The Stunning Transformation Of Pentatonix

The a cappella group Pentatonix have been making waves and shaking up the music scene since 2011. After making their official debut on "The Sing-Off," the group has gone on to win numerous Grammys and change the face of a cappella music for generations of bands and groups to come.

During their immense success though, the group has also been through a lot. From their origins as a trio of high school friends to finally breaking out of performing only cover songs and producing their own original music to losing a longtime band member in 2017, there have been some tremendous highs and inescapable lows.

These days, Pentatonix is doing well. Despite solo records and personal projects, the band is still very much a family and continue to tour together. Here's a look at one of the most successful mainstream a cappella groups of all time, and what they've been through to reach that incredibly impressive and one-time lofty goal. 

As many longtime fans of Pentatonix know, the three founding members — Kirstin Maldonado, Scott Hoying, and Mitch Grassi — met when they were all in high school. Grassi told GoPride Chicago that the three shared an affinity for choir that would prove to be instrumental in their lives. Hoying has also shared a similar story, explaining to Entertainment.ie that the three "grew up together," and that he went on to develop a passion for a cappella music that he quickly shared with Maldonado and Grassi.

Each of the members of the group had a longtime interest in musical theater, classical music, and choir, but once Hoying learned about a cappella music, it was a game-changer. "So we all really loved music, but the a cappella thing wasn't really a main thing for any of us," Grassi said. "When Scott went to college, he was in an a cappella group and that's when he started to get into it."

In 2011, Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, and Kirstin Maldonado decided it was time to take their act to the next level. Hoying and Maldonado were in college when the former asked the rest of the group if they wanted to try out for "The Sing-Off." Luckily, they agreed, but then the trio was promptly confronted with a snag. "I wanted to try out for 'The Sing-Off' with my two friends, Kirstin and Mitch, but you have to have at least five people. So we decided to add a bass and beatboxer," Hoying told Entertaiment.ie.

However, things really came together for Pentatonix when they were down to the wire, as the quintet wasn't all the way formed until the day before they were due to audition. Kevin Olusola told The Hollywood Reporter he was planning to go to medical school before taking the leap to join the group. Clearly, it was meant to be. "I had no idea we could connect like that instantaneously," Olusola told the outlet. "We had this musical synergy that I had never felt before." In the end, Pentatonix ended up winning Season 3 of the show, setting the group on a path toward a surreal degree of success.

While it's clear that each of the members of Pentatonix have been serious about the group since "The Sing-Off," Scott Hoying and Kirstin Maldonado had to prove their dedication in a big way. When it was time to do the show, they were each in their freshman years of college. In the end, they had to make a choice; either stay in school or move to Los Angeles to pursue their dream.

Maldonado told Tulsa World that she had originally planned to move to New York to pursue a career in stage performance before taking a sharp turn westward instead. She said the chance to be on the show together was too much to pass up, explaining, "We thought it would be a cool opportunity and take us to the next level where we all wanted to go individually."

A lot of people have wondered where and how the band came up with the name Pentatonix. In 2011, the group initially began as a threesome before they needed at least two more members for "The Sing-Off." That turned out to be a good decision, as adding two members to the group helped them come up with a name. 

Pentatonix beatboxer Kevin Olusola explained the meaning behind the group's moniker in a 2012 video posted to their YouTube channel. "Pentatonics is a scale — a scale widely used in all types of music," noting that just as there are five notes in the scale, there are five members in the group. The scale is typically referred to as the "pentatonic" scale, but as fellow member Scott Hoying added in the video, "We added the 'X' to make it cooler."

It's probably not a surprise to find out that all of the members of Pentatonix have a background in performing music in some way. While speaking to Entertainment.ie, Mitch Grassi explained exactly how far back each of their musical roots go. He told the publication that every member of the group embraced music and musical theater from a pretty young age, saying, "I know Scott started really young, I started really young; Kirstin and I started doing musical theater when we were about 9 or 10. Kevin had been studying classical music since he was really young, and Avi was in choirs since about 14."

Former Pentatonix member Avi Kaplan told Entertainment Weekly in 2014 that when it comes to starting a music group, it's definitely important to do it with people who really love, well, music. After being asked what advice he would give to others who want to start their own group, Kaplan noted that finding people who feel the same way about music and performing that you do is important, saying, "If you're going to start a group, make sure the people you're starting it with are in sync."

It might be tempting to assume the members of Pentatonix are so close they must all love the same music, but doing so would be a mistake. While speaking to Entertainment.ie, Scott Hoying explained that each member is into something different. "Mitch loves tons of harmonies, I was always a big R&B guy, Avi loves choral music, and Kevin loves classical music, so he's really big into counterpoint and technical things. Kirstin loves singer-songwriters," Hoying said.

The singer noted that these diverse influences and interests are what make the group stronger. Additionally, the fact that each member can draw from a different influence makes the music they work on and create together all the more powerful and enriched. 

When it was time to release the group's first original album, Mitch Grassi told Popdust (via Just Jared Jr.) that they drew inspiration from a variety of sources, including singers from the 1990s. "The funny thing is, I feel like we pulled a lot of influence from either '90s singers (like Lauryn Hill) or people who are imitating her, like Tori Kelly," Grassi said.

The members of Pentatonix were surprised when they were unceremoniously dropped from their record label not too long after their "Sing-Off" win. In retrospect, mezzo-soprano Kirstin Maldonado said the move wasn't that difficult to understand given the unusual nature of the group. The singer told TribLIVE, "They didn't know what to do with us, which is understandable because we are a cappella, which is not commonly mainstream."

Instead of giving up, the group decided to take matters into their own hands and harness the power of social media and YouTube. Scott Hoying told Entertainment.ie that YouTube was really the secret to everything. After explaining that the group was worried people's attention spans would move on quickly once the novelty of their "Sing-Off" win had worn off, he said that moving the show to the internet was the plan. "We thought, 'People are gonna forget about us really fast' and our label had dropped us, so we thought 'OK, I guess we're on our own — let's start a YouTube channel.' And that's when it really took off," recalled Hoying.

In 2014, Scott Hoying told Entertainment Weekly that the group was so much like a family, they sometimes didn't always gel with one another, with Mitch Grassi adding, "We get snappy." Hoying was quick to explain that while that's true, the group were close, saying, "And we're able to work together really well."

Hoying also told Entertainment.ie if there's one thing that can test the group's bond, it's being out on the road. Understandably, the grind of performing each night and traveling each day can exhaust even the closest of friends with Hoying admitting that having to arrange music while traveling makes things tricky. "We always have to arrange on tour, and write on tour, so whenever we have to double up on work — do shows and write and arrange before and after them — usually we're a little more tired and irritable," said Hoying.

When it comes to writing and arranging their own music, the members of Pentatonix really prefer to work together as much as possible. Scott Hoying told Cincinnati Magazine that typically, one member of the group will come up with an idea for a song or an arrangement and explain how the other members can contribute to either original music or performing a cover of a song. Since each singer has different styles and voices, the group then begins collaborating on how to best make the song shine.

Hoying added that when it comes to arranging a song, there is often a lot of improvisation, but the end result is often the same: just a good time with people they each love. "By the time we're done arranging it, we have it learned and ready to perform," said Hoying. "It's a really fun, organic process just making stuff up on the spot with your friends."

If there's one thing to be said about Pentatonix, it's that the group has been very clear from the start about their career goals. In an interview with Digital Spy, Pentatonix explained that when it came to their first record, they had specific goals: make music their fans would love, make music that feels like them, and get their music on the radio. While the first two weren't too difficult for the group to pull off, being an a cappella group on mainstream radio seemed like a challenge.

But Pentatonix has been able to pull off mainstream success over and over again. Their first album of all-original material was released in 2015 and hit No. 1 on the Billboard top 200 — a feat that an a cappella group had never done before.

Even though Pentatonix got their start by performing a cappella covers on "The Sing-Off" and on YouTube, the group had its sights set on producing their own original music, too. In an interview with Entertainment.ie in 2015, Mitch Grassi emphasized this point when he explained, "This next album that we're going to do is primarily original, so we're starting to work with writers and write on our own to kind of create our own sound."

That album ended up being their self-titled release that hit music stores, radio, and the internet in 2015. The album hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, which was an incredibly impressive feat for an a cappella group. 

Scott Hoying told The Sun Chronicle that making the decision to create original music was pretty organic for the group. "I think we thought it was time (to focus on originals) because we had just done a bunch of covers and we had had success in that way," Hoying said. As he added, the group just felt like it was the right time to go for it, so they did.

When it comes to learning and growing, the members of Pentatonix focused on continuing to hone their craft and push themselves to try new sounds and arrangements. To that end, Kevin Olusola told Entertainment Weekly that the group had to ask themselves one question from time to time: How much more can they do when their only instruments are five voices? Olusola explained that's why he kept innovating, saying, "I just pray that there's not a limit. And that's why I know for myself, as a beatboxer, I'm continuously listening to more music, just to get more ideas for how I can make things sound."

Some members of the group also kept up with what college a cappella groups were up to as a personal interest, which had a side benefit of keeping Pentatonix on their toes and pushing toward evolving their own sound and style. Scott Hoying told Entertainment Weekly that the a cappella movement continued to grow and improve, saying, "I am obsessed with college a cappella groups and there are some amazing groups out there."

Pentatonix had a lot to celebrate when the 2015 Grammys rolled around as the group won their first-ever award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. They were understandably thrilled with the win, even updating their website with a since-deleted statement celebrating their victory. "More than 48 hours later, we are STILL feeling the Grammy buzz! This past weekend was one of the greatest of our entire lives and such a major moment for Pentatonix," the band wrote.

The group capitalized on their success almost immediately, heading out on a nationwide tour throughout the United States. As Riff Magazine noted, the band sold out nearly all of their dates. While speaking to the publication ahead of the Grammy Awards, Scott Hoying put all his hopes out there: Pentatonix really wanted to win.

Hoying said that he felt like they had a strong shot, especially because of the unique nature of their group, explaining, "People want to see something new, refreshing, organic. I think there's something humble [and] super fun about a cappella."

In 2015, Pentatonix fans were surprised and thrilled to learn that the group were joining the cast of "Pitch Perfect 2." As Entertainment Weekly wrote at the time, fans were curious about how the band got involved, and what the five members of Pentatonix would actually do in the movie.

It turns out that music arranger Deke Sharon had a big hand in bringing on the group. Having previously worked with Pentatonix on "The Sing-Off" and also on "Pitch Perfect," Sharon pitched the group to the producers of the sequel. Band member Kevin Olusola told Entertainment Weekly that the group's fans on Twitter also played a major role in making the movie roles happen. "When we were talking to the producers about being in it, they said they kept incessantly getting tweets from fans saying we should be in the movie," Olusola recalled, adding that it was encouraging to know that fans were backing the group.

The band had 24 hours to arrange and record the song they would sing in the movie, Journey's "Any Way You Want It." While the song isn't exactly typical of the music Pentatonix tends to perform, Pentatonix's high tenor, Mitch Grassi, told the outlet, "It was very reminiscent of 'The Sing-Off,' but it was kind of fun to go back to where we started and do it up a bit cheesier than usual."

While Pentatonix concerts are a hot ticket for fans, not all of them have been able to make it to one of their shows to enjoy the live performance experience firsthand. That problem, however, was solved with the release of "Pentatonix: On My Way Home" — a concert film/documentary that was filmed during the group's 2015 world tour. In an interview with Billboard, Pentatonix member Scott Hoying explained the impetus behind documenting what was, at that point, the group's biggest and most successful tour yet. "Our manager told us, 'What you do is so interesting and unique; it would be cool to document your tour because you'll also be doing your first original album at the same time,'" Hoying said.

Avi Kaplan told Billboard that he and the rest of Pentatonix had given the project their seal of approval. "We all really love the film," Kaplan said, noting that the documentary footage provided fans with an authentic look at what their lives were like while on the road. "I think it really gives people the inside look on what we do and who we are," he said. 

Meanwhile, "Pentatonix: On My Way Home" also delved into the group's origin story, offering fans a glimpse of how the group first got together and then made it big. "It does a great job of being really sentimental and nostalgic with our families and our lives beforehand," added Kirstin Maldonado.

Fans were stunned when Avi Kaplan, who joined the group in 2011 for "The Sing-Off," left Pentatonix in 2017. Kaplan announced his departure in an emotional video posted on Facebook, explaining that the decision wasn't one he made quickly or easily, but in the end Kaplan felt he wasn't able to stay connected to friends and family the way he wanted to as a member of the group.

Kaplan also added that he didn't want to do anything to stop the group's success, so he decided it was time to go. "I could never inhibit their success in any way. I would never, ever want that," Kaplan explained. Since leaving the group, Kaplan has continued to release music. The bass singer crooned several solo EPs like "Move Our Souls" and "Feel Alright," as well as a full-length album titled, "Floating on a Dream."

While fans were disappointed to lose Kaplan in Pentatonix, they were also thrilled when the band announced they had a replacement. Matt Sallee announced he had come onboard in October 2017, writing on Instagram that he already felt at home with the group. "They have been nothing but the most humble and sweet human beings in the world and I'm so blessed and humbled to work with a group of people I have looked up to for such a long time," Sallee wrote.

As people who are all still quite young, it's not really surprising that the members of Pentatonix have been very adept at using the power of social media to build their brand and band. While speaking to Billboard in 2019, Scott Hoying was quick to credit social media with being their "biggest power move" as using the various platforms has allowed the band to directly interact with fans and build loyalty and even friendships. 

In fact, Pentatonix began as "The Trio" when they first started their YouTube channel, but just having a channel on the platform wasn't enough. There's a lot of work that goes into making something happen professionally through YouTube and other social media and sharing platforms. One way Pentatonix used YouTube to their full advantage was to really flesh out the description box of each video, adding links to their website, and directing fans to their songs and social media pages. Fans were able to feel like they really had a bond with the band, which in turn made the fans keep coming back for more.

When it comes to musical releases from Pentatonix, their fans adore the group's holiday albums. In 2021, Pentatonix dropped their fifth studio album filled with tunes and songs that make us feel merry and bright, even if they aren't specifically holiday songs. These included a stunning cover of Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called To Say I Love You."

Scott Hoying told E! News that the COVID-19 pandemic definitely impacted the nature of the record. As he explained, the group wanted this fifth holiday album to be "folksy" and "almost singer-songwriter-y." The singer added that the recording process came after lockdown restrictions were lifted, and the band spent several weeks together producing the music. 

"After the lockdown, we were craving being together and making something, and so we rented out this studio for a month and we all went in every single day and just improvised, arranged stuff, made stuff up on the spot, and recorded whatever we were inspired by — and it just felt so good to make music like that again," Hoying said.

During the meteoric rise to fame experienced by Pentatonix, the a cappella vocal group has had the opportunity to work with an extraordinary array of musicians. These collaborations have seen the group team up with some of the biggest names in the music business, an impressive list ranging from the legendary Stevie Wonder to country music super star Dolly Parton; in fact, working with Parton led to Pentatonix winning their third Grammy Award in 2017 when they sang alongside her on a cover of her hit "Jolene."

Other performers who've collaborated with Pentatonix have included Reba McEntire, Jennifer Hudson, Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Maren Morris, Jason Derulo, and Tori Kelly. Interviewed by The Oklahoman, Pentatonix member Kirstin Maldonado admitted it had been surreal to work with music stars whom they'd long admired, transforming from fans to peers. "It's really, really cool that we've been able to have these opportunities to surround ourselves with these people because they're brilliant," Maldonado said. 

According to the singer, some of the biggest stars they've encountered have also been among the most delightful folks they've met. "The people we work with — like Dolly and Reba and Kelly — everyone has always just been so gracious and so genuine and wonderful," Maldonado gushed. "Like Dolly Parton is legendary and she's maybe the nicest person I've ever met in my entire life and, like, amazing. So we've been really, really blessed."

While Avi Kaplan may have exited Pentatonix in order to launch himself as a solo artist, the remaining members figured out how to embark on solo careers while remaining in the fold. That was the case when Kevin Olusola became the first Pentatonix member to unveil a solo project, his 2015 EP "The Renegade." A full decade later, he released his first full-fledged solo album, 2025's "Dawn of a Misfit."

Next came Kirstin Maldonado, who released her first solo single, "Break a Little," in 2017. She followed that up with her debut solo EP, "Love," released the same year. In 2018, she took a hiatus from Pentatonix to make her debut on Broadway, starring in the musical "Kinky Boots." In 2021, Mitch Grassi went solo with "Roses," credited to his musical alter ego, Messer. That was followed by another Messer album in 2025, "Cuts."

Scott Hoying also pursued his ambitions as a solo artist, which came to fruition with the 2023 release of his debut album, "Parallel." "I have always been a little bit scared to be vulnerable and kind of put myself out there as a solo act," Hoying divulged in an interview with The Associated Press. "And I feel like this timing is just so perfect because I'm entering this very beautiful era of my life, like producing and making music and being more motivated than ever."

Both as a group and in each members' solo projects, the music of Pentatonix has encompassed a wide array of genres. However, it's fair to say that Christmas music has remained the group's bread and butter, and Pentatonix has become a staple on stereo speakers each holiday season. 

That was evident with the release of the group's sixth holiday album, "Evergreen," in 2021. The following year saw Pentatonix release another Christmas album, "Holidays Around the World." This album, as the title suggested, featured various Christmas-themed songs from different parts of the globe. "It was really cool because we also got to experience all the cultural differences in music there. So the album's really fun and really eclectic in that way — but it was really awesome just because we never get to have that big of a span in the type of music that we do," Kirstin Maldonado told People, revealing that the album also contained three original songs. "We're all really proud of them and feel like they're our best Christmas originals yet."

Pentatonix went all in on Christmas with the release of a 2023 greatest-hits package, the 31-track "The Greatest Christmas Hits." As Scott Hoying told Billboard, having recorded that much Christmas music did present some challenges when it came to producing new holiday releases. "Honestly, there's only so many Christmas songs, and we've released 94 of them," Hoying said, insisting that had increased the creativity of all the group's members.

When 2025 arrived, so did news of yet another Pentatonix holiday project. The group's eighth Christmas album, titled "Christmas in the City," upped the ante by boasting a high-profile collaboration with yet another iconic artist — albeit one who has been dead for well over two decades: Frank Sinatra.

Pentatonix's collab with Sinatra on "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" digitally combined new harmonies from Pentatonix with an unreleased vocal take from Ol' Blue Eyes. "We are really excited about this album because it feels like such a big, bold, and fresh choice for us," Scott Hoying said in a statement, via KS95. "We were so inspired by the feeling of New York City during the holidays and wanted to make a record that encapsulated that feeling of warmth, excitement, and timelessness."

In addition to the album, Pentatonix also announced a series of holiday tour dates, a brief stint on the road set to begin in early November and wrap up just before Christmas. "This holiday season, we're bringing you the hits you know and love, the theatrical magic that makes Christmas feel so special, and a few nostalgic sounds from the past — all in one unforgettable night," Kevin Olusola said in a statement (via Billboard).

It's fair to say that 2025 was an exceptionally busy year for Pentatonix's Scott Hoying. Not only was there the release of the "Christmas in the City" album and accompanying tour, but he also had several other irons in the fire. One of these was competing in "Dancing With the Stars," hoofing it up alongside pro dancer Rylee Arnold. Hoying's "DWTS" journey came to an end during the October 21 episode — which was not a moment too soon, given that the first date on Pentatonix's holiday tour was scheduled for November 8.

Earlier that year, Hoying and his husband Mark Manio announced they were expecting a baby via surrogacy. "We used an agency. And we wanted to have our surrogate in LA, because we want to go to every single appointment," Hoying told People. In addition, the parents-to-be also announced they'd written their second children's book together, "Fa La La Family." As Hoying said in a different interview with People, the purpose of the book (a follow-up to their 2024 book, "How Lucky Am I?") was to illustrate how many different types of families exist. "We just realized that family is community and family is love, no matter what," he said. "And so it can look a lot of different types of ways. We wanted to spread that message to any kids or families reading this book."