic. The team work is amazing.
They are all amazing on their own. Most of the time they switch verses off - my favorite of this is Sound if Silence - and sometimes one will take the general lead - Bohemian Rhapsody. Mitch has amazing control if his angelic counter-tenor, never looks like he's straining, and he always gets into the song's character. Scott has a natural soul to his singing and typically stays in his baritone/tenor octaves unless Matt is singimg and they need Scott to bring up the bassline. Matt is the newer bass (PTX started with a different bass) and he kills it especially on The Grinch. Kirstin has phenomenal control of her vibrato as evident in "Say Something" and "Amazing Grace". Kevin well he's just Kevin; he beatboxes, plays cello amd saxophone professionally, sings in tenor - "Amazing Grace" and "Imagine" showcase him very well - oh and dropped out of med school to be in PTX. Welcome to the rabbit hole of Pentatonix
Loved your reaction! Just subbed.
You are my people. New sub❤
Lots more to hear.
Just subbed for more Pentatonix! Hope you do more!!! Their 90's Dance Medley is a must see!
Yes, they are all that nasty. 😅 They do share the leads, but Scott (tall blonde baritone) is the frontman. His personality makes him a natural leader. He may get a few more leads than the others, however, the song dictates who sings what parts. In a cappella, the supporting vocals become as important as the leads.
You can’t go wrong with the three main a cappella bands. Voctave and The Bass Gang are worth a listen too.
Subscribed. Recommend their cover of Sound Of Silence.
Scott would be the de facto leader tho often it depends on the song on who takes the lead. That's the great thing about this group. Not only Are each member more than capable of being the lead and actually going solo If they chose to, but each person will step aside and let somebody else take a lead if that's what the song calls for. Not many bands out there are capable of doing that because the egos are too big. They mired down in petty c*** like I get paid less than you. , you get more play than I do, you get more press than I do, et cetera. Nothing so petty in this group!
With Pentatonix it depends on the song. Kirstie, Mitch and Scott are the main singers, but Matt has taken the lead too. I tend to think its mainly Scott or Mitch when there is a "lead", but they are pretty democratic, allowing everyone a chance to shine. If you'd like to see a Kirstie lead try Say Something, Be My Eyes, Love Me When I Don't, Water. For Scott and Kirstie - Shallow. For Mitch - Royals. This is just off the top of my head. They don't miss on anything they do.
You’ve gotta keep going, there are so many songs to check out! Havana, Daft Punk, SING, Bohemian Rhapsody, Sound of Silence, and the many Evolution Of videos. Also check out there Popspring 2016 Live concert. What they do live is RIDIC!
Share and share alike... depending what the song calls for..
Home Free are country A Capella. They can sing all genres though. You do need to check them out. I would suggest starting with one of their originals like "Catch me if you can" or "Dive bar saints"
they did win a grammy singing with Dolly Parton and it was the first time Dolly won a grammy for Jolene.
Yes they are all just nasty and they take turns LOL😂
don't apologise for wanting to listen to such beauty over and over there probably isn't a Pentaholic that hasn't done the same thing many times.
They are awesome. Each of them could be solo artists but they choose to be a spectacular group. You should react to "Sound of Silence" next.
PTX 🔥❤️🙌
You mentioned their amazing harmonies and even though it’s not Christmas season anymore you should check out their version of Mary Did you know! That’s probably my all time favorite
Pentatonix is the best group ever. They have a couple of hundred songs and videos out and not a bad one. This is the premier accupella group. There are many others that are good but there is only one Pentatonix. You need to watch Daft Punk which is totally different from what you have seen. It will blow your mind. They won a Grammy for it. After that your life will never be the same, as you will turn into a pentaholic. It gets everyone
They all take turns depending on the song, and the arrangement of the song. Check out Gold where Mitch starts, or the cover of Can't hold us where Kevin starts.
You should listen to Sam Robson. He’s an a capella band, all by himself. He does everything from bass to soprano all by himself. And he arranges it all, too. You won’t be sorry! 👍
If you’re reacting to Pentatonix ~ subscribing!
Voiceplay and Home Free are the other acapella groups you were thinking of. Please check out Voiceplay. They have several covers that will blow your mind!
you could listen to a ptx arrangement 20 times an find something new every single time
yes! plz give ko and matt their credit! they are incredible and do some heavy lifting
Please join us Pentaholics and fall down the rabbit hole. I suggest Sound of Silence or Bohemian Rhapsody next. Cheers 🇨🇦Great reaction
Nope no lead but I would say Scott is leader, they all three met in high school!!! They are all perfect.
I loved your reaction~❤
Scott is kind of the leader (the baritone) but they all take lead vocals at times.