Imagine, a John Lennon cover shows each one singing a verse, even Kevin, the beat boxer. Plus, it has a beautiful video with a powerful messag. They put the person in the lead whose voice best fits each song. So in any given song any one of the five could take lead. A Beginners guide to Pentatonix would be good to react to. It would answer a lot of your questions and show you just how far they have come. Keep traveling through the rabbit hole. You have 10 years to catch up on and the Pentaholics will travel it with you.💕💕
@@SalvoG the beginner's guide video has so many spoilers to their great songs...it almost ruins the first time reaction surprises. I wish people would stop recommending it. A lot of reactors who have watched it are disappointed after as there are about 50 songs that are shown. I would suggest reacting to their Sing Off series by Mrduckbear to get a better history lesson.
@@SalvoG Imagine is possibly one of if not their best piece. If you react to it though, definitely distort the video again as other reactors have had issues with copyright otherwise.
“Sound of Silence” next please. You can hear more of her vocal ability in that song, and in “Mary, did you know?” I can see your becoming a pentaholic, join us 🥳🤩😜🥰🥰
More Kirstie - Say Something. They swap roles depending on the song. They can rap - Can’t Hold Us. More recent - 90’s Dance Medley. Actually everything they do is awesome.
Don't worry about blurring the videos. Most Pentaholics have seen the videos dozens of times already. So do whatever you need to do in order to not get blocked! 🙂
I will give you our best challenge. Go search Pentatonix music for all the titles, pick something you absolutely hate and one you think the original could not be done better, listen to each. YOU will be a Pentaholic( us true fans) by the end of those two.
Pentatonix has four main vocalists, and Kevin the genius beatboxer. When possible, they like to give each member a showcase solo within each arrangement. HOWEVER... as demonstrated here... their egos are pretty well grounded, and the group makes all of their arrangement decisions based on what the performance needs and what sounds "the most cool" in the end. For Bohemian Rhapsody, they played to Mitch's range and didn't worry so much about sharing the spotlight, knowing full well that nailing the entire piece would earn the group more accolades overall. However, if you listen to most of their other covers, you will find that there are many pieces where Kirstie gets significant solos within the piece, and Avi/Matt do as well (Avi the bass left the group amicably for life balance concerns and an aging mother and helped find his replacement, Matt... there are no other membership changes, but you can tell earlier vs later pieces depending on whether Avi or Matt are present as the bass singer... both are excellent). Many arrangements are worked out by Scott (the blonde baritone singer) but the group has input creatively on most of what they do, and there is no hogging of the spotlight. That said, they always play to their strengths vocally. If it makes more sense for Mitch to sing the lead because of range or tone, then Kirstie lets Mitch take the lead. If Matt or Avi want to step forward and do a solo, then Scott drops down to cover Bass (Scott has the same extensive mid-to-low range that Mitch has upper range vocally, which is insane by itself). If you watch their 'behind the scenes' or 'making of' videos, you will see how easily they just trade off parts when they're in the studio and realize that the original plan doesn't sound as strong in the finished product as someone else taking a phrase or a solo. It's quite impressive, actually. I'm sure they all have "diva days" but on the whole they work together really well as a team and seem more than happy to put the group result ahead of personal solo time. And that's to the greater honor of the band as a whole. If you want to see covers where Kirstie is given a chance to shine a bit more, Mad World gives her a large solo at the end. She's the one who takes you from heaven's door to the throne of the Almighty in Amazing Grace. She has more than a few solo segments in the 90's dance medley. And if you are in love with her physical aesthetic as much as her vocals, her costume and solos put her center stage in Can You Feel The Love Tonight, but... seriously, while gorgeous, it's all about the voice, man. Eyes are up top. LOL
They always swap vocal parts depends on which voice fits different parts of the songs better. Here's some Kirstie-led suggestions: - Rather Be - Water (Pentatonix original song, written by her) - Seasons of Love (there's an official live televised version on youtube) - Love Me When I Don't (PTX original) - My Favorite Things - Shallow (she has a great duet with Scott in that one, and Kevin plays cello named Beyoncé) - Be My Eyes (PTX original, she wrote this song, and it's one of their most beautiful videos ever)
The basic structure is the trio of Scott, Kirstie and Mitch, and the rhythm section of Avi (and later Matt) as bass and Kevin as beat boxer. They all sing, and get featured. Kevin has a nice feature in "Imagine" for example. A good one to see all of them featured one by one is a later one with Matt "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)." Kirstie shows her chops more and more over time. Nobody is a background performer in this group.
The best way to think about who gets to sing is to think which voice would sound right in that part of the song. Kevin doesn't get to sing much because he is holding the percussion. It is only where percussion is not required that he is able to sing. Avi (or later Matt) carry the bass - although Scott (Baritone) can carry bass when Avi or Matt are solo.
Scott the tall blonde is more often the lead, but all of them can and do take the lead from time to time. They all are extremely talented singers and musicians. The bass Avi can sing over 5 octaves. They all have done solo projects. They allow each other to do their own thing as long as PTX comes first.
For more Kirstie- Be My Eyes (original), My Favorite Things, Love Me When I Don't (original), Shallow. For Avi and Kirstie- Say Something. All of them- Amazing Grace, Imagine, Hallelujah, Mary Did You Know, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight. Kevin sings occasionally, but he is mostly the percussion.
They all have songs where they each shine. Wizard of ahhhhhs features alot of Kristie. Try Amazing Grace, Can you feel the love tonight, Water, Gold (She isnt lead in this bit her contribution is excellent. Kevin will blow your mind. Try New Rules/Are you that somebody (this is with the new bass Matt. Avi left in 2018. Also check out Kevin solo Down. Its amazing! There is so much to explore. They are an amazing group.
@@SalvoG Kevin is simply amazing. His solo work has a lot of looping and him playing cello and keyboard, as well as singing and beatboxing. His KOver of Marian Hill's "Down" is a good intro: ua-cam.com/video/IGjg193h4Ok/v-deo.html
There are over 200 songs and multiple Albums including 7 Christmas or holiday Albums. The Trio (Scott, Mitch and Kirstin) grew up together in Arlington, Texas and were Community Arts Theater kids. That's why they have stage presence. They didn't start singing together on gigs until High School but Scott and Mitch met when they were 10 and have been Best Friends since. Mitch met Kirstin around age 8. Every thing they do as a team. Kevin does sing when he wants to but usually the 4 each takes a verse. For early Kirstin I suggest, "Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You" and last year she wrote, "Love Me When I Don't". Mitch wrote "Coffee In Bed" but you can't go wrong.
I think "Imagine" is one of my favorites. In this song you get to hear all of them sing. Although you can't go wrong with any song they are ALWAYS great.
Can't Hold Us. Gold. Sing (one of their originals) Sound of Silence. Evolution of Michael Jackson and New Rules x Are You that Somebody are just some of my favorites. Each one of them are remarkable talents. They use those talents wherever they are best suited for the arrangements. Kevin is their percussion, so you don't get as much singing from him, though he has his moments. Avi is their bass and after he left was replaced by Matt. Scott can fill in for bass when Avi sings so he is able to have more singing parts than Kevin. Avi has since done wonderful solo work. One of his most recent All is Well is beautiful.
Glad you're reacting to PTX. Your channel will definitely grow. We pentaholics are always on the lookout for newbies. Pretty much anything you pick from their list will be totally worth it. Kirsty has started to come to the forefront more in the last few years esp since she was on Broadway. They are all super talented. Kevin plays the cello, piano and sax, speaks several foreign languages including Mandarin Chinese, and I believe, graduated pre-med at Yale. He didn't realize he could sing until Mitch and Avi started working with him, he then apparently started voice lessons after and is a very nice tenor. Mitch is a rare counter-tenor and plays piano, and Scott who covers bass for Avi/Matt when they are on lead also plays piano. They all have the opportunity to have input in arranging the songs they record. They all also do some writing as well. Matt, Avi's replacement, is as talented as the rest and has pretty much slid seamlessly into the dynamics of the group. They all have incredible ranges and know how to support whichever one is singing lead at any given moment, for them it's about the music, and doing something they love. Not about who has lead most often. I would suggest going back and watching their Sing off competition videos, make sure to listen to the judges comments though, to see how much they have grown. Not necessarily as reaction videos although that might be fun to see. Welcome to the Pentatonix rabbit hole!
"I want to hear more of her." Say Something features Kirstie as the main vocal soloist, and is heartbreaking in the emotion you hear in it. Kevin has a very short vocal solo at the very end, but spends most of the video celloboxing (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously). Avi, Mitch and Scott are basically just providing support for Kirstie's vocals. My Favorite Things takes the famous Julie Andrews song from The Sound Of Music and gives it a kind of Nightmare Before Christmas meets steampunk Mad Hatter's tea party flair, and again Kirstie is the vocal soloist. It also is a newer video, so it has Matt Sallee as the bass, rather than Avi that you've seen in the videos so far. For each of the main singers getting a chance to shine: Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Mad World, 90s Dance Medley (although that one gives Mitch and Kirstie the most solo time). These are all newer videos, so they all have Matt as the bass. Anything you pick or have suggested to you will be amazing!
I saw an interview where they discussed how they decide who should sing what parts, and they said they do whatever will make the song sound best. For instance, Scott wrote a song called "Light in the Hallway" but he wanted Avi to sing the lead. He said he could just hear it in Avi's voice. (Scott is the blonde, and Avi is the bass). I'm enjoying your introduction to this group. Try their cover of "Gold."
Yes please re: "Gold." It's hard to have a favorite, since every song has different cool things, but if I had to pick, I'd probably pick that little gem, and I don't even particularly care for for the original.
@@steffihoffs1211 Yep, you're right. I think I just mentioned Scott because he wrote it for his newborn nephew. And you would expect him to sing it, then.
Yes. Each thing is different. They work together to figure out who sings what. If you want to hear Kirstie featured. Say Something, Rather Be, Shallow, Come Along, Can you feel the love tonight, Havana features all of their talents well
The Five Faces of New Pentaholics 1. The most common is the Mitch Slapped. Commonly found when Mitch is heard for the first time in Hallelujah, and doing Aha! at the Star Vista. 2. The Wide Eyed Look of Disbelief. Normally found when you hear their Wall of Sound. Found when listening to Mary Did You Know, Imagine, and Mad World. 3. The I Didn’t Want It to End face. Most commonly found after listening to the 90s Dance Medley. It can also be found after listening to all their medleys and evolutions. 4. The Teary Eyed Look. This is commonly found when listening to an emotional song of theirs or just the sheer beauty of their work. Commonly found when listening to Mary Did You Know, Hallelujah, Amazing Grace, Imagine, The Prayer and most especially Thank You. 5. The What Did I Just Hear Face. Happens when Pentatonix starts strong, or when you hear a really special note or Kevin sound. Is usually accompanied by rewinding the video or song to make sure your ears really heard what they heard. Those times are too many to list, but the most common rewind at the start moment is the beginning of Sound of Silence.
They do take turns singing lead vocals, but the three sitting on the top of the sofa (Kirstie, Mitch, and Scott- who by the way, went to high school together) take most of the leads. The beat-boxer, Kevin, has a magnificent and rather unusual voice, and you’ll get to hear him sing occasionally, but it will always leave you wanting more from him. His stunning percussion skills are needed in most of their songs, however. Kevin is multi-talented beyond belief, as you will discover while going down this rabbit hole. I don’t want to give too much away, but he will constantly surprise you. Eventually, you will want to check out his solo work. Prepare to have your mind blown. Avi, the amazing bass, has one of the most stunning bass voices I’ve ever heard. His vocals are smooth as silk and somehow he makes it seem so effortless. If you haven’t already seen a video without him, you’ll find he left the grounp several years back to spend more time with family and all. It was a completely amicable parting, but it broke a lot of hearts, including mine. He has since created phenomenal solo and collaborative work as well. Avi, is the only person to have left this group at this point. I clarify this because both Mitch and Kirstie are known to radically change their style/looks from one video to the next, and many who are newly discovering PTX think they are different people. While we all sad Avi left, they brought in another terrific bass, Matt, whose vocal stylings are somewhat different than Avi’s, but he is no less talented, and he blends with the others flawlessly. I heard you mention you’d like to hear Kirstie sing more. She often takes the lead. My favorite song of their that prominently features her is “Say Something,” originally by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera. She really shines in this song. You are going to have a lot of fun discovering their extensive library of songs, and I will enjoy seeing you discover them with great awe song by song just as I did.
They spent about five years working on this one to ensure they paid proper homage to Freddy and Queen before they released it. While they are all talented singers, in my opinion what sets them apart is that they always put in the work. Thanks for reacting to this!!
The answer is yes to both. Yes, they each will take the lead when it works the best. Yes, they each have roles. ALSO, yes, they will switch things up, support one another, and do other amazing things.
I heard that Brian May put this out on his social media with the single word 'enjoy.' The starry sky is homage to Dr. May, an astrophysicist. I think their motto is " Leave the ego at the door."
Brian May is the guitarist from Queen. Queen had a big hit with this song. It looked like you never heard it before. They did a wonderful job covering it. Check out the original and you will be more impressed!!
PTX arrangements feature solo lines by which voice best suits the phrase or song. The performances, in their complete presentation, are what we Pentaholics celebrate. Of course, we all may have favorite singers (but not usually), however the total package is the thing, and Pentatonix never disappoints.
One thing you will find with this group is lack of ego. Yes, the trio are the main vocalists, Avi, then Matt, are bass, and Kevin is beat boxer, but all are great vocalists, and the primary consideration is what is best for the song. I believe that Kevin, beat boxer, was singing harmony on that last bit. They do several songs where they don't have beat boxing, and he becomes the fifth harmony. You might like "Love Again", it is an original in the vein of Daft Punk.
I love that you asked the question about how and which ones sing leads. Yes, they each have different songs whether they are featured more or less and then some songs each of them gets a pretty even amount in lead. Very observant of you. They basically pick whichever member's voice best fits each verse or song depending on the situation.
The section with the stars is in honor of Dr. Brian May, Queen lead guitarist and astrophysicist. People have suggested Shallow for Kirstie and for Kevin's cello, and Amazing Grace for Kirstin and Kevin (indeed, everyone gets a solo in that one); I'd also suggest the older Say Something for a Kirstin lead, an Avi solo, and Kevin with both his cello. and surprise vocals at the end. Finally, I should have included the 90s Dance Medley in my earlier list of upbeat PTX; it's a total bop and has a lot of Kirstin.
The songs where Kirstie shines have already been mentioned elsewhere (including my favorite Say Something) but I haven't seen anyone mention Wizard of Ahhhs, their collaboration with Todrick Hall. She plays Dorothy/Glenda/Wicked Witch so she naturally gets the spotlight often in this fun production.
They all get their time to shine. They choose the lead singer who’s right for each particular song. To hear more of Kirstie’s lead, check out Shallow and Be My Eyes. Love your PTX reactions!
The lead parts are decided by what BEST serves the song, period. No ego, what best serves the song is what they do and they perform this live and it's better!!
For a neutral background where they're just chilling on a couch with mics, check out "Gold," BUT watch the original first if you're not familiar with it. My favorites that feature Kirsty are "Say Something," and "Amazing Grace."
If you completely dissect them, every one of them has an amazing voice and range, including K.O., the beat boxer. They are often misrepresented; Mitch is a high tenor that can hit notes most sopranos can't, Kirstie was originally deemed an alto, though she's not because she has a crazy range, Scott can hit way-cray low notes and then jump up a few octaves, Avi can blow out speakers with his super-low bass notes. Every single song they do celebrates their talent, featuring one...or the other...or the other. Lol! That's part of what makes PTX so great. ♡
Welcome to Pentatonix! And the rabbit hole of their music is amazing. You should also listen to My Heart With You, Can You Hear the Love Tonight, My Favorite Things, Mad World, The Prayer, Amazing Grace, Say Something, I Saw Three Ships, White Winter Hymnal, You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Mary Did You Know, Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, Dragon's Lullaby, O Come All Ye Faithful, Imagine, Sound of Silence...there are just so many!!! You will not be disappointed with any of them! Enjoy, looking forward to your reactions and learning about them. And Scott & Mitch put together a channel, named Superfruit with some silly stuff they put together and some is just amazing. Check out Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked and their Frozen medley with Kirstie. So fun!
For lots of Kirstie, you might want to listen to "Say Something" or "Mad World". She also gets a verse of her own in "Hallelujah" and "Sound of Silence". To hear Kevin (the beat boxer) sing, he gets a brief solo in "Imagine" and in "Mary Did You Know".
Try "Say Something" ,"Little Drummer Boy" , "Mary Did You Know?" "La La Latch" to get a lot their vocal variations as an example, but there is a lot Kirstin focused parts as well.
The only member that doesn't have a song they basically mostly sing solo in is Kevin but he's the beatboxer and the only one that didn't study vocals as a child (he did study instrumentals -cello/saxophone/piano, and has perfect pitch). But he has his singing moments in other songs, namely Imagine, Amazing Grace, raps in the We Are Ninjas video to name a few. Kirsten has a good number of songs, Rather Be, Say Something, Be my eyes and many more. Kevin does have his own youtube channel (Kevin Olusola "KO") where he showcases his singing more.
I have noticed they give each one a time in most videos-it is amazing how they take turns, like in Hallelujah-that shows all their talents, and then some. The beatbox character usually beat boxes, but he has played the viola(I think is its nam) and he has sung when he is not in demand as the groups beat box
Thanks for the reaction. “Rather Be” is a good one to hear Kirstie. Pentaholics have seen the videos many times, so we don’t mind if you distort it. What people seem not to like is if you chop out big pieces of it. Many people say their favorite Pentatonix song / video is which ever one they happen to be watching or listening to at the moment. Their Evolution of … are amazing. Just wait till you get to next December and all of the Christmas music. Not only are they so so talented, they are also nice people and very humble and hard working.
Imagine!!! Please PLEASE react to their rendition of John Lennon's Imagine. Not only is it an exquisite showing of all 5 of their vocals, it's also them baring themselves to us with a poignant & fitting for the times heartfelt message. You get to experience the PTX Wall of Sound that gives you goosebumps. For another to see more Kirsty, try Say Something. It also showcases Kevin (beatboxer) showing you yet another of his contributions to the group.....cello-boxing. The only time they use an instrument you see it in the video. Kevin plays cello, world class might I add (at Carnegie twice) and beatboxes simultaneously....we also get a little heavenly Kevin tenor in it lol. Also try their journey on The Sing Off. Shows their literal birth as Pentatonix and their growth through the show. You see just how good they were......11 years ago lol. And how far they've come. Definitely wait to touch anything 2017 and newer. The ONLY band member change was the bassist Avi whom left amicably, & we were gifted with a different but equally talented bassist, Matt. The chemistry is just as obvious & we are hoping they snag their 4th Grammy, first with Matt, for their rendition of The Prayer. Hopefully this gives you a place to start for your rabbit hole jump! Enjoy! Subbed!
The members of PTX take turns in the lead a lot. Every member has a unique voice so they chose for each arrangement individually the best fitting voices. There's everything from Hallelujah, where each singer gets their own Solo to Gold where the main Focus is on Mitch. A lot of the strength from PTX lies in their versatility. Each member has a wide range to cover for the others that take the lead. If Kirstin sings lead, Mitch covers the high background, if the base (Avi or Matt) sings lead, Scott covers the base and mitch can cover the baritone range and so on. Though they have very unique voices when they sing Solo, in some songs you don't even realize that one voice in the background changes due to a change in the lead vocals. Like in Hallelujah, when Avi takes the lead, one really has to focus and listen carefully to realize that there's not two Avis singing, but Avi in the lead and Scott on the base line. If you want to hear more from Kirstin I'd recommend the covers of Say Something or Rather Be (that's an early one) If you want to hear Kevin sing within the group I'd recommend Mary Did You Know for Christmas season, Amazing Grace or Imagine (Prepare some tissues within reach) He also has his own channel with some crazy stuff. Since Kevin's powerful beatboxing is a strong base for the energy in their arrangements, he mainly sings in slower songs, with focus on vocals and meaning. Since Matt joined as their new base, they have a little more freedom in that regards, because he is also a decent beatboxer.
One of the cool things about PTX is that the vocals serve the song - they choose who sings what depending on what makes the song work the best. If you want to get to hear more Kirstin and get more of how they sound live, try their Popspring performance - three originals, well-mic’d and mixed, plus Evolution of MJ (Kevin has a cool singing part) - the last original is Kirstin-led and written by her, no official video for that one. I’m enjoying your reactions - thanks!
the "dum, dums" are called "bell tones". Kirstie led songs....."Rather Be", "Say Something", "Be My Eyes (an original by her)", and "Over the Rainbow" (no video for this, but there is a picture of the album it is on with the music on it on their channel. Also, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", and "Seasons of Love". They all take turns!
This is a good one to check out a live performance. And when Kevin and Avi (and now Matt) work together they create such amazing base and rhythm. They are so good it’s sometimes hard to distinguish individual voices between the 2 of them because they blend so well.
Just started working through your Pentatonix videos and can’t find where you’ve reacted to my favorite - Can’t Hold Us. You’re in for a real treat if you haven’t seen it yet. Btw, you’re doing a great job.
Havana, 90s dance medley are just ear and eye candy delights. Wizard of Ahhhhs is Kirstie gem. The Prayer highlights Mitch and Scott's incredible range and technique. Mr grinch highlights the new bass, Matt, extremely well. Radioactive collaboration highlights Kevin's beat cello talent
Kevin the beatboxer was "not" soloing on that last line "anyway the wind blows" like you thought he was he was. Mitch still lead that last line, with Kevin, Kirstie and Scott only singing the same line softly in the background.
New sub to enjoy your journey down this rabbit hole. After yoou become a little more acquainted with them as a group, a dive into their side/solo stuff is well worth it. It also will give you a better appreciation of the massive amount of talent contained in this group of people. The fact that "the trio" of Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch come from the same high school in Arlington Texas and were childhood friends, to me, is just mind-bending. Arguably the most talented member of the group, though is Kevin Olusola, the beatboxer. His solo material is a must-see as he explores working with looping.
This was the first video I saw of theirs and was instantly a Pentaholic, it's like an a capella dead head. Got to see them live at their Christmas tour last December, more amazing live, which I didn't think possible. Welcome to the club.
some great ones to check out: Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, The Prayer, Mary Did You Know, Carol of the Bells, Mad World, A Little Space, and check out their behind the scenes making their newest Christmas album, Evergreen. Shows some of their process recording and piecing together. Cool to see.
"I want to more from her". My friend if you listen in every PTX arrangement you will hear "more" from her. So present but hidden. She is always the salt of the dish. But Kevin yes there is Kevin. J.
Yep, once he has listened to more PTX performances, he'll be able to pick out each of their voices on every song. Sometimes I don't think the background vocals and harmony parts get enough credit. With only the 5 of them to create their entire sound, each person is singing almost all the time, even if they don't always have the lead vocal. SalvoG, if you're specifically looking for Kirstin on lead vocals or co-lead vocals, check out Say Something, Rather Be, Water, Issues, Once Upon A December, My Favorite Things, Seasons Of Love, Love Me When I Don't, Be My Eyes, Shallow, The Wizard of Ahhhs (with Todrick Hall), Disney Love Medley (with Voctave and her ex-fiancé), two musical song parodies she did with her bf (Good Morning Quarantine and Hello), as well as her collab with high school a cappella group Forte (Why Try). There are also many, many songs with the Trio splitting lead vocals amongst all three.
"Imagine" is an emotionally extraordinary, if completely simple video with stunning vocals (beyond great). "Mary, Did You Know" is a hauntingly gorgeous song sung to an unworldly grace. If you're interested in Kirstie's lead vocals try "Say Something" (beautiful), or "Rather Be" (fun with range). If you can appreciate something more 'theatrical' check out "The Wizard of Ahhhhs" - Kirsty does Dorothy and all female roles to great effect! A 'must see. is the moment when Pentatonix became stars. Back in 2011 when they were just kids, they appeared on a reality contest show called; The Sing Off. They had to do a silly 'guilty pleasure' song. They chose to arrange and perform; "Video Killed The Radio Star." And, the rest... as they say... was history! (the other performances were just as good/better and yes, they WON the show!)
Kevin the beatboxer sings small parts, but that's quite rare cause he's busy beatboxing. When he does, it's always a treat though. He is a tenor and he also plays the cello on a few songs. Kirsty leads a few songs, like Say Something and Rather Be. To hear most of them take the lead, you can try Hallelujah, The Sound of Silence, Amazing Grace, Mary Did You Know?, Imagine or Evolution of Michael Jackson.
It really depends on the song as to which are singing and when. They like to showcase the members but they will not do it at the risk of losing the cover's integrity. A good example of Kirsten singing would be "Say Something," where she is the primary vocalist. Each of the original five shine in "Imagine" by taking a verse or half/verse. In the newer stuff, you have to watch out for their "live" ones because quite often they will leave out Mitch's verse (most notably on "Amazing Grace"). While live versions are fun, less production, you sometimes do not get their full performance. Another really nice song to hear Avi sing is their rendition of "Silent Night" where they are singing in what looks like a church's hallway under and arch. Great acoustics for their voices. Side note: Yes, you see Kevin's lips move on the last line but the main voice is still Mitch's. Kevin can be picked out in the tenor range but you have to sort of know his voice sound to do it because their harmonies all blend so well.
Please react to Pentatonix singing: Mary Did You Know The Prayer Sing Come Along New Rules Dance of the Sugar Plum Ferries (Grammy) Happy Now Amazing Grace Hallelujah Imagine
They can all sing. Kevin is beatboxed. He also plays cello. A I is bass; he left; now Matt is. Sound of silence shows more of them singing. Kiss from a rose is good too.
I really think Mitch is Freddie reincarnated. So Good. All of them have great vocals depending on the song. A lot of the time they share the spotlight. There is so much to choose from and you can't go wrong with any of them. "Come Along" , "Imagine", "90's Dance Medley" " Dance of the Sugarplumb Fairy" is an Epic one to listen to because it has NO WORDS, and they won a Grammy for it. MIND BLOWING !! Welcome to the PTX rabbit hole. 😆😆
Try Say Something, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Come Along, Seasons of Love for more Kirstin vocals, she’s incredible. tbh, they all are, just go to their UA-cam page and pick ANYTHING 🤯🤯🤯
For the most part the three at the top (Kirstie, Mitch and Scott) are the main vocalists for melody but certain songs you get to hear them all such as Imagine and Mary Did You Know
I find it just a little aggravating that people don't appreciate the vocals of Kevin, the beatboxer, you are listening to his vocals as he's beatboxing... yet only a handful of people ever recognize that. Anyway, I'm glad you are jumping down the rabbit hole...we love to see new people's reactions. ✌🏼💜
The genius of Pentatonix is that they put the right voices in the right places. Hence the lead changes depending on the emphasis they wish to place on that part. Some small parts are the most dramatic and it's not always the "lead" singer that makes the song memorable. That being said, everyone in the group thinks Mitch is the best singer. His confidence has grown tremendously over the las 10 years and that has played a role in this band as well. I also love then Kevin (the beatboxer) surprises us with his beautiful high tenor.
Vocal participation really depends on the song they are covering. They three main vocalists (Kirstie, Scott, and Mitch) have known each other from middle and high school and have backgrounds in singing and drama. Avi (bass) and Kevin (beats) joined the group when they tried out for "The Sing Off", an a capella group TV contest show. For more of Kirstie try "Say Something", for a little more of Kevin try "Mary, Did You Know" or "Amazing Grace.
If you want a song where you get a Kevin (beat bixer) solo you want Imagine, Amazing Grace (you meet the new Bass Matt in that one) Sing (KO raps) Mary Did You Know and Away In A Manger. KO doesn't get many solos but he's vital to the group. But when he does sing it's always special.
By they all have solo projects, collabs, Scott & Mitch have a side project Superfruit. Then they've had one member change. Avi parted ways for personal mental health reasons & now does solo music but it's more Folk style & now they have the bassist Matt.
Sound of Silence, Imagine, Evolution of Michael Jackson, Amazing Grace, Say Something, Gold, Can"t hold us...just a few of my PTX favs... to hear Kevin, the beatboxer, check out his cover of Down. (Kevin Olusola) you will be blown away at his talent! every member of this group is just out of this world talented...which is why we like to call them aliens :)
Two other a cappella groups you could check out are Home Free and Voctave. Home Free is a mens 5 piece group with amazing voices and an amazing beat boxer. Voctave is an 11 member group that has amazing singers. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in either group. It might take a couple different songs to get the full appreciation of each group.
Thank you for preserving the soundscape of this, most reactors put out a generic stereo mix - good job, would love to know how you achieved this on UA-cam, well done 👍👍
As an aside, you may want to check out Kevin Olusola as an artist on his own. He plays cello and beatboxes on his own vids. The man is talented, as all of the PTX members are. Avi Kaplan, has his own channel and has put out some amazing music on his own as well. Mitch and Scott have their own channel under Superfruit, and put out their own music and covers as well.
The all five are superb singers and all get a chance to do solos depending on the song and arrangement. You will see this as you go along, although the bass (Avi up to 2017 and now Matt) and the beat boxer (Kevin) mostly drive the rhythm and support the undertones. Kirstie, Scott and Mitch (called The Trio) went to school together and are childhood friends and cover the soprano, mezzo soprano, counter tenor, tenor, baritone and some bass. They all contribute to the sounds and ear candy Lots or persons have given recommendations - you can't go wrong with any of them. BTW - Surprised that you did not comment on the electric guitar solo performed by Mitch's vocals!. A few more recommendations here: "Come Along" "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" ""Take on Me" "Blinding Lights" "Attention" "Havana" "Amazing Grace" (I see you have already done The Prayer" "Hallelujah" "Daft Punk" "Evolution of Michael Jackson" "Evolution of Ariana Grande". For originals you must do "Can't sleep Love (studio version then the live from Popspring 2016), "Anchor" "Coffee In Bed" "Be My Eyes" "Happy Now".
Yes, they all have solos on different songs. they pick the vocalist deppendig on the song and their arrangement. They choose whoever they deem has the most adecuate voice for the song they're covering. That is not to say that a different member can't sing any particular song they might be covering. But they do have to choose the main vocalist because the others have to do the background vocals, otherwise the songs wouldn't sound full. Sometimes they all get a solo. Sometimes only Scott and Mitch get solos. But I feel like the most frequent pattern is, the bass and the beatboxer do just that: bassline and percussion and the other three switch between the solo and the background vocals.
Imagine, a John Lennon cover shows each one singing a verse, even Kevin, the beat boxer. Plus, it has a beautiful video with a powerful messag. They put the person in the lead whose voice best fits each song. So in any given song any one of the five could take lead. A Beginners guide to Pentatonix would be good to react to. It would answer a lot of your questions and show you just how far they have come. Keep traveling through the rabbit hole. You have 10 years to catch up on and the Pentaholics will travel it with you.💕💕
10 years?! WOW I didn't realize it was that much! Beginners guide huh? Okay ill get to it. Thank you!
@@SalvoG the beginner's guide video has so many spoilers to their great songs...it almost ruins the first time reaction surprises. I wish people would stop recommending it. A lot of reactors who have watched it are disappointed after as there are about 50 songs that are shown. I would suggest reacting to their Sing Off series by Mrduckbear to get a better history lesson.
@@vantreknerd honestly! surprised more people don't just recommend "PTX - An Introduction" from their own channel
@@SalvoG Imagine is possibly one of if not their best piece. If you react to it though, definitely distort the video again as other reactors have had issues with copyright otherwise.
“Sound of Silence” next please. You can hear more of her vocal ability in that song, and in “Mary, did you know?” I can see your becoming a pentaholic, join us 🥳🤩😜🥰🥰
Sound of silence seems to be getting some votes, thanks for the comment!
More Kirstie - Say Something. They swap roles depending on the song. They can rap - Can’t Hold Us. More recent - 90’s Dance Medley. Actually everything they do is awesome.
Yes, Say Something is definitely a good Kirstie & Avi song, if that's who you're looking to hear more from.
In their cover of "Imagine" they all take turns singing. And, it's a beautiful video.
Might have to do that one next then, thank you
Don't worry about blurring the videos. Most Pentaholics have seen the videos dozens of times already. So do whatever you need to do in order to not get blocked! 🙂
I will give you our best challenge. Go search Pentatonix music for all the titles, pick something you absolutely hate and one you think the original could not be done better, listen to each. YOU will be a Pentaholic( us true fans) by the end of those two.
Oh by the way, penta(5) tonic is the standard music 5 octive range. And these guys all have massive ranges and talent.
Pentatonix has four main vocalists, and Kevin the genius beatboxer. When possible, they like to give each member a showcase solo within each arrangement. HOWEVER... as demonstrated here... their egos are pretty well grounded, and the group makes all of their arrangement decisions based on what the performance needs and what sounds "the most cool" in the end. For Bohemian Rhapsody, they played to Mitch's range and didn't worry so much about sharing the spotlight, knowing full well that nailing the entire piece would earn the group more accolades overall.
However, if you listen to most of their other covers, you will find that there are many pieces where Kirstie gets significant solos within the piece, and Avi/Matt do as well (Avi the bass left the group amicably for life balance concerns and an aging mother and helped find his replacement, Matt... there are no other membership changes, but you can tell earlier vs later pieces depending on whether Avi or Matt are present as the bass singer... both are excellent).
Many arrangements are worked out by Scott (the blonde baritone singer) but the group has input creatively on most of what they do, and there is no hogging of the spotlight. That said, they always play to their strengths vocally. If it makes more sense for Mitch to sing the lead because of range or tone, then Kirstie lets Mitch take the lead. If Matt or Avi want to step forward and do a solo, then Scott drops down to cover Bass (Scott has the same extensive mid-to-low range that Mitch has upper range vocally, which is insane by itself).
If you watch their 'behind the scenes' or 'making of' videos, you will see how easily they just trade off parts when they're in the studio and realize that the original plan doesn't sound as strong in the finished product as someone else taking a phrase or a solo. It's quite impressive, actually. I'm sure they all have "diva days" but on the whole they work together really well as a team and seem more than happy to put the group result ahead of personal solo time. And that's to the greater honor of the band as a whole.
If you want to see covers where Kirstie is given a chance to shine a bit more, Mad World gives her a large solo at the end. She's the one who takes you from heaven's door to the throne of the Almighty in Amazing Grace. She has more than a few solo segments in the 90's dance medley. And if you are in love with her physical aesthetic as much as her vocals, her costume and solos put her center stage in Can You Feel The Love Tonight, but... seriously, while gorgeous, it's all about the voice, man. Eyes are up top. LOL
Let’s all thank Adam for presenting his dissertation here today. Q&A to follow. (Just kidding! Lots of good info in here. 😁)
GREAT JOB, Adam!!!
Great summation! I would only add The Wizard of Ahhhs with Todrick Hall really lets Kirstie shine too!
They always swap vocal parts depends on which voice fits different parts of the songs better.
Here's some Kirstie-led suggestions:
- Rather Be
- Water (Pentatonix original song, written by her)
- Seasons of Love (there's an official live televised version on youtube)
- Love Me When I Don't (PTX original)
- My Favorite Things
- Shallow (she has a great duet with Scott in that one, and Kevin plays cello named Beyoncé)
- Be My Eyes (PTX original, she wrote this song, and it's one of their most beautiful videos ever)
The basic structure is the trio of Scott, Kirstie and Mitch, and the rhythm section of Avi (and later Matt) as bass and Kevin as beat boxer. They all sing, and get featured. Kevin has a nice feature in "Imagine" for example. A good one to see all of them featured one by one is a later one with Matt "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)." Kirstie shows her chops more and more over time. Nobody is a background performer in this group.
The best way to think about who gets to sing is to think which voice would sound right in that part of the song.
Kevin doesn't get to sing much because he is holding the percussion. It is only where percussion is not required that he is able to sing.
Avi (or later Matt) carry the bass - although Scott (Baritone) can carry bass when Avi or Matt are solo.
And he gets to show his cello chops in "Shallow"
Great info, thank for taking the time!
Scott the tall blonde is more often the lead, but all of them can and do take the lead from time to time. They all are extremely talented singers and musicians. The bass Avi can sing over 5 octaves. They all have done solo projects. They allow each other to do their own thing as long as PTX comes first.
For more Kirstie- Be My Eyes (original), My Favorite Things, Love Me When I Don't (original), Shallow. For Avi and Kirstie- Say Something. All of them- Amazing Grace, Imagine, Hallelujah, Mary Did You Know, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight. Kevin sings occasionally, but he is mostly the percussion.
They all have songs where they each shine. Wizard of ahhhhhs features alot of Kristie. Try Amazing Grace, Can you feel the love tonight, Water, Gold (She isnt lead in this bit her contribution is excellent. Kevin will blow your mind. Try New Rules/Are you that somebody (this is with the new bass Matt. Avi left in 2018. Also check out Kevin solo Down. Its amazing! There is so much to explore. They are an amazing group.
First of all, it's not Kristie; it's Kirstie, short for Kirstin. Also, Avi left the group in 2017, not 2018.
I have A LOT to get to it seems. TY
I second Kevin's solo, "Down."
@@SalvoG Kevin is simply amazing. His solo work has a lot of looping and him playing cello and keyboard, as well as singing and beatboxing. His KOver of Marian Hill's "Down" is a good intro: ua-cam.com/video/IGjg193h4Ok/v-deo.html
There are over 200 songs and multiple Albums including 7 Christmas or holiday Albums. The Trio (Scott, Mitch and Kirstin) grew up together in Arlington, Texas and were Community Arts Theater kids. That's why they have stage presence. They didn't start singing together on gigs until High School but Scott and Mitch met when they were 10 and have been Best Friends since. Mitch met Kirstin around age 8.
Every thing they do as a team. Kevin does sing when he wants to but usually the 4 each takes a verse. For early Kirstin I suggest, "Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You" and last year she wrote, "Love Me When I Don't". Mitch wrote "Coffee In Bed" but you can't go wrong.
I think "Imagine" is one of my favorites. In this song you get
to hear all of them sing. Although you can't go wrong with any song they are ALWAYS great.
Can't Hold Us. Gold. Sing (one of their originals) Sound of Silence. Evolution of Michael Jackson and New Rules x Are You that Somebody are just some of my favorites. Each one of them are remarkable talents. They use those talents wherever they are best suited for the arrangements. Kevin is their percussion, so you don't get as much singing from him, though he has his moments. Avi is their bass and after he left was replaced by Matt. Scott can fill in for bass when Avi sings so he is able to have more singing parts than Kevin. Avi has since done wonderful solo work. One of his most recent All is Well is beautiful.
ALL of these suggestions are GREAT!!
Agree. Great list
Thank you for this!
All of these AND: "Say Something," "Dance of the Sugarplum ...," Evolution of Rhianna."
Glad you're reacting to PTX. Your channel will definitely grow. We pentaholics are always on the lookout for newbies. Pretty much anything you pick from their list will be totally worth it. Kirsty has started to come to the forefront more in the last few years esp since she was on Broadway. They are all super talented. Kevin plays the cello, piano and sax, speaks several foreign languages including Mandarin Chinese, and I believe, graduated pre-med at Yale. He didn't realize he could sing until Mitch and Avi started working with him, he then apparently started voice lessons after and is a very nice tenor. Mitch is a rare counter-tenor and plays piano, and Scott who covers bass for Avi/Matt when they are on lead also plays piano. They all have the opportunity to have input in arranging the songs they record. They all also do some writing as well. Matt, Avi's replacement, is as talented as the rest and has pretty much slid seamlessly into the dynamics of the group. They all have incredible ranges and know how to support whichever one is singing lead at any given moment, for them it's about the music, and doing something they love. Not about who has lead most often. I would suggest going back and watching their Sing off competition videos, make sure to listen to the judges comments though, to see how much they have grown. Not necessarily as reaction videos although that might be fun to see. Welcome to the Pentatonix rabbit hole!
"I want to hear more of her."
Say Something features Kirstie as the main vocal soloist, and is heartbreaking in the emotion you hear in it. Kevin has a very short vocal solo at the very end, but spends most of the video celloboxing (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously). Avi, Mitch and Scott are basically just providing support for Kirstie's vocals.
My Favorite Things takes the famous Julie Andrews song from The Sound Of Music and gives it a kind of Nightmare Before Christmas meets steampunk Mad Hatter's tea party flair, and again Kirstie is the vocal soloist. It also is a newer video, so it has Matt Sallee as the bass, rather than Avi that you've seen in the videos so far.
For each of the main singers getting a chance to shine: Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Mad World, 90s Dance Medley (although that one gives Mitch and Kirstie the most solo time). These are all newer videos, so they all have Matt as the bass. Anything you pick or have suggested to you will be amazing!
I saw an interview where they discussed how they decide who should sing what parts, and they said they do whatever will make the song sound best. For instance, Scott wrote a song called "Light in the Hallway" but he wanted Avi to sing the lead. He said he could just hear it in Avi's voice. (Scott is the blonde, and Avi is the bass). I'm enjoying your introduction to this group. Try their cover of "Gold."
Yes please re: "Gold." It's hard to have a favorite, since every song has different cool things, but if I had to pick, I'd probably pick that little gem, and I don't even particularly care for for the original.
Right. When they did a song that they felt was emotional, Avi was given the lead. Another example is "Standing By".
Mitch&scott wrote light in the hallway together just saying
@@steffihoffs1211 Yep, you're right. I think I just mentioned Scott because he wrote it for his newborn nephew. And you would expect him to sing it, then.
Yes. Each thing is different. They work together to figure out who sings what. If you want to hear Kirstie featured. Say Something, Rather Be, Shallow,
Come Along, Can you feel the love tonight, Havana features all of their talents well
The Five Faces of New Pentaholics
1. The most common is the Mitch Slapped. Commonly found when Mitch is heard for the first time in Hallelujah, and doing Aha! at the Star Vista.
2. The Wide Eyed Look of Disbelief. Normally found when you hear their Wall of Sound. Found when listening to Mary Did You Know, Imagine, and Mad World.
3. The I Didn’t Want It to End face. Most commonly found after listening to the 90s Dance Medley. It can also be found after listening to all their medleys and evolutions.
4. The Teary Eyed Look. This is commonly found when listening to an emotional song of theirs or just the sheer beauty of their work. Commonly found when listening to Mary Did You Know, Hallelujah, Amazing Grace, Imagine, The Prayer and most especially Thank You.
5. The What Did I Just Hear Face. Happens when Pentatonix starts strong, or when you hear a really special note or Kevin sound. Is usually accompanied by rewinding the video or song to make sure your ears really heard what they heard. Those times are too many to list, but the most common rewind at the start moment is the beginning of Sound of Silence.
They do take turns singing lead vocals, but the three sitting on the top of the sofa (Kirstie, Mitch, and Scott- who by the way, went to high school together) take most of the leads.
The beat-boxer, Kevin, has a magnificent and rather unusual voice, and you’ll get to hear him sing occasionally, but it will always leave you wanting more from him. His stunning percussion skills are needed in most of their songs, however. Kevin is multi-talented beyond belief, as you will discover while going down this rabbit hole. I don’t want to give too much away, but he will constantly surprise you. Eventually, you will want to check out his solo work. Prepare to have your mind blown.
Avi, the amazing bass, has one of the most stunning bass voices I’ve ever heard. His vocals are smooth as silk and somehow he makes it seem so effortless. If you haven’t already seen a video without him, you’ll find he left the grounp several years back to spend more time with family and all. It was a completely amicable parting, but it broke a lot of hearts, including mine. He has since created phenomenal solo and collaborative work as well.
Avi, is the only person to have left this group at this point. I clarify this because both Mitch and Kirstie are known to radically change their style/looks from one video to the next, and many who are newly discovering PTX think they are different people.
While we all sad Avi left, they brought in another terrific bass, Matt, whose vocal stylings are somewhat different than Avi’s, but he is no less talented, and he blends with the others flawlessly.
I heard you mention you’d like to hear Kirstie sing more. She often takes the lead. My favorite song of their that prominently features her is “Say Something,” originally by A Great Big World and Christina Aguilera. She really shines in this song.
You are going to have a lot of fun discovering their extensive library of songs, and I will enjoy seeing you discover them with great awe song by song just as I did.
They spent about five years working on this one to ensure they paid proper homage to Freddy and Queen before they released it. While they are all talented singers, in my opinion what sets them apart is that they always put in the work. Thanks for reacting to this!!
The answer is yes to both. Yes, they each will take the lead when it works the best. Yes, they each have roles. ALSO, yes, they will switch things up, support one another, and do other amazing things.
Love hearing Kirsten in Can You feel the love tonight! So good!
I heard that Brian May put this out on his social media with the single word 'enjoy.' The starry sky is homage to Dr. May, an astrophysicist.
I think their motto is " Leave the ego at the door."
Brian May is the guitarist from Queen. Queen had a big hit with this song. It looked like you never heard it before. They did a wonderful job covering it. Check out the original and you will be more impressed!!
@@Bethann960 Brian May the guitarist from Queen is also an astrophysicist. He went back to university & got his PhD after Freddie died.
Amazing Grace profiles all members singing and it’s just fantastic. Definitely worth a watch.
PTX arrangements feature solo lines by which voice best suits the phrase or song. The performances, in their complete presentation, are what we Pentaholics celebrate. Of course, we all may have favorite singers (but not usually), however the total package is the thing, and Pentatonix never disappoints.
They each individually get their chance to shine in different videos and they are all amazing.
One thing you will find with this group is lack of ego. Yes, the trio are the main vocalists, Avi, then Matt, are bass, and Kevin is beat boxer, but all are great vocalists, and the primary consideration is what is best for the song.
I believe that Kevin, beat boxer, was singing harmony on that last bit.
They do several songs where they don't have beat boxing, and he becomes the fifth harmony.
You might like "Love Again", it is an original in the vein of Daft Punk.
I love that you asked the question about how and which ones sing leads. Yes, they each have different songs whether they are featured more or less and then some songs each of them gets a pretty even amount in lead. Very observant of you. They basically pick whichever member's voice best fits each verse or song depending on the situation.
The section with the stars is in honor of Dr. Brian May, Queen lead guitarist and astrophysicist. People have suggested Shallow for Kirstie and for Kevin's cello, and Amazing Grace for Kirstin and Kevin (indeed, everyone gets a solo in that one); I'd also suggest the older Say Something for a Kirstin lead, an Avi solo, and Kevin with both his cello. and surprise vocals at the end. Finally, I should have included the 90s Dance Medley in my earlier list of upbeat PTX; it's a total bop and has a lot of Kirstin.
This is why PTX is the #1 a capella group in the world.
This is my 2nd favorite of PTX.
The Prayer is my favorite
🎵🎙😁
The songs where Kirstie shines have already been mentioned elsewhere (including my favorite Say Something) but I haven't seen anyone mention Wizard of Ahhhs, their collaboration with Todrick Hall. She plays Dorothy/Glenda/Wicked Witch so she naturally gets the spotlight often in this fun production.
My favorite part about this is that the megaphone is a prop - Mitch can just DO THAT with his voice!!!
They all get their time to shine. They choose the lead singer who’s right for each particular song. To hear more of Kirstie’s lead, check out Shallow and Be My Eyes. Love your PTX reactions!
The lead parts are decided by what BEST serves the song, period.
No ego, what best serves the song is what they do and they perform this live and it's better!!
For a neutral background where they're just chilling on a couch with mics, check out "Gold," BUT watch the original first if you're not familiar with it. My favorites that feature Kirsty are "Say Something," and "Amazing Grace."
I always love those reactions…less than 10 seconds in “ohh, boy”.
If you completely dissect them, every one of them has an amazing voice and range, including K.O., the beat boxer. They are often misrepresented; Mitch is a high tenor that can hit notes most sopranos can't, Kirstie was originally deemed an alto, though she's not because she has a crazy range, Scott can hit way-cray low notes and then jump up a few octaves, Avi can blow out speakers with his super-low bass notes. Every single song they do celebrates their talent, featuring one...or the other...or the other. Lol!
That's part of what makes PTX so great. ♡
Welcome to Pentatonix! And the rabbit hole of their music is amazing. You should also listen to My Heart With You, Can You Hear the Love Tonight, My Favorite Things, Mad World, The Prayer, Amazing Grace, Say Something, I Saw Three Ships, White Winter Hymnal, You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Mary Did You Know, Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night, Dragon's Lullaby, O Come All Ye Faithful, Imagine, Sound of Silence...there are just so many!!! You will not be disappointed with any of them! Enjoy, looking forward to your reactions and learning about them. And Scott & Mitch put together a channel, named Superfruit with some silly stuff they put together and some is just amazing. Check out Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked and their Frozen medley with Kirstie. So fun!
For lots of Kirstie, you might want to listen to "Say Something" or "Mad World". She also gets a verse of her own in "Hallelujah" and "Sound of Silence". To hear Kevin (the beat boxer) sing, he gets a brief solo in "Imagine" and in "Mary Did You Know".
Do Hallelujah! Do Hallelujah! Do Hallelujah!
"Mary Did You Know" gives them all a part.
Try "Say Something" ,"Little Drummer Boy" , "Mary Did You Know?" "La La Latch" to get a lot their vocal variations as an example, but there is a lot Kirstin focused parts as well.
The only member that doesn't have a song they basically mostly sing solo in is Kevin but he's the beatboxer and the only one that didn't study vocals as a child (he did study instrumentals -cello/saxophone/piano, and has perfect pitch). But he has his singing moments in other songs, namely Imagine, Amazing Grace, raps in the We Are Ninjas video to name a few. Kirsten has a good number of songs, Rather Be, Say Something, Be my eyes and many more. Kevin does have his own youtube channel (Kevin Olusola "KO") where he showcases his singing more.
I have noticed they give each one a time in most videos-it is amazing how they take turns, like in Hallelujah-that shows all their talents, and then some. The beatbox character usually beat boxes, but he has played the viola(I think is its nam) and he has sung when he is not in demand as the groups beat box
Thanks for the reaction. “Rather Be” is a good one to hear Kirstie. Pentaholics have seen the videos many times, so we don’t mind if you distort it. What people seem not to like is if you chop out big pieces of it. Many people say their favorite Pentatonix song / video is which ever one they happen to be watching or listening to at the moment. Their Evolution of … are amazing. Just wait till you get to next December and all of the Christmas music. Not only are they so so talented, they are also nice people and very humble and hard working.
Imagine!!! Please PLEASE react to their rendition of John Lennon's Imagine. Not only is it an exquisite showing of all 5 of their vocals, it's also them baring themselves to us with a poignant & fitting for the times heartfelt message. You get to experience the PTX Wall of Sound that gives you goosebumps. For another to see more Kirsty, try Say Something. It also showcases Kevin (beatboxer) showing you yet another of his contributions to the group.....cello-boxing. The only time they use an instrument you see it in the video. Kevin plays cello, world class might I add (at Carnegie twice) and beatboxes simultaneously....we also get a little heavenly Kevin tenor in it lol. Also try their journey on The Sing Off. Shows their literal birth as Pentatonix and their growth through the show. You see just how good they were......11 years ago lol. And how far they've come. Definitely wait to touch anything 2017 and newer. The ONLY band member change was the bassist Avi whom left amicably, & we were gifted with a different but equally talented bassist, Matt. The chemistry is just as obvious & we are hoping they snag their 4th Grammy, first with Matt, for their rendition of The Prayer. Hopefully this gives you a place to start for your rabbit hole jump! Enjoy! Subbed!
OMG! You can't do this without hearing the 'original version' from Queen....It'll blow your mind.
The members of PTX take turns in the lead a lot. Every member has a unique voice so they chose for each arrangement individually the best fitting voices. There's everything from Hallelujah, where each singer gets their own Solo to Gold where the main Focus is on Mitch.
A lot of the strength from PTX lies in their versatility. Each member has a wide range to cover for the others that take the lead. If Kirstin sings lead, Mitch covers the high background, if the base (Avi or Matt) sings lead, Scott covers the base and mitch can cover the baritone range and so on. Though they have very unique voices when they sing Solo, in some songs you don't even realize that one voice in the background changes due to a change in the lead vocals. Like in Hallelujah, when Avi takes the lead, one really has to focus and listen carefully to realize that there's not two Avis singing, but Avi in the lead and Scott on the base line.
If you want to hear more from Kirstin I'd recommend the covers of Say Something or Rather Be (that's an early one)
If you want to hear Kevin sing within the group I'd recommend Mary Did You Know for Christmas season, Amazing Grace or Imagine (Prepare some tissues within reach) He also has his own channel with some crazy stuff. Since Kevin's powerful beatboxing is a strong base for the energy in their arrangements, he mainly sings in slower songs, with focus on vocals and meaning.
Since Matt joined as their new base, they have a little more freedom in that regards, because he is also a decent beatboxer.
One of the cool things about PTX is that the vocals serve the song - they choose who sings what depending on what makes the song work the best. If you want to get to hear more Kirstin and get more of how they sound live, try their Popspring performance - three originals, well-mic’d and mixed, plus Evolution of MJ (Kevin has a cool singing part) - the last original is Kirstin-led and written by her, no official video for that one.
I’m enjoying your reactions - thanks!
the "dum, dums" are called "bell tones". Kirstie led songs....."Rather Be", "Say Something", "Be My Eyes (an original by her)", and "Over the Rainbow" (no video for this, but there is a picture of the album it is on with the music on it on their channel. Also, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", and "Seasons of Love". They all take turns!
This is a good one to check out a live performance. And when Kevin and Avi (and now Matt) work together they create such amazing base and rhythm. They are so good it’s sometimes hard to distinguish individual voices between the 2 of them because they blend so well.
The Grassi Guitar does not require a megaphone. It is just a prop to draw attention to who is making the sound. I heard it done live and it was EPIC.
2 songs where Kirstie shines is Say Something and Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Just started working through your Pentatonix videos and can’t find where you’ve reacted to my favorite - Can’t Hold Us. You’re in for a real treat if you haven’t seen it yet. Btw, you’re doing a great job.
They just recently did The Prayer. Gorgeous!
You’ve gotta watch them do Carol of the Bells and Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy! The are jaw dropping in everything they do.
Havana, 90s dance medley are just ear and eye candy delights. Wizard of Ahhhhs is Kirstie gem. The Prayer highlights Mitch and Scott's incredible range and technique. Mr grinch highlights the new bass, Matt, extremely well. Radioactive collaboration highlights Kevin's beat cello talent
Kevin the beatboxer was "not" soloing on that last line "anyway the wind blows" like you thought he was he was. Mitch still lead that last line, with Kevin, Kirstie and Scott only singing the same line softly in the background.
New sub to enjoy your journey down this rabbit hole. After yoou become a little more acquainted with them as a group, a dive into their side/solo stuff is well worth it. It also will give you a better appreciation of the massive amount of talent contained in this group of people. The fact that "the trio" of Scott, Kirstin, and Mitch come from the same high school in Arlington Texas and were childhood friends, to me, is just mind-bending. Arguably the most talented member of the group, though is Kevin Olusola, the beatboxer. His solo material is a must-see as he explores working with looping.
. Kevin's cover of Down and Sign of the Times are mind blowing.
This was the first video I saw of theirs and was instantly a Pentaholic, it's like an a capella dead head. Got to see them live at their Christmas tour last December, more amazing live, which I didn't think possible. Welcome to the club.
some great ones to check out: Amazing Grace, Sound of Silence, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, The Prayer, Mary Did You Know, Carol of the Bells, Mad World, A Little Space,
and check out their behind the scenes making their newest Christmas album, Evergreen. Shows some of their process recording and piecing together. Cool to see.
"I want to more from her". My friend if you listen in every PTX arrangement you will hear "more" from her. So present but hidden. She is always the salt of the dish. But Kevin yes there is Kevin. J.
Yep, once he has listened to more PTX performances, he'll be able to pick out each of their voices on every song. Sometimes I don't think the background vocals and harmony parts get enough credit. With only the 5 of them to create their entire sound, each person is singing almost all the time, even if they don't always have the lead vocal.
SalvoG, if you're specifically looking for Kirstin on lead vocals or co-lead vocals, check out Say Something, Rather Be, Water, Issues, Once Upon A December, My Favorite Things, Seasons Of Love, Love Me When I Don't, Be My Eyes, Shallow, The Wizard of Ahhhs (with Todrick Hall), Disney Love Medley (with Voctave and her ex-fiancé), two musical song parodies she did with her bf (Good Morning Quarantine and Hello), as well as her collab with high school a cappella group Forte (Why Try). There are also many, many songs with the Trio splitting lead vocals amongst all three.
Brian May was quite pleased with the way that Mitch Grassi rendered his guitar solo from BR.
"Imagine" is an emotionally extraordinary, if completely simple video with stunning vocals (beyond great). "Mary, Did You Know" is a hauntingly gorgeous song sung to an unworldly grace. If you're interested in Kirstie's lead vocals try "Say Something" (beautiful), or "Rather Be" (fun with range). If you can appreciate something more 'theatrical' check out "The Wizard of Ahhhhs" - Kirsty does Dorothy and all female roles to great effect! A 'must see. is the moment when Pentatonix became stars. Back in 2011 when they were just kids, they appeared on a reality contest show called; The Sing Off. They had to do a silly 'guilty pleasure' song. They chose to arrange and perform; "Video Killed The Radio Star." And, the rest... as they say... was history! (the other performances were just as good/better and yes, they WON the show!)
Kevin the beatboxer sings small parts, but that's quite rare cause he's busy beatboxing. When he does, it's always a treat though. He is a tenor and he also plays the cello on a few songs. Kirsty leads a few songs, like Say Something and Rather Be. To hear most of them take the lead, you can try Hallelujah, The Sound of Silence, Amazing Grace, Mary Did You Know?, Imagine or Evolution of Michael Jackson.
Kirstie - Say Something, Amazing Grace and The Prayer.
It really depends on the song as to which are singing and when. They like to showcase the members but they will not do it at the risk of losing the cover's integrity. A good example of Kirsten singing would be "Say Something," where she is the primary vocalist. Each of the original five shine in "Imagine" by taking a verse or half/verse. In the newer stuff, you have to watch out for their "live" ones because quite often they will leave out Mitch's verse (most notably on "Amazing Grace"). While live versions are fun, less production, you sometimes do not get their full performance. Another really nice song to hear Avi sing is their rendition of "Silent Night" where they are singing in what looks like a church's hallway under and arch. Great acoustics for their voices. Side note: Yes, you see Kevin's lips move on the last line but the main voice is still Mitch's. Kevin can be picked out in the tenor range but you have to sort of know his voice sound to do it because their harmonies all blend so well.
Please react to Pentatonix singing:
Mary Did You Know
The Prayer
Sing
Come Along
New Rules
Dance of the Sugar Plum Ferries (Grammy)
Happy Now
Amazing Grace
Hallelujah
Imagine
They can all sing. Kevin is beatboxed. He also plays cello. A I is bass; he left; now Matt is. Sound of silence shows more of them singing. Kiss from a rose is good too.
I really think Mitch is Freddie reincarnated. So Good. All of them have great vocals depending on the song. A lot of the time they share the spotlight. There is so much to choose from and you can't go wrong with any of them. "Come Along" , "Imagine", "90's Dance Medley" " Dance of the Sugarplumb Fairy" is an Epic one to listen to because it has NO WORDS, and they won a Grammy for it. MIND BLOWING !! Welcome to the PTX rabbit hole. 😆😆
Try Say Something, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Come Along, Seasons of Love for more Kirstin vocals, she’s incredible. tbh, they all are, just go to their UA-cam page and pick ANYTHING 🤯🤯🤯
For the most part the three at the top (Kirstie, Mitch and Scott) are the main vocalists for melody but certain songs you get to hear them all such as Imagine and Mary Did You Know
Hang on, Its a beautiful ride.
I find it just a little aggravating that people don't appreciate the vocals of Kevin, the beatboxer, you are listening to his vocals as he's beatboxing... yet only a handful of people ever recognize that.
Anyway, I'm glad you are jumping down the rabbit hole...we love to see new people's reactions.
✌🏼💜
Mary Did You Know is the one you want they all get to shine.
The genius of Pentatonix is that they put the right voices in the right places. Hence the lead changes depending on the emphasis they wish to place on that part. Some small parts are the most dramatic and it's not always the "lead" singer that makes the song memorable. That being said, everyone in the group thinks Mitch is the best singer. His confidence has grown tremendously over the las 10 years and that has played a role in this band as well. I also love then Kevin (the beatboxer) surprises us with his beautiful high tenor.
React to Gold by Pentatonix ❤ Also I like COME ALONG, SING, LITTLE SPACE, 100 songs in 10 minutes challenge...
That was sick !!!! Great reaction 🤣
Vocal participation really depends on the song they are covering. They three main vocalists (Kirstie, Scott, and Mitch) have known each other from middle and high school and have backgrounds in singing and drama. Avi (bass) and Kevin (beats) joined the group when they tried out for "The Sing Off", an a capella group TV contest show. For more of Kirstie try "Say Something", for a little more of Kevin try "Mary, Did You Know" or "Amazing Grace.
If you want a song where you get a Kevin (beat bixer) solo you want Imagine, Amazing Grace (you meet the new Bass Matt in that one) Sing (KO raps) Mary Did You Know and Away In A Manger. KO doesn't get many solos but he's vital to the group. But when he does sing it's always special.
No one ever note that it's not only the wind, but it's the gong that they play at the end of BR..
By they all have solo projects, collabs, Scott & Mitch have a side project Superfruit. Then they've had one member change. Avi parted ways for personal mental health reasons & now does solo music but it's more Folk style & now they have the bassist Matt.
Sound of Silence, Imagine, Evolution of Michael Jackson, Amazing Grace, Say Something, Gold, Can"t hold us...just a few of my PTX favs... to hear Kevin, the beatboxer, check out his cover of Down. (Kevin Olusola) you will be blown away at his talent! every member of this group is just out of this world talented...which is why we like to call them aliens :)
Two other a cappella groups you could check out are Home Free and Voctave. Home Free is a mens 5 piece group with amazing voices and an amazing beat boxer. Voctave is an 11 member group that has amazing singers. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in either group. It might take a couple different songs to get the full appreciation of each group.
Thank you for preserving the soundscape of this, most reactors put out a generic stereo mix - good job, would love to know how you achieved this on UA-cam, well done 👍👍
Imagine or Wizard of Ahhs! Thank you for the reactions!
Imagine by Pentatonix is a great song where each of them has a solo and Kevin sings a good chunk as well
Check out Hallelujah. They each have their own solo. Beautiful.
Kirstie has several tracks where she is the focal point. And in the first two reaction you did, she had substantial solos.
As an aside, you may want to check out Kevin Olusola as an artist on his own. He plays cello and beatboxes on his own vids. The man is talented, as all of the PTX members are. Avi Kaplan, has his own channel and has put out some amazing music on his own as well. Mitch and Scott have their own channel under Superfruit, and put out their own music and covers as well.
It's hard to remember that there are no musical instruments other than their voices because it is so full.
To hear Kirstin listen to "My Favorite Things" or "Can you feel the love tonite?"
The all five are superb singers and all get a chance to do solos depending on the song and arrangement. You will see this as you go along, although the bass (Avi up to 2017 and now Matt) and the beat boxer (Kevin) mostly drive the rhythm and support the undertones. Kirstie, Scott and Mitch (called The Trio) went to school together and are childhood friends and cover the soprano, mezzo soprano, counter tenor, tenor, baritone and some bass. They all contribute to the sounds and ear candy Lots or persons have given recommendations - you can't go wrong with any of them. BTW - Surprised that you did not comment on the electric guitar solo performed by Mitch's vocals!. A few more recommendations here: "Come Along" "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" ""Take on Me" "Blinding Lights" "Attention" "Havana" "Amazing Grace" (I see you have already done The Prayer" "Hallelujah" "Daft Punk" "Evolution of Michael Jackson" "Evolution of Ariana Grande". For originals you must do "Can't sleep Love (studio version then the live from Popspring 2016), "Anchor" "Coffee In Bed" "Be My Eyes" "Happy Now".
Love Again is an original with a Daft Punk vibe. It's really,really good!
I can't even. :) No one does it better than Queen.
If you want to hear alot of Kirstie, you should watch "The Wizard of Aaaahs". You'll love it!
Hallelujah is amazing
Yes, they all have solos on different songs. they pick the vocalist deppendig on the song and their arrangement. They choose whoever they deem has the most adecuate voice for the song they're covering. That is not to say that a different member can't sing any particular song they might be covering. But they do have to choose the main vocalist because the others have to do the background vocals, otherwise the songs wouldn't sound full.
Sometimes they all get a solo. Sometimes only Scott and Mitch get solos. But I feel like the most frequent pattern is, the bass and the beatboxer do just that: bassline and percussion and the other three switch between the solo and the background vocals.
Can’t wait to see more PTX reactions! It always feels like I’m listening to it for the first time 😍