Above: performing in 2015. From left to right: Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado, Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, and Kevin Olusola
Pentatonix
Also known as PTX
Origin Arlington, Texas, U.S.
Genres
A cappella pop R&B soul
Years active 2011–present
Pentatonix (abbreviated PTX) is an American a cappella group from Arlington, Texas, consisting of vocalists Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee. Avi Kaplan was formerly a member of the group; he was replaced by Sallee in 2017. Characterized by their pop-style arrangements with vocal harmonies, basslines, riffing, percussion and beatboxing, they are widely known for their covers, mostly of modern pop works or Christmas songs, sometimes in the form of medleys, along with original material. Pentatonix formed in 2011 and subsequently won the third season of NBC’s The Sing-Off, receiving $200,000 and a recording contract with Sony Music.When Sony’s Epic Records dropped the group after The Sing-Off, the group formed its YouTube channel, distributing its music through Madison Gate Records, a label owned by Sony Pictures. With over 13 million subscribers and 2.7 billion views, Pentatonix’s YouTube channel is currently the 50th most-subscribed YouTube channel. The group’s video tribute to Daft Punk had received over 250 million views as of mid 2017.
Their debut EP PTX, Volume 1 was released in 2012, followed by their holiday release PTXmas the same year, with Pentatonix’s third release, PTX, Vol. II, debuting at number 1 on Billboard’s Independent Albums chart and number 10 on the Billboard 200 in 2013. In May 2014, Pentatonix signed with RCA Records, a “flagship” label of Sony Music Entertainment, while in the same year, the group released their fourth EP, PTX, Vol. III, and two full-length studio albums; PTX, Vols. 1 & 2, a compilation album released in Japan, Korea and Australia, and their second holiday release, That’s Christmas to Me, with the album certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), platinum on December 24, 2014, and double platinum on February 11, 2016, becoming the highest-charting holiday album by a group since 1962, and the fourth-best-selling album in the United States in 2014. The following year, Pentatonix released their eponymous album, their first consisting mostly of original material, which debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart for the first time in their career, followed by a third Christmas album, A Pentatonix Christmas, in 2016, and a new EP, PTX, Vol. IV – Classics, the following year. In May 2017, Kaplan announced that he would leave Pentatonix due to his inability to keep up with the touring demands of the group; he left after the completion of the tour in September, and was replaced by Matt Sallee the following month.
Pentatonix have won three Grammy Awards: they were the first a cappella act to win Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, doing so in 2015 and 2016,[14] and Best Country Duo/Group Performance in 2017.
Pentatonix, as suggested by Scott Hoying, is named after the pentatonic scale, a musical scale or mode with five notes per octave, representing the five members of the group. They replaced the last letter with an “x” to make it more appealing. The quintet derives its influences from pop, dubstep, electro, reggae, hip hop, and classical music.
The Sing-Off (2011)
Main article: The Sing-Off (season 3)
The Sing-Off (2011)
Main article: The Sing-Off (season 3)
Pentatonix performed the following songs on The Sing Off. The group did not perform in Episode 1 or 3.
Episode Theme Song choice Original artist
2 Signature Songs “E.T.” Katy Perry
4 Current Hits “Your Love Is My Drug” Ke$ha
1960s Favorites “Piece of My Heart” Erma Franklin (credited to Janis Joplin)
5 Guilty Pleasures “Video Killed the Radio Star” The Buggles
6 Hip-Hop “Love Lockdown” Kanye West
7 Superstar Medleys Medley of “Oops!… I Did It Again”, “Toxic” and “Hold It Against Me” Britney Spears
8 Rock classics “Born to be Wild” Steppenwolf
Country hits “Stuck Like Glue” Sugarland
9 R&B “OMG” Usher (featuring will.i.am)
“Let’s Get It On” Marvin Gaye
10 Mastermix Medleys “Forget You” / “Since U Been Gone” Cee Lo Green / Kelly Clarkson
Judges’ Choice “Dog Days Are Over” Florence and the Machine
11 (Finale) First performance “Without You” David Guetta (feat. Usher)
Second performance “Give Me Just One Night (Una Noche)” 98 Degrees (sung with host Nick Lachey)
Victory song “Eye of the Tiger” Survivor
Discography
Main article: Pentatonix discography
PTX, Vols. 1 & 2 (2014)
PTX (2014)
That’s Christmas to Me (2014)
Pentatonix (2015)
A Pentatonix Christmas (2016)
Members
For more information, see Voice classification in non-classical music.
Scott Hoying – baritone lead and backing vocals (2011–present)
Mitch Grassi – tenor lead and backing vocals (2011–present)
Kirstin Maldonado – mezzo-soprano lead and backing vocals (2011–present)
Kevin Olusola – vocal percussion, beatboxing, backing vocals, cello (2011–present)
Matt Sallee – vocal bass, bass lead and backing vocals (2017–present)
Former members
Avi Kaplan – vocal bass, vocal percussion, bass lead and backing vocals (2011–2017)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia