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

How Pentatonix arranged tight harmonies on 'Daft Punk'

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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. 

 

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.)

 

 

Interview

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.

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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. 

(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.)

Pentatonix

Pentatonix

Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images

News

Pentatonix Announce New Album, Extensive North American Tour

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The GRAMMY-winning a cappella masters wow fans with announcement of new album and tour
Nate Hertweck
GRAMMYs
Feb 27, 2018 - 5:34 pm

GRAMMY-winning vocal group Pentatonix announced their plans for a full return to their pop a cappella thrones with a new album, PTX Presents: Top Pop Vol. 1, duo out April 13. At the risk of overloading their devoted fans with joy, the group also announced a sprawling 39-date North American Tour kicking off June 12 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The album will be the first in their PTX Presents series and will feature Pentatonix' recently released cover of Camila Cabello's hit "Havana."

Pentatonix: 59th GRAMMY acceptance speech

After winning back-to-back-to-back GRAMMY Awards at the 57th, 58th, and 59th GRAMMY Awards, Pentatonix eased off the gas pedal long enough for Mitch Grassi and Scott Hoying to pursue their pop-duo side project, Superfruit and Kristin Maldonado to prepare for her Broadway debut. In late 2017, Pentatonix returned, introducing a new face in the group with Matt Sallee taking over bass duties for a holiday tour and single release.

The group hits the road with new album in tow this summer, stretching across the U.S. and jumping up to Canada in an ambitious run through Sept. A full list of tour dates and ticket information can be found on Pentatonix website.

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Photo Gallery

Migos To Imagine Dragons: Groups On The 2018 GRAMMYs Red Carpet

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Whether they went coordinating chic or opted to let their individuality shine through, take a look at the groups who stormed the 60th GRAMMY Awards red carpet
Renée Fabian; Photo Captions by Lakeia Brown
GRAMMYs
Jan 28, 2018 - 9:04 pm

For bands, there are a lot of places they could take their awards show fashion — will they coordinate outfits on a harmonious front? Will they go with colors combinations that complement one another? Or perhaps it's a case of anything goes?

Imagine Dragons
Groups On The 2018 GRAMMYs Red Carpet

On the 60th GRAMMY Awards red carpet, group fashion ran the gamut, from Migos' marching band-inspired look and Pentatonix's refined gowns and suits, to Midland's country-inspired cowboy hats and Imagine Dragons' coordinating bow-ties.

See what your favorite bands opted to wear on this year's GRAMMY red carpet.

(Lakeia Brown is a freelance writer and host of the podcast, Decoded with Elle Bee. She has been published in publications like O, The Oprah Magazine, Essence and Complex. You can follow her on IG @elle_bee_decoded.)

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Odesza

Odesza

Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images

News

Music Industry Heavyweights Attend 2018 Billboard Power 100

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Industry professionals from across the music business gathered at the annual GRAMMY Week event to share their thoughts on power, the secrets to their success and more
Bryan Reesman
GRAMMYs
Jan 25, 2018 - 10:08 pm

On Jan. 25 Billboard magazine unveiled its Power 100 list, honoring the current players who are blazing new paths and scaling new horizons in the music industry, The annual GRAMMY Week event in celebration of the new list was hosted at Manhattan, New York's chic Nobu 57, drawing music industry magnates and top-selling artists as well as the honorees of Billboard's Visionary, Executive of the Year and Label of the Year awards.

Watch Spike Lee's Star-Studded 'NY Stories' Film

With the idea of the Power 100 list, the concept of power and what it means to those in the industry takes on different meanings.

For Daniel Glass, founder and president of Glassnote Entertainment (and No. 81 on the list), the P in power stands for passion.

"I think power moves the needle and really furthers the development of music and artist," said Glass. "I think it comes with respect, passion and perseverance."

"Power ought to be a couple of things," noted Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, who ranked as No. 44 on the list. "In our business, it ought to be good judgment and particularly the ability to judge talent and art and recognize the next generations that are coming through. Power also has to do with creating an environment where an artist's career can flourish and soar. Power is just being fair and open-minded and mentoring and bringing along the next generation of music people and executives."

"I think a lot of people at the party here do lead by example," said Pentatonix member Kirstin Maldonado. "They are very powerful in what they stand for and how they use their power."

Diplo
2018 Billboard Power 100

Mentors have been important for many people on the list, ranging from parents to music teachers to executives to other artists who fostered future talent. They have left indelible impressions on those they've worked with.

When asked about mentoring in today's business world, which has changed measurably over the last decade, Adam Alpert, CEO of Disruptor Records and Selector Songs (No. 76), remarked, "It's hard to bridge that generational gap, but those who are able to are fortunate. What is more prevalent is the younger generation working more together and trying to help each other more. And realizing that it's not so much about competition but there's room for everyone to be successful and there's always room for more great music."

Artists at the event also offered words of advice for younger people who wanted to follow in their footsteps, even being younger themselves. Pentatonix's Scott Hoying recalled how his group said yes to everything, taking on many gigs, creating as much content as possible and meeting whomever they could meet.

Watch One Take With Superfruit

"Saying yes, gaining momentum and creating a network is so important," said Hoying. "A lot of people say no to a lot of things because they're nervous or anxious about it, but stepping outside of your comfort zone is what is going to make you grow."

Harrison Mills, one half of GRAMMY-nominated electronic duo Odesza, feels that authenticity is sometimes unappreciated, or not as important to some people as it should be.

"Copping trends can really hurt you in the long run," he said. "If you're trying to build a career, think about how you want to sound in 10 years — think about yourself and what you want to represent and not a trend."

Odesza Talk New Album, 'A Moment Apart'

On the business side, Glass stressed learning the history of the business. "Learn what the predecessors did to pave the way," he advised. "It's really important to respect the past before you go forward."

The awards presentation was a good place to start, as it highlighted individuals whose careers have flourished and thrived in the long haul, building upon lessons from the past.

Clive Davis introduced Jody Gerson, CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group, who received this year's Visionary Award.

"After three decades of experience, she has built a truly wonderful track record identifying and developing talent," said Davis. "She is the highest-ranking female executive in music and the only female global chairman in music and she's the first woman CEO of a major music publishing company."

Gerson's signings have included the Bee Gees, Prince, Adele, Coldplay, and many others. Upon accepting the award, She told Davis, "I actually learned how to be a publisher by pitching songs to you for all those years." She joked that he turned most of them down initially, but that experience taught her resilience.

Atlantic Chairman/COO Julie Greenwald and Chairman/CEO Craig Kallman accepted the award for Label of the Year, sharing the honor with their superiors, dedicated staff and artists. The company had the biggest album of 2017 with Ed Sheeran's ÷, which sold the equivalent of 2.8 million albums. They had the first Hot 100 No. 1 single in 19 years from a female rapper, Cardi B with "Bodak Yellow." They also scored five of the most streamed songs of last year.

Live Nation Entertainment CEO/Director Michael Rapino topped the Power 100 list this year. Since joining Live Nation in 2005, he quadrupled the company's enterprise value. It is now up to $9 billion, and Billboard estimates that the company accounted for 64 percent of the tickets sold in North America in 2017.

"I think it's a great time in the business," Rapino told the crowd upon accepting the Executive of the Year award. "Sometimes we have a live versus recorded debate and we love both sides of the business, but it's great to see the live side doing well, helping sell some concert tickets and some music. It's equally great to see subscription and record labels booming and growing back. Both sides are incredible. There are 41 new entries on the [Power 100] list, so hopefully we get a whole new generation of young, diverse individuals, both on live and recorded, continuing to make this the best place to work."

After the ceremony, John Amato, president of the Billboard-Hollywood Reporter Media Group expressed his pleasure at seeing the GRAMMYs returning to New York City this year for the milestone 60th GRAMMY Awards for the first time in 15 years and commended Portnow as a "true visionary."

"I really love working with him on this event as well as our GRAMMY contenders issue," Amato said. "I'm so excited for the show."

For Portnow, who was born and raised in New York, and who started his career here, the GRAMMYs return to New York is special and exciting.  

"Everybody's pumped," declared Portnow. "I think the excitement is palpable. There are a lot of statistical reasons why we should be here. Half our members are east of the Mississippi. Half of the business is here. New York being the home of so many iconic and important music styles. The venues and the clubs and the history."

He views this trip back to New York as a chance to experiment and try new things never done before. He noted that while some may be rousing successes and some may not, it will be an exciting learning and growing experience for the GRAMMY Awards.

Getting The Latest Music News Just Got Easier. Introducing: GRAMMY Bot. Find it On KIK and Facebook Messenger

(Bryan Reesman is a New York-based freelance writer.)