You underestimate us Pentaholics…Kevin is definitely not underrated. We know how incredibly talented and special he is and how lucky we and PTX is to have him. He actually is a huge part of the arrangements for these videos. He is a musical genius.
@@Chris_T_S Exactly!!! Someone who's not as intimately familiar with Pentatonix would be drawn to the vocals of Kirsten, Scott and Mitch. That, I believe was the context of his comment.
Yes! All the beatboxers in these acapella groups are pretty incredible. I always find it amusing when some people ask "Why doesn't Kevin sing more? Why is he always in the background?"... The entire time of performances, there he is setting the beat and percussions lol This is also true of Matt. #MeatandPotatoes
Mitch and Scott as Superfruit also do a Rhianna Anti medley. You can really hear Mitch match her tonality in that one too. You should check it out. Maybe a superfruit Saturday or Sunday. They have a lot of good medleys, mashups and a whole album of originals called Future Friends.
This is my first time hearing this video because I'm not a big Rihanna fan. And since I don't know the songs, it's easier for me to focus on what Kevin and Matt are doing. And what they're doing is nothing less than magic! Thanks for reacting to some of their lesser-known videos. There are some of us that haven't actually gone through the entire catalog of Pentatonix music yet. Being introduced to it this way is excellent! Thank you for doing these!
One of my favorite things about any of their "Evolution of..." videos is that you get to just stare at Kevin the whole time and watch him do his magic.
@@2nicnag2 He doesn't always show it, but he has an entire invisible drum kit. He'll reach out an invisible drumstick and hit an invisible snare drum and you'll hear the snare drum. You know it came from his mouth, but you just *saw* him hit the snare drum, so how can it have come from his mouth? It quickly becomes surreal. I *love* the way Kevin can make me see the instruments that aren't there.
@@2nicnag2 Have you seen the video from his birthday in October? A supposed conductor starts dancing across the stage, mimicking Kevin, and Kevin is dancing with him, backwards, beatboxing all the time. Incredible levels of skill, both Kevin and the dancer.
I went to their concert in July of 2018 and heard them do this live. My hubby couldn't figure out that they were doing a medley. But Mitch introduced the song, and mentioned that he loved the artist so much. I saw an interview where Mitch and Scott were talking about how Rhianna approached them, complimented mitch's voice and walked away, leaving Mitch mentally reeling. Then Mitch took a step, accidentally on her dress, but luckily stepped back in time. Hearing them live is awesome, do it when you can
Group timeline: * 2007 - 2010: Scott, Mitch & Kirstin are in high school together, doing theater & multiple choirs. Scott & Kirstin graduate in 2010, Mitch in 2011. * 2011: PTX forms (Scott, Mitch, Kirstin, Avi & Kevin) to compete on NBC’s The Sing-Off. They win, prize includes recording contract but they’re dropped one week later for *lack of marketability” * 2012 PTX uses UA-cam to promote themselves * 2014 Signed to a recording contract with RCA * 2015 Wins first Grammy (Daft Punk). Release of first original album (Pentatonix). * 2016 & 2017 Second & Third Grammies (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy & Jolene ft Dolly Parton) * 2017 Avi announces his decision to leave PTX, and does so after the summer tour. Matt is hired “for the holiday season.” * 2018. Matt becomes a full member of PTX *2019 World Tour & teases of a 2nd original album *2020 …happens *2021 Release of 2nd original album (Lucky Ones)
You left out that the original three formed The Trio together in high school, which eventually morphed into Pentatonix. Also, Kirstie & Mitch started performing together in musical theater as early as 2001, while Scott & Mitch performed together as early as 2003. Somehow, Kirstie & Scott missed meeting each other until 2006 (although they have both said it's possible they did run into each other at some point although neither can remember doing so).
I don't think anyone has ever mentioned the fact that since PTX was dropped from their recording contract for lack of marketability, that means that SONY from the outset never believed that any of the a capella groups were marketable. Therefore, the recording contract was offered as a prize under false pretense, which makes the contract a case of fraud. I know they couldn't do it at the time, but PTX probably had a good case for a lawsuit under those circumstances. The irony is, as we all know now, PTX was the most marketable group in the competition. Their "That's Christmas To Me" album was the fourth best selling album of 2014, out of ALL the albums of 2014, not just the Christmas albums.
@@theloneranger8725 Ever since I first heard about Sony dropping them for lack of marketability I’ve thought that the whole “recording contract” thing was a scam offered under false pretenses. Since then, I’ve learned that talent show recording contracts are brutal and exploitive with very little money flowing to the artists. The good news in all this is Sony lost a lot in the long run and by being free to negotiate with another recording company PTX would have been in a much stronger position. I really hope PTX came out on top!
I don’t know if was PTX the Sony exec considered unmarketable, or a cappella in general. If it was a cappella in general, they had no business ‘sponsoring’ an a cappella competition. Though I have heard some people say there was a personnel change and the guy who dropped PTX was not the guy who chose to sponsor the show, though I have no way to verify that info.
Loved your reaction. I've never heard an acapella group be able to do these intricate medleys the way they can. It's outstanding. You've probably already reacted to their 90's Medley which is other worldly. And their newest videos of BTS Butter+ Dynamite, and "A Little Space" featuring Ateez. are incredible, too.
Great reaction my friend. Kevin's musicality and classic training make his beatboxing musical rather than just beats. He writes sheet music for his parts. No other beatboxer I know write tabliture for their parts. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
OMG he writes the tablature for his parts?!?! Okay, I already considered him a genius. Is there a level above that?! DAMN!!!!! Kevin, you’re setting the bar really high for beatboxers for the next 5 decades! These poor kids - whose parents aren’t even born yet! 🤣
Dancers write "sheet music" for their choreography so I'd imagine that Kevin has a rather extensive tablature for all the sounds he makes. I didn't know this before now, (gotta love Pentaholic's comments), but it doesn't surprise me that Kevin does it.
Barbados is One of the most amazing places I've visited in my life and I actually got a chance to visit Rihanna's childhood home. Highly recommend going there and experiencing the culture 😍🙏🏾❤️. Great reaction! ☺️
One of my favorites! They are all so amazing but I love how these evolution videos really feature the bass and beatboxing. Matt is fantastic and KEVIN IS PURE GENIUS!!! Thanks so much for this reaction.
YES! Love Tuesdays! I appreciate what your ear is drawn to, DJ. Sometimes I just don't pay enough attention to Kevin because he is so spot on! Thanks for taking the time to listen to PTX each Tuesday! I'm here for it, sir!
this is my absolute favorite Evolution video by PTX. I love everything about it and I'm not even the biggest Rihanna fan. there's just something about the arrangement and the homage they give to the original artist. plus I, like you, cannot take my eyes and ears off Matt and Kevin during the video. they just kill it! Rihanna is from Barbados, btw. great reaction!
No Kevin, no PTX, but I would have thought that about Avi too. Thank goodness for Matt. The trio of Scott, Kirstin and Mitch started PTX by being a trio since Highschool. Scott got into a capella in college, heard about the singoff competition on nbc and convinced Mitch and Kirstie to join. Scott met Ben Bramm their silent sixth member and co-arranger in college as well and Ben found Avi. Scott saw a video of Kevin cello-boxing on UA-cam that was trending and the rest is history. Avi left the group in 2017 due to the intense work schedule of PTX and not getting to see his family and friends. Also his mom was battling cancer. Shortly after winning the singoff season 3 they where dropped by the recording label from the contract that they won. They used UA-cam to develop a following with a series of couch videos on Avi and Kevin's couch, ultimately leading to a new recording contract.
That thumbnail is the bomb! Looks like some awesome person worked really hard on it with great input from some really awesome people!! Great reaction per usual! I can’t help but listen to Matt and the baseline. Something about a deep voice and how it lays the foundation is just pleasing to the ears! Yes, yes Kevin is a beast! The Texas Trio are also so tight in their harmonies it’s ridiculous! Mitch’s voice is just so clear and piercing!! I can’t help but love almost all of their work.
If you listened to this or any of their other videos five times and only focused on one individual each time, you would still be amazed at what that person does, especially when they are in the background instead of the lead. Whoever sings lead at any given moment, the others make any variety of notes or sounds. That is how a five-person group can fell more full than most of the big choirs that I have heard.
My new fave evolution video of theirs is Ariana Grande. I hope you react to it. Thank you for your reaction. I always look forward to your PTX reactions. I know it can be confusing with bass changes, Mitch and Kirstie constantly changing. Good news is Scott and Kevin are consistent. Also...the voices are recognizable. I am compiling a list of their songs historically from beginning to end with notes on whether the songs are originals or covers. It's helping me place them properly on a time line.
I love watching these videos for more than one reason, but my favorite thing is the way you are able to draw my ear to the bass notes that i glossed over before. Thank you!!
I think a lot of Kevin's talents are... well they aren't a secret, but we simply don't see them often: He graduated from Yale University (ok, not a talent per se, but still impressive AF) He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese He started learning the Cello, Piano and Saxophone before age 10. He is a husband and father (hey those are talents!)
Okay, the origins and members of Pentatonix. Pentatonix began with The Trio, a singing group formed by three friends in Arlington Texas in an attempt to win a contest and meet the cast of _Glee._ They didn't win, but they kept the group together and performed at school events and on local television shows. And yes, "The Trio" was exactly what they named their group; fortunately, they've gotten better with names since then. The Trio contained Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, and Kirstin Maldonado: • Mitch Grassi (pronounced Grah'-see, emphasis on the first syllable) is a counter tenor with a range of just over 6 octaves. In this video he's sitting on the right side (from our perspective) of the back of the couch. Mitch was a year behind Scott and Kirstie in school. • Scott Hoying, lyric baritone. Scott is the tall blond guy on the back of the sofa. Scott's range extends well into the bass on the lower end and well into the tenor on the upper end. Scott got involved in community musical theater when he was a kid, and that was where he first met Mitch. Scott was about 8 years old at the time, and he and Mitch became good friends. • Kirstin (also known as Kirstie, rhymes with thirsty) Maldonado, mezzo soprano. In case it isn't obvious, Kirstin is the woman on the back of the sofa. In the real world, Kirstin's range extends from alto through coloratura soprano. The group is uncertain whether Kirstin has the highest voice or Mitch does (I suspect it varies from one day to the next), but agree that Kirstin has the better whistle notes. Kirstie also got involved in community musical theater, where she met Mitch when she was 8, and they became good friends. But somehow she didn't meet Scott until they were both 14 and in the same class in high school, where, of course, they became good friends. All three of them were choir nerds, and they kept The Trio together until Scott and Kirstie graduated in 2010, at which point Scott went to college in southern California and Kirstie went to college in Missouri, but they both came back to Arlington after one year of college because Mitch was about to graduate and Scott had an idea. It seems there was a television show on NBC named _The Sing-Off,_ which was a competition show for a cappella groups. The groups would perform multiple times throughout the season, and at the end of the season one group would be declared the winner, and be awarded a prize of $200,000 and a recording contract. Scott thought that if The Trio could go on _The Sing-Off_ and win they could keep The Trio together forever, and have a good career as well. He persuaded Mitch and Kirstie, but there were still a few problems to be dealt with. The first problem was that the minimum size band allowed on _The Sing-Off_ was five members, so The Trio were short two members. Scott knew a guy named Ben Bram who was a coach on _The Sing-Off,_ and Ben suggested that they needed a rhythm section, a bass and a beatboxer. For bass, Ben suggested a guy he knew from the local amateur a cappella community in southern California, named Avi Kaplan. They talked with Avi, who was very interested, and they had a bass. • Avi (pronounced Ah'-vee, emphasis on the first syllable) Kaplan is a lyric bass. He is a true, operatically trained basso profundo - his lowest notes have been known to blow out speakers in live performances, to the point where Pentatonix had to buy more robust speakers to use on tour. But Avi's range also extends well into the baritone range. Additionally, Avi does something he calls "overtone singing," which is also known as "Tuvan throat singing." He repeatedly did overtone singing on _The Sing-Off,_ but somehow the judges always missed it. For personal reasons Avi left Pentatonix in late 2017, but he now has a very successful solo career and has formed a new band named "Avriel and the Sequoias." If you do a UA-cam search on "Avi Kaplan" you'll find his channel, with a lot of excellent original music. Highly recommended. For a beatboxer Ben Bram had no suggestions, however, so The Trio (plus Avi) typed "beatboxer" into the UA-cam search engine and what should pop up but a video of a guy playing his cello and beatboxing at the same time. To say that they were impressed would be an understatement of epic proportions. So they sent a UA-cam message to the guy (private messages are something that UA-cam has discontinued, but they were still available then) asking if he'd like to fly to the other side of the country to try to get onto a television show for a cappella groups. And Kevin messaged them back that normally he'd be very interested, but he was currently studying for his final exams for his pre-med degree from Yale. So Pentatonix (I *think* they'd decided on a name by then, and I'm very glad it wasn't "The Quintet") kept looking. Until they got a phone call from Kevin saying that he'd just graduated and was now available. • Kevin Olusola (pronounced Oh-loosh"-oh-luh', primary emphasis on the second syllable, secondary emphasis on the fourth), beatboxer extraordinaire, one of the best beatboxers in the world. Also classically trained on piano/keyboard, saxophone, and cello. Has a pre-med degree from Yale. Speaks five languages, including Mandarin. Has a lovely tenor voice, which extends downward slightly into the baritone range, and is known for the great beauty of his falsetto. Has performed at Carnegie Hall twice. Kevin is on the right front in this video. So Kevin flew out. Their first rehearsal together was the day before they had to audition for _The Sing-Off._ Mitch had to skip his high school graduation ceremony in order to attend the audition. It wasn't easy, but eventually they won _The Sing-Off,_ and a week later Sony dropped them from the recording contract, saying that they (Sony) didn't think they could successfully market an a cappella band. So Pentatonix used the $200,000 as seed money. They shared apartments, lived frugally, and used their iPhones to record themselves anywhere they could find decent acoustics - parking garages, stairwells, closets... - and they posted to UA-cam and began to build up a following. Eventually this led to another recording contract, and their first Grammy, for "Daft Punk Medley," at which point RCA (a subsidiary of Sony) asked to buy their recording contract. Eventually RCA raised the price enough that the label they'd signed with was willing to sell, and they've been doing well with RCA since, despite RCA's nasty tendency to stomp all over reactors on copyright violation grounds. After Avi left, Pentatonix held auditions for a new bass, and found Matt. •Matt Sallee (pronounced Suh-lee', emphasis on the second syllable), lyric bass. Matt's voice has been improving steadily; I've been told it's because a bass voice improves with age. At this point I believe his range equals Avi's on the low end and surpasses Avi's on the high end, but I can't give you anything official to back that up; I'm basing it on what I heard from him at their Denver concert on November 20, 2022, and I don't have a trained ear. Matt is also a drummer, BTW, and a pretty good one as far as I can tell. Matt is sitting next to Kevin, left front (from our perspective) of the sofa. Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch are still referred to by pentaholics as "the trio," and the trio is the heart of Pentatonix, but the entire band acts like an extremely good family with each other; it's one of the reasons they're so successful. They choose parts based on who can best perform those parts, on what serves the music best, and there appears to be no jealousy about who gets to be in the limelight this time around. Every member of Pentatonix is an extraordinary musician, and Pentatonix is greater than the sum of its parts, and Pentatonix knows it. Anything that is good for one member is good for Pentatonix as a whole, so they make sure that each one gets whatever he or she needs.
The fact that we can forget that Kevin and Matt are here is probably the biggest compliment we can give them 🤣 yall are so good I thought you had a real backing track
Because they are all so talented and contribute so much, I always go back and rewatch, concentrating on a different member each time. That way I don't miss any of the amazing parts each member brings to the song. And yes, I appreciate the incredible talents of Kevin and Matt and what they bring to every song.
Kevin is the member of Pentatonix I'd most like to have a conversation with; he's incredible. A true polymath, a seriously nice guy, one of the best beatboxers in the world (if not *the* best), gorgeous tenor voice, plays three instruments, and his laugh makes the whole world seem brighter.
Good to see ya! Been oversea..gotta catch up on your reactions. LOL Only after you said it did it look like them laying down..then that's all I could see!! I think Kevin may be the most gifted individual they have..it seems he can do everything. Matt's bass line is crazy! I'm always drawn to bass 1st, it was the first instrument I learned to play. Great reaction.
If you want to appreciate the complete evolution of Pentatonix you need to watch them compete on season 3 of The Sing Off. They were revolutionary right out of the gate. That was one of the last TV shows I actually remember wanting to make it home in time to see it live.
@@Kimmerkel-k I did not know that. Can you imagine the thoughts of people he passes while running? It's just silly noise without the singing even if it is brilliant percussion with it.
We weren't allowed to watch MTV or VH1 growing up so I gravitated to country music and even as an adult I haven't listened to much else then I came across PTX recently. I hardly know any of the songs they cover but the ones I do know, I love PTX version better than even the originals
I highly recommend Mary, did you know for some amazing Mitch and Kevin vocals 😍 Oh! And the video quality isn’t great but watching Sing Off Season 3 (it’s here on UA-cam if you google it) will give you what you need for history. It was where they made it big, its like American Idol for A Capella groups, and I believe Mitch was still in High School when they were on it. The grand prize included a recording contract, I’m sure it’s not a spoiler to say they won, because, duh. Of course they did.
This set is a call back to some of their original videos, especially their evolution pieces. And trust me, we love Kevin and know what an asset he is to the group.
Yes, Matt is the bass, sitting next to Kevin. And can we talk about the fact that *Matt* was singing the lead on "Only Girl"? How high did he get there? I have heard Matt hit a low note that I would swear was as low as any I ever heard from Avi, true blowing-the-speakers basso profundo low, but I think his upper range reaches into the *tenor* range.
I am a Pentaholic. To fully understand these wonderful talents, watch any one of their videos as you normally would. Then, watch it fives times more, each time focusing only on one member of the group. Your will then know just how much talent is displayed by every member. This is especially true of the EVOLUTION mash-ups that they flawlessly perform. Just sayin' :)
Great video! Love your channel! Please make a reaction video on of Pelagea performances. Would really love to know what you think about her skills. She is amazing!
I like the mixed-up order that you are reacting in. You will like their evolution of Beyonce. I am looking forward to your reactions to their original songs.
Steve??? lol. There has never been a Steve in the band. In their 10-year history there has only been 1 member change. Avi left in 2017. Matt became bass late 2017. The rest are all original members. I enjoyed your reaction and I look forward to your next Pentatonix reaction.
This one is an earlier original, Love Again, with the bonus if being live in a dressing room. Only Kevin has a mic. I remember you liking this kind of performance ua-cam.com/video/GyRiez6UKAI/v-deo.html
@@TempleMusicAcademy It is their 12th out of 14/15 Performances of the Sing-Off Season 3; The TV show where they won and they were formed because they wanted to compete in this TV Show (The Trio, and then asked Kevin and Avi to join)...
Pitch alteration like that can be from breath support. These members are beyond brilliant at their breath support and control. I think that may be why :)
@@TempleMusicAcademy for sure, they are pros... and they know and trust each other... the arrangements (by Ben Bramm) also utilize their skills to the fullest potential... have you done any reactions to 'Voctave'?
i did kinda bored by reaction bc he is only focus on Matt and Kevin he is missing lot of crazy thing Mitch Scott and Kirstin did. i was waiting him to mention but he didn't even realized cause he keep focus on beatbox and bass
You underestimate us Pentaholics…Kevin is definitely not underrated. We know how incredibly talented and special he is and how lucky we and PTX is to have him. He actually is a huge part of the arrangements for these videos. He is a musical genius.
Pentaholics - yes, many of them know the songs to the tick, decibel and frequency.
Non-Pentaholics? Not so much lol
Damn Right Michelle. :)
@@jcs1025 ☺️
@@Chris_T_S
Exactly!!! Someone who's not as intimately familiar with Pentatonix would be drawn to the vocals of Kirsten, Scott and Mitch. That, I believe was the context of his comment.
Kevin's beatboxing in PTX's original Coffee in Bed is perfection!!!
ooooo an original? That's going to need to make an appearance!
YES!! Kevin swallowed a steel drum for Coffee in Bed!
Yes! All the beatboxers in these acapella groups are pretty incredible. I always find it amusing when some people ask "Why doesn't Kevin sing more? Why is he always in the background?"... The entire time of performances, there he is setting the beat and percussions lol
This is also true of Matt.
#MeatandPotatoes
Yep, amazing
Happy now is another good original!
Mitch and Scott as Superfruit also do a Rhianna Anti medley. You can really hear Mitch match her tonality in that one too. You should check it out. Maybe a superfruit Saturday or Sunday. They have a lot of good medleys, mashups and a whole album of originals called Future Friends.
Omg their anti medley is fantastic
Anti medley is one of my favs by Superfruit
Please, please, PLEASE - 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' - No lyrics - Just notes and it is AWESOME!!!!
This is my first time hearing this video because I'm not a big Rihanna fan. And since I don't know the songs, it's easier for me to focus on what Kevin and Matt are doing. And what they're doing is nothing less than magic! Thanks for reacting to some of their lesser-known videos. There are some of us that haven't actually gone through the entire catalog of Pentatonix music yet. Being introduced to it this way is excellent! Thank you for doing these!
One of my favorite things about any of their "Evolution of..." videos is that you get to just stare at Kevin the whole time and watch him do his magic.
I didn't even think about that, I will be watching him even more
@@2nicnag2 He doesn't always show it, but he has an entire invisible drum kit. He'll reach out an invisible drumstick and hit an invisible snare drum and you'll hear the snare drum. You know it came from his mouth, but you just *saw* him hit the snare drum, so how can it have come from his mouth? It quickly becomes surreal. I *love* the way Kevin can make me see the instruments that aren't there.
@@margretrosenberg420 he is absolutely incredible, he definitely has the hardest part in my uneducated opinion.
@@2nicnag2 Have you seen the video from his birthday in October? A supposed conductor starts dancing across the stage, mimicking Kevin, and Kevin is dancing with him, backwards, beatboxing all the time. Incredible levels of skill, both Kevin and the dancer.
@@margretrosenberg420 no I haven’t but I will be searching for it now!! Thanks!!
I went to their concert in July of 2018 and heard them do this live. My hubby couldn't figure out that they were doing a medley. But Mitch introduced the song, and mentioned that he loved the artist so much. I saw an interview where Mitch and Scott were talking about how Rhianna approached them, complimented mitch's voice and walked away, leaving Mitch mentally reeling. Then Mitch took a step, accidentally on her dress, but luckily stepped back in time.
Hearing them live is awesome, do it when you can
Group timeline:
* 2007 - 2010: Scott, Mitch & Kirstin are in high school together, doing theater & multiple choirs. Scott & Kirstin graduate in 2010, Mitch in 2011.
* 2011: PTX forms (Scott, Mitch, Kirstin, Avi & Kevin) to compete on NBC’s The Sing-Off. They win, prize includes recording contract but they’re dropped one week later for *lack of marketability”
* 2012 PTX uses UA-cam to promote themselves
* 2014 Signed to a recording contract with RCA
* 2015 Wins first Grammy (Daft Punk). Release of first original album (Pentatonix).
* 2016 & 2017 Second & Third Grammies (Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy & Jolene ft Dolly Parton)
* 2017 Avi announces his decision to leave PTX, and does so after the summer tour. Matt is hired “for the holiday season.”
* 2018. Matt becomes a full member of PTX
*2019 World Tour & teases of a 2nd original album
*2020 …happens
*2021 Release of 2nd original album (Lucky Ones)
You left out that the original three formed The Trio together in high school, which eventually morphed into Pentatonix. Also, Kirstie & Mitch started performing together in musical theater as early as 2001, while Scott & Mitch performed together as early as 2003. Somehow, Kirstie & Scott missed meeting each other until 2006 (although they have both said it's possible they did run into each other at some point although neither can remember doing so).
I don't think anyone has ever mentioned the fact that since PTX was dropped from their recording contract for lack of marketability, that means that SONY from the outset never believed that any of the a capella groups were marketable. Therefore, the recording contract was offered as a prize under false pretense, which makes the contract a case of fraud. I know they couldn't do it at the time, but PTX probably had a good case for a lawsuit under those circumstances. The irony is, as we all know now, PTX was the most marketable group in the competition. Their "That's Christmas To Me" album was the fourth best selling album of 2014, out of ALL the albums of 2014, not just the Christmas albums.
@@theloneranger8725 Ever since I first heard about Sony dropping them for lack of marketability I’ve thought that the whole “recording contract” thing was a scam offered under false pretenses. Since then, I’ve learned that talent show recording contracts are brutal and exploitive with very little money flowing to the artists. The good news in all this is Sony lost a lot in the long run and by being free to negotiate with another recording company PTX would have been in a much stronger position. I really hope PTX came out on top!
I never knew they were dropped for “lack of marketability”!! Oh, that’s crap. Sony sure does make some lame ass decisions.
I don’t know if was PTX the Sony exec considered unmarketable, or a cappella in general. If it was a cappella in general, they had no business ‘sponsoring’ an a cappella competition. Though I have heard some people say there was a personnel change and the guy who dropped PTX was not the guy who chose to sponsor the show, though I have no way to verify that info.
LOVE THIS!!! SAW IT LIVE ON THEIR 2019 TOUR!! FANTASTIC HERE AND EVEN BETTER, LIVE!!!
Loved your reaction. I've never heard an acapella group be able to do these intricate medleys the way they can. It's outstanding. You've probably already reacted to their 90's Medley which is other worldly. And their newest videos of BTS Butter+ Dynamite, and "A Little Space" featuring Ateez. are incredible, too.
Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I've done the 90's medley which I think had to go to our patreon page. But I can't wait to get to the BTS stuff :)
Been binge watching your videos and your reactions and explanations are the best 👍
Thank you! What an amazing and kind thing to say.
Great reaction my friend. Kevin's musicality and classic training make his beatboxing musical rather than just beats. He writes sheet music for his parts. No other beatboxer I know write tabliture for their parts. Much love and keep on keepin on J.
actually I've been really curious about that. How do you write for beatboxing?
OMG he writes the tablature for his parts?!?! Okay, I already considered him a genius. Is there a level above that?! DAMN!!!!! Kevin, you’re setting the bar really high for beatboxers for the next 5 decades! These poor kids - whose parents aren’t even born yet! 🤣
Dancers write "sheet music" for their choreography so I'd imagine that Kevin has a rather extensive tablature for all the sounds he makes. I didn't know this before now, (gotta love Pentaholic's comments), but it doesn't surprise me that Kevin does it.
Barbados is One of the most amazing places I've visited in my life and I actually got a chance to visit Rihanna's childhood home. Highly recommend going there and experiencing the culture 😍🙏🏾❤️. Great reaction! ☺️
One of my favorites! They are all so amazing but I love how these evolution videos really feature the bass and beatboxing. Matt is fantastic and KEVIN IS PURE GENIUS!!! Thanks so much for this reaction.
"Dammn Mitch"
I smiled because I remember when you first saw them and didn't know their names and now you know who is who ❤️
YES! Love Tuesdays! I appreciate what your ear is drawn to, DJ. Sometimes I just don't pay enough attention to Kevin because he is so spot on! Thanks for taking the time to listen to PTX each Tuesday! I'm here for it, sir!
I'm so glad you're as excited as I am about our new series! #tonixtuesdays
yeah i think im gonna stay here for a while lol someone is finally recognizing kevin and matts talents!
this is my absolute favorite Evolution video by PTX. I love everything about it and I'm not even the biggest Rihanna fan. there's just something about the arrangement and the homage they give to the original artist. plus I, like you, cannot take my eyes and ears off Matt and Kevin during the video. they just kill it! Rihanna is from Barbados, btw. great reaction!
Thank you for the kind words! :)
No Kevin, no PTX, but I would have thought that about Avi too. Thank goodness for Matt. The trio of Scott, Kirstin and Mitch started PTX by being a trio since Highschool. Scott got into a capella in college, heard about the singoff competition on nbc and convinced Mitch and Kirstie to join. Scott met Ben Bramm their silent sixth member and co-arranger in college as well and Ben found Avi. Scott saw a video of Kevin cello-boxing on UA-cam that was trending and the rest is history. Avi left the group in 2017 due to the intense work schedule of PTX and not getting to see his family and friends. Also his mom was battling cancer. Shortly after winning the singoff season 3 they where dropped by the recording label from the contract that they won. They used UA-cam to develop a following with a series of couch videos on Avi and Kevin's couch, ultimately leading to a new recording contract.
That thumbnail is the bomb! Looks like some awesome person worked really hard on it with great input from some really awesome people!! Great reaction per usual! I can’t help but listen to Matt and the baseline. Something about a deep voice and how it lays the foundation is just pleasing to the ears! Yes, yes Kevin is a beast! The Texas Trio are also so tight in their harmonies it’s ridiculous! Mitch’s voice is just so clear and piercing!! I can’t help but love almost all of their work.
Definitely had help with this thumbnail ;)
I love how much fun Matt and Kevin are having!
The Ari grande one is great. And please do Super Fruit Defying Gravity. Mitch will blow you away even more so.
If you enjoyed this you should watch scott and mitch do it on their superfruit channel. It's called anti medley
If you listened to this or any of their other videos five times and only focused on one individual each time, you would still be amazed at what that person does, especially when they are in the background instead of the lead. Whoever sings lead at any given moment, the others make any variety of notes or sounds. That is how a five-person group can fell more full than most of the big choirs that I have heard.
Love your reactions Thank you for being so awesome.
My new fave evolution video of theirs is Ariana Grande. I hope you react to it. Thank you for your reaction. I always look forward to your PTX reactions. I know it can be confusing with bass changes, Mitch and Kirstie constantly changing. Good news is Scott and Kevin are consistent. Also...the voices are recognizable. I am compiling a list of their songs historically from beginning to end with notes on whether the songs are originals or covers. It's helping me place them properly on a time line.
It’s coming ;)
I think it's their best one! Happy to see there will be a reaction!
I love watching these videos for more than one reason, but my favorite thing is the way you are able to draw my ear to the bass notes that i glossed over before. Thank you!!
I always watch their videos or listen to each song 5 times focusing on one each time. They are just all unbelievable! Great reaction!!
You’re GOOD at this. Love them…and loving your reactions.
Request their Seasons Of Love as televised last 4th of July. Great Kirstin performance.
I think a lot of Kevin's talents are... well they aren't a secret, but we simply don't see them often:
He graduated from Yale University (ok, not a talent per se, but still impressive AF)
He speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese
He started learning the Cello, Piano and Saxophone before age 10.
He is a husband and father (hey those are talents!)
Love this ! So smoothly sung, gorgeous voices, and fun times. All in one take !!! Stunning ! :) Thank you.
Their all brilliant I’m a big fan x
I also love their evolution of Ariana Grande not only do they do Ariana Grande so well I finally get to hear the lyrics
Okay, the origins and members of Pentatonix.
Pentatonix began with The Trio, a singing group formed by three friends in Arlington Texas in an attempt to win a contest and meet the cast of _Glee._ They didn't win, but they kept the group together and performed at school events and on local television shows. And yes, "The Trio" was exactly what they named their group; fortunately, they've gotten better with names since then.
The Trio contained Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, and Kirstin Maldonado:
• Mitch Grassi (pronounced Grah'-see, emphasis on the first syllable) is a counter tenor with a range of just over 6 octaves. In this video he's sitting on the right side (from our perspective) of the back of the couch. Mitch was a year behind Scott and Kirstie in school.
• Scott Hoying, lyric baritone. Scott is the tall blond guy on the back of the sofa. Scott's range extends well into the bass on the lower end and well into the tenor on the upper end. Scott got involved in community musical theater when he was a kid, and that was where he first met Mitch. Scott was about 8 years old at the time, and he and Mitch became good friends.
• Kirstin (also known as Kirstie, rhymes with thirsty) Maldonado, mezzo soprano. In case it isn't obvious, Kirstin is the woman on the back of the sofa. In the real world, Kirstin's range extends from alto through coloratura soprano. The group is uncertain whether Kirstin has the highest voice or Mitch does (I suspect it varies from one day to the next), but agree that Kirstin has the better whistle notes. Kirstie also got involved in community musical theater, where she met Mitch when she was 8, and they became good friends. But somehow she didn't meet Scott until they were both 14 and in the same class in high school, where, of course, they became good friends.
All three of them were choir nerds, and they kept The Trio together until Scott and Kirstie graduated in 2010, at which point Scott went to college in southern California and Kirstie went to college in Missouri, but they both came back to Arlington after one year of college because Mitch was about to graduate and Scott had an idea. It seems there was a television show on NBC named _The Sing-Off,_ which was a competition show for a cappella groups. The groups would perform multiple times throughout the season, and at the end of the season one group would be declared the winner, and be awarded a prize of $200,000 and a recording contract. Scott thought that if The Trio could go on _The Sing-Off_ and win they could keep The Trio together forever, and have a good career as well. He persuaded Mitch and Kirstie, but there were still a few problems to be dealt with.
The first problem was that the minimum size band allowed on _The Sing-Off_ was five members, so The Trio were short two members. Scott knew a guy named Ben Bram who was a coach on _The Sing-Off,_ and Ben suggested that they needed a rhythm section, a bass and a beatboxer. For bass, Ben suggested a guy he knew from the local amateur a cappella community in southern California, named Avi Kaplan. They talked with Avi, who was very interested, and they had a bass.
• Avi (pronounced Ah'-vee, emphasis on the first syllable) Kaplan is a lyric bass. He is a true, operatically trained basso profundo - his lowest notes have been known to blow out speakers in live performances, to the point where Pentatonix had to buy more robust speakers to use on tour. But Avi's range also extends well into the baritone range. Additionally, Avi does something he calls "overtone singing," which is also known as "Tuvan throat singing." He repeatedly did overtone singing on _The Sing-Off,_ but somehow the judges always missed it.
For personal reasons Avi left Pentatonix in late 2017, but he now has a very successful solo career and has formed a new band named "Avriel and the Sequoias." If you do a UA-cam search on "Avi Kaplan" you'll find his channel, with a lot of excellent original music. Highly recommended.
For a beatboxer Ben Bram had no suggestions, however, so The Trio (plus Avi) typed "beatboxer" into the UA-cam search engine and what should pop up but a video of a guy playing his cello and beatboxing at the same time. To say that they were impressed would be an understatement of epic proportions. So they sent a UA-cam message to the guy (private messages are something that UA-cam has discontinued, but they were still available then) asking if he'd like to fly to the other side of the country to try to get onto a television show for a cappella groups. And Kevin messaged them back that normally he'd be very interested, but he was currently studying for his final exams for his pre-med degree from Yale.
So Pentatonix (I *think* they'd decided on a name by then, and I'm very glad it wasn't "The Quintet") kept looking. Until they got a phone call from Kevin saying that he'd just graduated and was now available.
• Kevin Olusola (pronounced Oh-loosh"-oh-luh', primary emphasis on the second syllable, secondary emphasis on the fourth), beatboxer extraordinaire, one of the best beatboxers in the world. Also classically trained on piano/keyboard, saxophone, and cello. Has a pre-med degree from Yale. Speaks five languages, including Mandarin. Has a lovely tenor voice, which extends downward slightly into the baritone range, and is known for the great beauty of his falsetto. Has performed at Carnegie Hall twice. Kevin is on the right front in this video.
So Kevin flew out. Their first rehearsal together was the day before they had to audition for _The Sing-Off._ Mitch had to skip his high school graduation ceremony in order to attend the audition.
It wasn't easy, but eventually they won _The Sing-Off,_ and a week later Sony dropped them from the recording contract, saying that they (Sony) didn't think they could successfully market an a cappella band. So Pentatonix used the $200,000 as seed money. They shared apartments, lived frugally, and used their iPhones to record themselves anywhere they could find decent acoustics - parking garages, stairwells, closets... - and they posted to UA-cam and began to build up a following. Eventually this led to another recording contract, and their first Grammy, for "Daft Punk Medley," at which point RCA (a subsidiary of Sony) asked to buy their recording contract. Eventually RCA raised the price enough that the label they'd signed with was willing to sell, and they've been doing well with RCA since, despite RCA's nasty tendency to stomp all over reactors on copyright violation grounds.
After Avi left, Pentatonix held auditions for a new bass, and found Matt.
•Matt Sallee (pronounced Suh-lee', emphasis on the second syllable), lyric bass. Matt's voice has been improving steadily; I've been told it's because a bass voice improves with age. At this point I believe his range equals Avi's on the low end and surpasses Avi's on the high end, but I can't give you anything official to back that up; I'm basing it on what I heard from him at their Denver concert on November 20, 2022, and I don't have a trained ear. Matt is also a drummer, BTW, and a pretty good one as far as I can tell. Matt is sitting next to Kevin, left front (from our perspective) of the sofa.
Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch are still referred to by pentaholics as "the trio," and the trio is the heart of Pentatonix, but the entire band acts like an extremely good family with each other; it's one of the reasons they're so successful. They choose parts based on who can best perform those parts, on what serves the music best, and there appears to be no jealousy about who gets to be in the limelight this time around. Every member of Pentatonix is an extraordinary musician, and Pentatonix is greater than the sum of its parts, and Pentatonix knows it. Anything that is good for one member is good for Pentatonix as a whole, so they make sure that each one gets whatever he or she needs.
Matt is killing it!
Mitch is out of this world and Kevin is so much better than he knows. Lol ditto blast from the past, we’re old lol x
Love your reaction. This is a great evolution video. It has so much content in terms of number of song. Thanks also for doing PTX Tuesday!
You’ll also love the Ariana Grande evolution video. It’s one of my favorites (and I’m not even a big Ariana fan). They just kill it!
Wow! How have you not done this one yet? So happy you're taking a look/listen today. Great reaction. Thank you.
I know!! I sometimes take a while but I make things right ;)
@@TempleMusicAcademy You sure do! Thanks again!!
This is my favorite evolution video they do. Great reaction!!
Awesome reaction DJ, thank you ......ummmm, who's Steve?? :)
The fact that we can forget that Kevin and Matt are here is probably the biggest compliment we can give them 🤣 yall are so good I thought you had a real backing track
The Pentaholics love you back!
Speaking of Kevin, you should react to his solo work, its phenomenal! The guy is way more talented than you know😎🤘
Rihanna is one of Mitch's idol. Like Beyoncé for Scott
Rock solid idols to have!
Because they are all so talented and contribute so much, I always go back and rewatch, concentrating on a different member each time. That way I don't miss any of the amazing parts each member brings to the song. And yes, I appreciate the incredible talents of Kevin and Matt and what they bring to every song.
DJ, I love your reactions and thank you for doing tonic Tuesdays. Your comments are so enjoyable and you are so spontaneous 💕💕💕💕
Thanks for being here for them all!
I wish you'd check out either tso or savatage they're both great and the same band
Kevin is the member of Pentatonix I'd most like to have a conversation with; he's incredible. A true polymath, a seriously nice guy, one of the best beatboxers in the world (if not *the* best), gorgeous tenor voice, plays three instruments, and his laugh makes the whole world seem brighter.
Good to see ya! Been oversea..gotta catch up on your reactions. LOL Only after you said it did it look like them laying down..then that's all I could see!! I think Kevin may be the most gifted individual they have..it seems he can do everything. Matt's bass line is crazy! I'm always drawn to bass 1st, it was the first instrument I learned to play. Great reaction.
If you want to appreciate the complete evolution of Pentatonix you need to watch them compete on season 3 of The Sing Off. They were revolutionary right out of the gate.
That was one of the last TV shows I actually remember wanting to make it home in time to see it live.
Great Reaction Sir!!!
Great reaction! Would love to see your reaction to the live performance of ‘PTX throw back medley, live pentatonix world tour’
Throw back medley? That sounds pretty killer!
Idk if anyone said, but she's from Barbados. This is gorgeous!
Nobody underestimates kevin at all :)
Rihanna is from Barbados.
Not only can Kevin do that (whatever it is), but it seems he can do it all day! My lips would be so tired half way through this.
I think I heard Kevin once say he works to always be able to run a minimum three miles while beatboxing. 😜
@@Kimmerkel-k I did not know that. Can you imagine the thoughts of people he passes while running? It's just silly noise without the singing even if it is brilliant percussion with it.
I'm not a Rihana fan at all so I don't know any of these songs, but PTX does their usual amazing job, especially on their Evolution videos.
We weren't allowed to watch MTV or VH1 growing up so I gravitated to country music and even as an adult I haven't listened to much else then I came across PTX recently. I hardly know any of the songs they cover but the ones I do know, I love PTX version better than even the originals
I highly recommend Mary, did you know for some amazing Mitch and Kevin vocals 😍 Oh! And the video quality isn’t great but watching Sing Off Season 3 (it’s here on UA-cam if you google it) will give you what you need for history. It was where they made it big, its like American Idol for A Capella groups, and I believe Mitch was still in High School when they were on it. The grand prize included a recording contract, I’m sure it’s not a spoiler to say they won, because, duh. Of course they did.
Thanks for the pick up on the split chords. Looks like Kevin is hyperventilating at the end.
This set is a call back to some of their original videos, especially their evolution pieces. And trust me, we love Kevin and know what an asset he is to the group.
YES! my ears immediately gravitate towards (avi) or Matt in this case and Kevin
I need to show my husband this video...he's always convinced that they aren't really an acapella group! Lol
Yes, Matt is the bass, sitting next to Kevin. And can we talk about the fact that *Matt* was singing the lead on "Only Girl"? How high did he get there? I have heard Matt hit a low note that I would swear was as low as any I ever heard from Avi, true blowing-the-speakers basso profundo low, but I think his upper range reaches into the *tenor* range.
We should do superfruit-reactions too
Rihanna is from Barbados! Ok..see many people have answered this question. The Caribbean is not just Jamaica! 🇹🇹
Please react to them at their very beginning on the Sing Off. You will learn their story there.
You're great!
Awesome thumbnail...and reaction, of course!
I had help with the thumbnail. #templars
@@TempleMusicAcademy Yeah...just call me Dammit ;)
3:22 facts
I am a Pentaholic. To fully understand these wonderful talents, watch any one of their videos as you normally would. Then, watch it fives times more, each time focusing only on one member of the group. Your will then know just how much talent is displayed by every member. This is especially true of the EVOLUTION mash-ups that they flawlessly perform. Just sayin' :)
The only change in the group has been from Avi to Matt.
Great video! Love your channel! Please make a reaction video on of Pelagea performances. Would really love to know what you think about her skills. She is amazing!
I like the mixed-up order that you are reacting in. You will like their evolution of Beyonce.
I am looking forward to your reactions to their original songs.
Rihanna is from Barbados ( Caribbean )
If you look on UA-cam you should still be able to find Pentatonix The Sing-Off it's how they started
Steve??? lol. There has never been a Steve in the band. In their 10-year history there has only been 1 member change. Avi left in 2017. Matt became bass late 2017. The rest are all original members. I enjoyed your reaction and I look forward to your next Pentatonix reaction.
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
You should react to their cover of payphone, its so cute, their BABYTONIX😂
This one is an earlier original, Love Again, with the bonus if being live in a dressing room. Only Kevin has a mic. I remember you liking this kind of performance
ua-cam.com/video/GyRiez6UKAI/v-deo.html
She is from Barbados and we speak English 🙄. Her countries language. What you probably meant was her country’s colloquial intonation.
ptx Tuesday option: Dog days are over
That's a song title?
@@TempleMusicAcademy it’s a Florence and the machine song their cover is amazing
Its the last performance they did on the sing off competition
@@TempleMusicAcademy It is their 12th out of 14/15 Performances of the Sing-Off Season 3; The TV show where they won and they were formed because they wanted to compete in this TV Show (The Trio, and then asked Kevin and Avi to join)...
some fans might get offended that he doesn't react to the whole Sing-Off in performance order... :)
amazing how they can hold on to the key... isn't it more usual that choirs tend to go flat after a while?
Pitch alteration like that can be from breath support. These members are beyond brilliant at their breath support and control. I think that may be why :)
@@TempleMusicAcademy for sure, they are pros... and they know and trust each other... the arrangements (by Ben Bramm) also utilize their skills to the fullest potential... have you done any reactions to 'Voctave'?
Rihanna is from Barbados
Barbados🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧
If you want to hear some awesome bass from Matt, listen to Evolution of Ariana Grande.
Rihanna is from Barbados. Oh somebody put it already
Barbados 🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧🇧
I think of myself as metalhead but well I can't say no to pentatonix nor Riri
'tis the sign of a true metal head and music lover ;)
Barbados
i did kinda bored by reaction bc he is only focus on Matt and Kevin he is missing lot of crazy thing Mitch Scott and Kirstin did. i was waiting him to mention but he didn't even realized cause he keep focus on beatbox and bass