Pentatonix (Kevin, Avi, Kirstie, Mitch and Scott) will drop their third EP: “PTX, Vol. III” tomorrow and their second Christmas album later on this Fall. (Photo property of Esther Kaplan; Courtesy of Ken Phillips Publicity Group)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
Pentatonix is one of the most successful a cappella groups of all-time!
Since their victory on The Sing-Off’s third season, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstie Maldonado and Kevin Olusola’s EPs have made it to both the Top 10 and Top 20 of the Billboard 200.
The quintet is a force to be reckoned with as they have racked up some impressive numbers on social media. From their 230,000 Instagram fans and 366,000 Twitter followers to 1,590,000 Facebook fans and 6,294,000 YouTube subscribers, the group’s unique re-arrangements of current Top 40 and classic hits have captured the attention of the worldwide audience.
Tomorrow, Pentatonix will release their third EP: PTX, Vol. III and later on this fall, will release their sophomore Christmas album: That’s Christmas to Me.
In this edition of The Five Question Challenge, Mitch Grassi talked about the recording process for PTX, Vol. III and That’s Christmas to Me, plus what their fans can expect from the group as 2014 begins to wrap up.
Jacob Elyachar: How has Pentatonix grown as performers since the last time we spoke?
Mitch Grassi: We have really come into our own as performers and we have learned to pace ourselves during our lengthy tours. We also have progressed greatly as musicians, as well, and I think our sound is becoming more cohesive.
JE: Tomorrow, the group will be releasing their third EP: “PTX, Vol. III.” What were some of the similarities and differences between this recording process versus the first two EPs’ recording processes?
MG: We recorded our latest album in a number of different cities, some international, and I think that sort of contributed to our newly acquired “world” influences in our music. However, we still recorded a ton of our material in our friend’s closet just like the old days!
JE: In addition to releasing “PTX, Vol. III,” the group will also be releasing your second full-length holiday album: “That’s Christmas to Me.” What were some of the challenges that the group faced while recording this album? How did you overcome them?
MG: I think that the one main challenge we experienced was keeping everything fresh and interesting. Christmas music can get a bit monotonous, so we really pushed ourselves to try new, unconventional ways to arrange it.
JE: What can your fans look forward to from Pentatonix as 2014 winds down?
MG: Our fans can expect a lot of new material including music AND videos, as well as a couple dates and upcoming public appearances!
JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring musical groups that want to enter the recording industry, what advice would you share with them?
MG: Stay true to your sound! It has gotten us really far and has (for the most part) served us really well. Do what you know you are good at, but always push yourselves to progress and try new things!
You can learn more about Pentatonix by visiting their website: http://ptxofficial.com/home
To connect with them on social media, visit the group’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter & YouTube pages.
