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        Pentatonix at the 57th GRAMMY Awards in 2015

        Pentatonix (l-r): Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado, Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, and Kevin Olusola

        Photo: Cliff Lipson

        Interview
        Pentatonix's tight harmonies on 'Daft Punk' how-pentatonix-arranged-tight-harmonies-daft-punk

        How Pentatonix arranged tight harmonies on 'Daft Punk'

        Facebook Twitter Email
        Mitch Grassi on the challenges, nuances and tweaks that yielded their seamless GRAMMY-winning a cappella tour de force
        Mitchell C. Grassi
        GRAMMYs
        May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am
        GRAMMY.com

        (The Making Of GRAMMY-Winning Recordings … series presents firsthand accounts of the creative process behind some of music's biggest recordings. The series' current installments present insight and details about recordings that won 57th GRAMMY Awards.)

        We knew this wasn't going to be a particularly breezy task. We first chose some of our favorite — and the most notable — Daft Punk songs from their more popular discography. We then created an order in which we thought the songs would flow the best into and out of each other. This was our loose structure, which we stitched together slowly as we began to arrange each voice part.

        Once we had the order of the songs, we chose keys for each soloist, and then arranged accordingly to transition seamlessly from one song to the next. We've found that tight three-part harmonies make the track seem a lot fuller. Amping up the low end of the bass and capturing all the discrepancies of the percussive elements really helped, too. Toward the end of the process, we filled in holes and tweaked otherwise ineffective musical moments and nuances. The only difficulty we had with [arranging the songs] was making them less simplistic and more complex. Dance music is notoriously hard, in my opinion, to cover with just voices. 

         

        [Official Video] Daft Punk - Pentatonix

        It was [a] very collaborative [process], with Scott [Hoying] and I spearheading the project. I am very familiar with [Daft Punk's] work because I've been a huge fan since high school, and Scott is intuitive about what our audience likes to hear. I think it took about a week [to finish the song], maybe a little more, from start to finish. We definitely didn't think it would be as successful as it turned out to be, and certainly never imagined it would be GRAMMY-worthy!

        [Daft Punk's] manager reached out and let us know that they were really pleased with our work. That was pretty surreal. They're so legendary!

        (At the 57th GRAMMY Awards, Pentatonix — Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado, and Kevin "K.O." Olusola — won their first career GRAMMY for Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella for "Daft Punk," which comprises a medley of the Daft Punk songs "Technologic," "One More Time," "Get Lucky," "Digital Love," "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger," "Television Rules The Nation," and "Around The World." Pentatonix are currently in the midst of a world tour, with dates scheduled through September.)

         

        Pentatonix Win Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella | GRAMMYs

         

        Pentatonix, red carpet

        Three-time GRAMMY winners Pentatonix at the 59th GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 12, 2017

        Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

        Interview
        Inside Pentatonix and Dolly Parton's GRAMMY win pentatonix-dolly-parton-parlay-1-day-grammy-jolene

        Pentatonix, Dolly Parton parlay 1 day into a GRAMMY for 'Jolene'

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        Pentatonix's Scott Hoying recounts the blueprint for rearranging the country classic and how a nerve-wracking studio experience with Dolly Parton turned into magic
        Scott Hoying/As told to Chuck Crisafulli
        GRAMMYs
        May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am
        GRAMMY.com

        (The Making Of GRAMMY-Winning Recordings series presents firsthand accounts of the creative process behind some of music's biggest recordings. In this installment, Pentatonix's Scott Hoying details the making of "Jolene" with Dolly Parton, which won Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 59th GRAMMY Awards.) 

        We got together with Dolly through the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Spotlight Music series. They suggested we record "Jolene," which is what we would have wanted to do anyway. The Pentatonix members got together first and we spent a couple of hours working through the song section by section, figuring out our harmonies and what rhythms we wanted. We came up with an arrangement that was slightly different from the original — something we thought would work better a cappella. When you don't have instruments, an arrangement can start to lull really easily so we wanted to try things that would keep the energy of the song up.


        I teamed up with Pentatonix (@ptxofficial) to do an all new version of "Jolene.” It was absolutely magical singing with such a talented group! Special thanks to our friends at @crackerbarrel for making this happen! Watch the video on @youtube (#linkinbio) #PTXDollyJolene

        A post shared by Dolly Parton (@dollyparton) on Sep 16, 2016 at 7:19am PDT

        We were on tour and Dolly was on tour so we just had one day to meet her at her studio and rehearse, record and then shoot the video. At first, our arrangement was a little confusing to Dolly because we'd taken a measure out here or added a measure there. She said she'd been singing the song the same way for 50 years and that it was going to take a little time to get used to the adjustments. We said, "We'll change it back! We'll change it back! We'll do whatever you want us to do!" But she said she loved the changes and told us it was the coolest version of the song she'd ever heard. We were so nervous and intimidated because we were working with a legend, but a compliment like that really helped us relax.

        .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }

        Pentatonix & Dolly Parton - Jolene

        Dolly's one of those amazing artists who's even more impressive after you meet her. She was early to the session — all glammed up and ready to go, and she had the best attitude. Not a single bit of divaness about her. She's exactly what you'd hope for when you meet one of your idols. She took some notes on our version and we sang through it a few times and it was just magic.

        We recorded live in the studio all singing at the same time, and the second Dolly started singing it was just a big "wow" for all of us. She has one of those iconic, beautiful voices — whether you like country music or not, you can't help but love her voice. When she started singing, the song just totally came to life, and I really loved all the new ad libs she put in. We were assuming that she would sing lead on the whole song, but she suggested that we have a part of the song where we kind of take the lead, so we did — though that was pretty nerve-wracking for us.

        Watch: Pentatonix Perform The Jackson 5's "ABC" On The 59th GRAMMY Awards

        We did one take and then just a couple more safety takes to make sure we had everything and that was it. We all listened to the playback together to hear how it all sounded. The arrangement really worked and Dolly just sang it so perfectly — we were all extremely happy. You don't always get that feeling hearing playback in the studio, but this time after one listen we were confident that we'd been part of something really amazing. 

        It means a lot to be recognized by this year's GRAMMY Awards. I'm so proud to share this nomination with my friends @PTXofficial! #GRAMMYs

        — Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) February 12, 2017

        (Pentatonix — comprising Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado, and Kevin Olusola — won their third career GRAMMY for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "Jolene." The collaboration earned Dolly Parton her eighth career GRAMMY Award. Parton's original 1973 recording of "Jolene" was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame in 2014.)

        (Chuck Crisafulli is an L.A.-based journalist and author whose most recent works include Go To Hell: A Heated History Of The Underworld, Me And A Guy Named Elvis and Elvis: My Best Man.)

        Boys II Men

        Boyz II Men

        Photo: Mike WIndle/WireImage

        News
        "Motown 60: A GRAMMY Celebration" Lineup Revealed motown-60-grammy-celebration-performers-presenters-announced

        "Motown 60: A GRAMMY Celebration" Performers & Presenters Announced

        Facebook Twitter Email
        Incredible all-star tribute lineup includes Motown legends Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder joined by Boyz II Men, Tori Kelly, John Legend, Ciara and many more
        Nate Hertweck
        GRAMMYs
        Feb 6, 2019 - 8:00 am

        The wait is over, as the linuep for "Motown 60: A GRAMMY Celebration" has been revealed! Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer and GRAMMY winner Smokey Robinson, the tribute to the iconic sound that changed America will feature Boyz II Men, Chloe X Halle, Ciara, Lamont Dozier, Fantasia, Brian & Eddie Holland, Thelma Houston, Tori Kelly, John Legend, Little Big Town, NE-YO, Pentatonix, Martha Reeves, Diana Ross, Valerie Simpson, Mickey Stevenson, Meghan Trainor, and Stevie Wonder. 

        "Motown 60: A GRAMMY Celebration" is set to film on Feb. 12 in Los Angeles. https://t.co/upOoG5pehz

        — Recording Academy / GRAMMYs (@RecordingAcad) February 2, 2019

        The live concert taping will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. PT at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, just two days after Music's Biggest Night, the 61st GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10, 2019. The special will be broadcast on April 21, 2019, on CBS. Tickets are now on sale and available for purchase at AXS.com.

        Diana Ross Is Set To Perform At The 2019 GRAMMYs

         

        "Wicked"

        Photo: Virginia Sherwood/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

        News
        Celebrating 15 Years Of "Wicked" still-wicked-celebrating-15-years-grammy-winning-musical

        Still "Wicked": Celebrating 15 Years Of The GRAMMY-Winning Musical

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        "Wicked" is being honored by Ariana Grande, Pentatonix and more for its 15th anniversary
        Jennifer Velez
        GRAMMYs
        Oct 25, 2018 - 5:40 pm

        The GRAMMY-winning Broadway musical Wicked is turning 15 this year, and it's still going strong. The musical that won Best Musical Theatre Album at the 47th GRAMMY Awards is now bringing together GRAMMY nominees Ariana Grande, Ledisi and Adam Lambert as well as GRAMMY winners Pentatonix to perform with original cast members Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth to celebrate the 15 years of magic.

        Fellow Ozians—it’s official. The 10/29 #Wicked15 Anniversary Concert on @nbc will feature @IdinaMenzel, @KChenoweth, @PTXOfficial, & @ArianaGrande! Stay tuned for more info & thrillifying surprises! @TODAYshow #Wicked

        — Wicked the Musical (@WICKED_Musical) September 27, 2018

        The musical debuted in San Francisco, Calif. in 2003 and is based on Gregory Maguire's book, Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West influenced by L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. To honor the humorous and touching story about a green witch named Elphaba, a special called A Very Wicked Halloween is airing on Oct. 29 and will feature an all-star line-up.

        "The themes of the show, the love and friendship aspects," Chenoweth told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We can look at these two characters looking forward to seeing everything."

        Mitch Grassi from Pentatonix says it's full circle for him performing in the special. "It's a full circle moment, we grew up with this show and the [album] kind of shaped us as performers," Grassi told Playbill.

        Indeed, 15 years later, the show is still a hot ticket, still touching audiences and still wicked!

        Whitney Houston Exhibit Opens At Newark's GRAMMY Museum Experience

        Pentatonix

        Photo: Paul Morigi/Getty Images

        News
        Watch: Pentatonix Cover Rihanna's Discography pentatonix-trace-evolution-rihanna-new-cover-video

        Pentatonix Trace The Evolution Of Rihanna In New Cover Video

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        The GRAMMY-winning a cappella quintet tackle the "We Found Love" singer's evolution in new cover track
        Renée Fabian
        GRAMMYs
        Jul 27, 2018 - 3:56 pm

        Pentatonix have made a name for themselves cranking out mind-blowing a cappella covers of everything from Christmas favorites to Daft Punk, Camila Cabello, Demi Lovato, and so many more. On July 26 the group released their latest, an ambitious romp through Rihanna's discography in the "Evolution Of Rihanna."

        The quintet, comprising Kirstin Maldonado, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kevin Olusola, and Matt Sallee, run through some of Rihanna's biggest career hits, seamlessly transitioning between "S.O.S," "Work," "We Found Love," "Take A Bow," "Rude Boy," "Disturbia," "Wild Thoughts," and more in the nearly seven-minute video. This is the fourth such installment Pentatonix has released, following Michael Jackson, Beyoncé and a tour of music history.

        If this cover isn't enough Pentatonix for you, then good news. The group kicked off their North American tour July 26 in Dallas and you can catch them live in additional cities such as Atlanta, Tampa, Fla., Syracuse, N.Y., and Toronto before they wrap up in Tinley Park, Ill., on Sept. 16.

        Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

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        Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.