WEBVTT - The Art of A Cappella with Pentatonix 0:00:15.476 --> 0:00:32.116 Pushkin, Pushkin. Just a quick note here. You can listen 0:00:32.156 --> 0:00:34.436 to all of the music mentioned in this episode on 0:00:34.476 --> 0:00:36.796 our playlist, which you can find a link to in 0:00:36.876 --> 0:00:40.436 the show notes for licensing reasons, each time a song 0:00:40.556 --> 0:00:44.556 is referenced in this episode, you'll hear this sound effect. 0:00:45.916 --> 0:00:50.116 All right, enjoyed the episode. Not long ago, I was 0:00:50.156 --> 0:00:52.676 having dinner with some old family friends. They have two 0:00:52.756 --> 0:00:57.076 daughters in their early twenties, Joanna and Annie. Joanna and 0:00:57.076 --> 0:01:01.836 Annelie are serious music people, super serious. So I said 0:01:01.836 --> 0:01:05.956 to them, if you could invite anyone, anyone on Broken Record, 0:01:05.956 --> 0:01:10.916 who would it be? And they both answered Tonics, not Beyonce, 0:01:11.236 --> 0:01:15.996 not Adele, not a reincarnated Elvis Presley. Pentatonics, an a 0:01:15.996 --> 0:01:19.276 cappella group from Arlington, Texas that got its start on 0:01:19.316 --> 0:01:22.836 YouTube that I'm going to guess most people over the 0:01:22.836 --> 0:01:25.436 age of thirty have never heard of. So what do 0:01:25.516 --> 0:01:28.916 we do? Well? We invited Pentatonics Unbroken Record, of course, 0:01:29.396 --> 0:01:31.676 where I have to admit I fell in love with him, 0:01:32.076 --> 0:01:35.556 even though I'm twice their age. My name is Malcolm Gladwell, 0:01:35.996 --> 0:01:57.996 you're listening to Broken Record. I met I'm Kirsten, I'm Mitch, 0:01:58.156 --> 0:02:01.876 I'm Scott and I'm Kevin and we are Pentatonics, and 0:02:02.316 --> 0:02:05.436 our name is based off the pentatonic scale, which goes 0:02:08.276 --> 0:02:13.756 on and on and on. Pentatonics Matt Sally bass vocals, 0:02:14.076 --> 0:02:19.396 Kirsten Maldonano mezzo soprano, Mitch Grassi tenor, Scott Hoying baritone, 0:02:19.516 --> 0:02:25.036 and Kevin o'lushila beatboxer, five members representing the five notes 0:02:25.396 --> 0:02:29.636 in the pentatonic scale. They're an incredibly charismatic group of 0:02:29.636 --> 0:02:32.756 twenty somethings who met in high school in Texas. They 0:02:32.796 --> 0:02:36.156 started out by uploading acappella covers of pop songs on 0:02:36.196 --> 0:02:40.716 YouTube and now they have sixteen million followers. But they 0:02:40.716 --> 0:02:42.596 really had the big time when they earned a spot 0:02:42.636 --> 0:02:46.596 on NBC's to Sing Off and won and now seven 0:02:46.716 --> 0:02:49.876 Pentatonics albums later, I got to meet with the group 0:02:49.996 --> 0:02:53.116 at GSI Studios in New York, along with friend of 0:02:53.116 --> 0:02:56.316 the show, public radio journalist and my co host for 0:02:56.356 --> 0:03:00.836 this episode, Daisy Rosario. By the way, they showed up 0:03:00.876 --> 0:03:03.796 early for the interview. In the history of rock and roll, 0:03:03.956 --> 0:03:06.876 no band has ever been early for an interview. They 0:03:06.916 --> 0:03:09.036 may even have walked from their hotel. I have no idea. 0:03:09.476 --> 0:03:11.556 Mitch was wearing the coolest code of I ever seen. 0:03:12.036 --> 0:03:14.516 Before the show, I hung out with Kevin, who turns 0:03:14.516 --> 0:03:17.276 out went to Yale speaks Chinese is half West Indian 0:03:17.396 --> 0:03:19.076 like me, and I feel like we could have just 0:03:19.116 --> 0:03:22.316 done a second show with Kevin riffing. They have a 0:03:22.396 --> 0:03:25.636 fifty city tour of arenas coming up this spring, but 0:03:25.716 --> 0:03:29.316 I don't think of Pentatonics as rock stars. There's something 0:03:29.356 --> 0:03:32.756 way better. We all got acquainted. Then they agreed to 0:03:32.756 --> 0:03:35.556 give Daisy and me a little demonstration of how their 0:03:35.596 --> 0:03:41.276 songs come together. That's basically how it happens. It's a 0:03:41.276 --> 0:03:44.356 simple formula, so that with that song. Okay, Now, on 0:03:44.396 --> 0:03:48.396 the degree of difficulty scale, if one is dead easy 0:03:48.436 --> 0:03:50.876 and ten is like insanely hard, where is that? That 0:03:50.956 --> 0:03:53.796 one's probably one of the easier ones, like a three, 0:03:53.996 --> 0:03:57.196 or it's a three? Oh yeah, can you give us 0:03:57.196 --> 0:04:01.636 a five? Let's just work up the scale. Five well, 0:04:01.636 --> 0:04:04.476 in terms of complexity would be like a six or seven. 0:04:04.996 --> 0:04:07.036 Got there? Why is that you said that was a three? 0:04:07.076 --> 0:04:09.356 Why is that a three? What's easy about is a 0:04:09.396 --> 0:04:13.396 lot of the background parts are really repetitive bump, and 0:04:13.436 --> 0:04:18.156 then other songs like like all over the place. Yeah, okay, 0:04:18.156 --> 0:04:19.996 So so the next one up is going to be 0:04:20.076 --> 0:04:22.756 like a five. Uh yeah, because that was a little 0:04:22.756 --> 0:04:24.876 bit tougher, but not too hard. She started just at 0:04:24.916 --> 0:04:35.436 the beginning, Yes, that's it. Yeah yeah, and then we 0:04:35.556 --> 0:04:38.436 end right before your solo. Yeah, do like a line 0:04:38.436 --> 0:04:39.636 of your soul and then we'll just like cut off 0:04:39.716 --> 0:04:47.956 right okay cool? So what wait? Wait? So why is 0:04:47.956 --> 0:04:50.956 that specifically? Why that's a little harder. Background parts are 0:04:50.996 --> 0:04:53.116 kind of playing off of each other to form one 0:04:53.716 --> 0:04:57.356 singular rhythm. Does that make sense? Yeah? Yeah. Also, if 0:04:57.396 --> 0:04:59.916 you get off, you off, you know, you have to 0:04:59.956 --> 0:05:02.236 be you have to hold down your part. Yeah. When 0:05:02.356 --> 0:05:05.396 is it harder if you if the song is slow? 0:05:05.956 --> 0:05:08.396 Is your job harder? If the song is just a 0:05:08.436 --> 0:05:11.956 different reason rest support? Maybe? Yeah. Slow songs can fall 0:05:11.996 --> 0:05:14.796 out of tune faster because we're holding long notes and 0:05:14.836 --> 0:05:17.076 they can start to be the tonal center can be lost. 0:05:17.276 --> 0:05:20.756 But fast songs, it can be just hard accuracy wise. Yeah, 0:05:20.796 --> 0:05:22.756 and your song is hard in a different way for 0:05:22.796 --> 0:05:25.436 each individual person too, Like the first like even just 0:05:25.476 --> 0:05:27.156 for the Christmas Show for example, the first half is 0:05:27.156 --> 0:05:29.036 so hard remain then everyone's like, oh, that's the easy 0:05:29.036 --> 0:05:30.876 part of me, and I'm like, oh, but it just 0:05:30.916 --> 0:05:32.756 depends on the person as well. Because that song we 0:05:32.836 --> 0:05:34.596 just did, it's really tough for you. I feel like, 0:05:34.636 --> 0:05:37.236 well you one of them. Yeah, but it is tough. 0:05:37.236 --> 0:05:39.796 There's there are especially parts later on where the beats 0:05:39.836 --> 0:05:42.836 like what's like you're just going everywhere? So I have 0:05:42.876 --> 0:05:46.756 to think a lot. But yeah, that one we've done 0:05:46.876 --> 0:05:48.796 a lot of times. I think god Rest is probably 0:05:48.836 --> 0:05:51.756 even a better example of like more difficulty. Yeah, seven 0:05:51.836 --> 0:05:53.716 or eight, because it's just okay, well to get to there, 0:05:53.996 --> 0:05:56.876 but wait, what what happens when you make a mistake? 0:05:58.196 --> 0:06:00.396 Like just keep on trying. No, I'm thinking, I'm thinking, 0:06:00.436 --> 0:06:03.436 I'm looking at you, Kevin. You just said there's a 0:06:03.476 --> 0:06:05.836 part of that song it's really hard. Sure what if 0:06:05.876 --> 0:06:08.036 you blow it? If you make a little air or 0:06:08.036 --> 0:06:09.956 does it so everyone else saw? I mean, honestly, you 0:06:10.036 --> 0:06:12.276 just keep going and thankfully, to be honest, I think 0:06:12.316 --> 0:06:15.676 there's a mystique in magic about beatboxing where nobody really 0:06:15.676 --> 0:06:17.916 knows that I've made a mistake, so I just keep 0:06:17.956 --> 0:06:20.076 going and like, seriously, there are times where I've drunk 0:06:20.116 --> 0:06:21.556 too much water and then I might burp, But then 0:06:21.556 --> 0:06:26.116 I'm like, oh, it's a beatbox. So there's there's that 0:06:26.196 --> 0:06:28.036 mystique that kind of helps me out in that way 0:06:28.076 --> 0:06:29.596 where people don't know. I think it's a lot more 0:06:29.636 --> 0:06:31.996 obvious if they make a mistake. Yeah and speak on that. Yeah, 0:06:32.316 --> 0:06:35.396 oh yeah, yeah to speak on that. Kevin's really good 0:06:35.396 --> 0:06:38.716 at covering, so like because because the rhythm section thing 0:06:38.716 --> 0:06:41.036 will we'll play off of each other, you know, where 0:06:41.076 --> 0:06:43.996 the foundation foundational things. So I'll hear him a lot 0:06:44.036 --> 0:06:46.556 of times like mess up, but he'll like come back 0:06:46.596 --> 0:06:48.996 in on a different syncopated rhythm. So it's really cool 0:06:49.036 --> 0:06:51.276 and people I'll geek out over that kind of stuff. 0:06:51.316 --> 0:06:54.396 So it's so cool. Like when he messes up, he 0:06:54.396 --> 0:06:56.356 does a mess up. So basically he does a mess up. 0:06:56.796 --> 0:06:58.876 It's like good jazz. It's like, oh they make a 0:06:58.956 --> 0:07:01.316 mistake and then you're like, oh no, it was purposeful. 0:07:01.316 --> 0:07:07.516 It's like okay character, ok wait, okay, So next the 0:07:07.596 --> 0:07:10.756 next next level up was you had mentioned a song 0:07:12.276 --> 0:07:15.196 probably like eight to Yeah, okay, where do you want 0:07:15.196 --> 0:07:18.236 to go from? Oh? Yeah, let's go before you go, 0:07:18.356 --> 0:07:20.916 before you before you start? Why what's hard about this? 0:07:20.956 --> 0:07:23.116 What I want to listen for it? This one? It's 0:07:23.116 --> 0:07:25.996 pretty quick, it's very quick, yes, and the notes are 0:07:26.036 --> 0:07:27.756 all over the place for all of us. And then 0:07:28.876 --> 0:07:30.596 there's like this I don't even know how to describe it. 0:07:30.676 --> 0:07:32.756 I mean, I would say this one is much more 0:07:32.796 --> 0:07:34.636 based off of classical music, so that there's a lot 0:07:34.636 --> 0:07:37.436 of like counterpunnel melodies that are going in and out. 0:07:37.756 --> 0:07:39.676 So each thing has this very distinct part. But then 0:07:39.716 --> 0:07:42.436 if you get off, it makes it a lot harder 0:07:42.476 --> 0:07:44.796 to come back in. So I think that's but that's 0:07:44.836 --> 0:07:46.636 why we liked it, because we wanted to be something intricate. 0:07:46.636 --> 0:07:53.916 When people say I would never hear this anywhere, m 0:07:54.596 --> 0:07:59.996 oh yeah, the hell. Oh yeah, that's true. So I 0:08:00.076 --> 0:08:06.076 want to start there and then go through start Oh, 0:08:06.156 --> 0:08:08.156 let's do that, okay, and then we do it again 0:08:08.916 --> 0:08:18.316 and the end and then yeah, oh wow, wait now okay, 0:08:18.356 --> 0:08:22.156 Now is there of that little bit you just did? 0:08:22.716 --> 0:08:25.116 Are there specific? Is there a specific part that is 0:08:25.156 --> 0:08:29.236 the most challenging or is it also equal you get 0:08:29.276 --> 0:08:31.596 nervous when you're about to come to one specific part 0:08:31.636 --> 0:08:34.676 of that song? Not really. I feel like once we 0:08:34.796 --> 0:08:37.076 learned that one, that one's not nerve wrecking anymore. So 0:08:37.076 --> 0:08:39.236 it's kind of an interesting thing. It was challenging to 0:08:39.316 --> 0:08:41.356 learn and it was a scary feat to take on. 0:08:41.396 --> 0:08:42.796 But now that we know it have sung it so 0:08:42.836 --> 0:08:45.116 many times that I'm never really nervous about a part. 0:08:45.156 --> 0:08:47.156 There are songs where I will get like nervous about 0:08:47.156 --> 0:08:49.156 it every single time, but that's actually not one of them, 0:08:49.436 --> 0:08:52.396 like Hallelujah, or like one of our ballads where there's 0:08:52.396 --> 0:08:54.476 a high part. Do you guys get nervous about the 0:08:54.476 --> 0:08:57.716 same things or do each have your own idiosyncratic nerves? 0:08:57.916 --> 0:09:02.596 Really good question. Probably I'm nervous about lyrics because I'm 0:09:03.156 --> 0:09:08.356 figured the time. Sometimes actually maybe I don't want to 0:09:08.396 --> 0:09:13.196 rink it. I'll say it an Sometimes you feel like 0:09:13.236 --> 0:09:14.756 you're about to forget something, feel like you're about to 0:09:14.756 --> 0:09:16.316 forget something, and then right when it happens, do you 0:09:16.316 --> 0:09:19.316 remember it? Because of muscle memory and your stomach drops 0:09:19.316 --> 0:09:20.636 and your heart is pounding, and you like you can't. 0:09:22.596 --> 0:09:26.476 So we have three prompters on our stage. You'll be like, 0:09:26.476 --> 0:09:31.196 I don't know what when you said, you said you 0:09:31.236 --> 0:09:34.636 get nervous sometimes when you're learning a song, you said 0:09:34.796 --> 0:09:37.836 you it's seems overwhelming at first. How long does it 0:09:37.876 --> 0:09:39.916 take you to learn a song? What's that? What's the 0:09:39.996 --> 0:09:42.916 learning process? Looked like it really depends on the song. 0:09:43.476 --> 0:09:46.116 So I mean, for example, we've done these evolution covers 0:09:46.316 --> 0:09:49.516 right where we do a person's career, or we do 0:09:49.556 --> 0:09:51.356 evolution of music, like he was about to say, it's 0:09:51.396 --> 0:09:53.276 where we do. I mean we've done I think from 0:09:53.316 --> 0:09:56.516 Gregorian Chance up to now. And I think depending on 0:09:56.596 --> 0:09:59.156 how many songs and the difficulty of the arrangement it 0:09:59.196 --> 0:10:02.836 can take, it takes us different amounts of time to learn. 0:10:03.436 --> 0:10:05.436 I mean, what, there's some songs that we can learn 0:10:05.476 --> 0:10:07.756 pretty easily. I think, problem, why aren't you on a grande? 0:10:07.956 --> 0:10:09.836 We did that in a very very short period of time, 0:10:09.836 --> 0:10:11.996 evolution of music. I mean, it's probably took us a 0:10:12.116 --> 0:10:14.796 weak plus. But it was funny because that one we 0:10:14.876 --> 0:10:16.236 learned it and then we actually did it for a 0:10:16.316 --> 0:10:18.396 TV show, so we had to redo it and learn 0:10:18.436 --> 0:10:21.556 it very last minute. I remember that, Yeah, we were 0:10:21.556 --> 0:10:23.276 going to be on Ellen, and so we had to 0:10:23.316 --> 0:10:25.596 relearn it, and so the next day we performed it 0:10:25.636 --> 0:10:27.996 and it was just a totally it was Yeah, it 0:10:28.036 --> 0:10:29.956 was very very difficult. So I think when you have 0:10:29.996 --> 0:10:31.956 those situations, when when you have to learn something very 0:10:32.076 --> 0:10:34.636 very fast and it's intricate, that's when your mind gets 0:10:34.676 --> 0:10:37.596 muddled a little bit, and we usually learn everything on 0:10:37.596 --> 0:10:40.356 our own and then come to rehearsal and then if 0:10:40.396 --> 0:10:42.476 we all haven't learned, it comes together pretty quickly actually 0:10:42.636 --> 0:10:46.276 as a group. That's interesting. That's not that completely surprises me. 0:10:46.916 --> 0:10:49.996 So in the in the beginning, you might pick a 0:10:50.036 --> 0:10:51.796 song and then you will all go off on your own. 0:10:51.916 --> 0:10:55.676 And is it obvious to what your piece of it is. Well, 0:10:55.716 --> 0:10:57.796 sometimes we'll arrange in person and then we're kind of 0:10:57.876 --> 0:11:00.956 learning it as we're arranging it. But then more often 0:11:00.996 --> 0:11:03.156 we'll just kind of have ideas and then arrange it 0:11:03.156 --> 0:11:04.796 with our arranger, and then we have sheet music and 0:11:04.796 --> 0:11:06.676 then like a MIDI track for each of us. I'll 0:11:06.716 --> 0:11:08.356 just kind of learn our part. You can hear their 0:11:08.396 --> 0:11:11.636 parts the MIDI track, and then we'll just kind of 0:11:11.636 --> 0:11:14.876 come having it learned. We'll be back with more from 0:11:14.876 --> 0:11:25.316 Pentatonics after this break. We're back with more Pentatonics and 0:11:25.356 --> 0:11:29.156 a question from my co host this episode, journalist Daisy Rosario. 0:11:30.676 --> 0:11:33.236 From beginning to end, let's say, if you weren't touring, 0:11:33.276 --> 0:11:35.676 if you weren't doing everything, but you were just preparing 0:11:36.116 --> 0:11:39.676 between purposely trying to pick some songs, creating the arrangements, 0:11:39.716 --> 0:11:44.476 then learning. How long is that process? I think, once again, 0:11:44.716 --> 0:11:48.116 it really depends. It depends on our timeline. It depends 0:11:48.196 --> 0:11:50.716 on how focused we are on the project. Compare you know, 0:11:50.756 --> 0:11:52.716 if we're on tour, it might take us longer because 0:11:52.716 --> 0:11:54.796 we want to save our voices. I remember, we actually 0:11:54.836 --> 0:11:57.996 did evolution of music, or at least the pre arrangement 0:11:58.036 --> 0:11:59.796 of it. And when we say pre arrangement, it means 0:11:59.796 --> 0:12:02.156 picking the songs, kind of getting rough ideas of what 0:12:02.196 --> 0:12:05.676 the song is gonna sound like. I mean, I truly 0:12:05.716 --> 0:12:08.356 believe though, if you were, like you have completely free time, 0:12:08.356 --> 0:12:10.036 how long would it take? We could do an entire 0:12:10.076 --> 0:12:12.076 song in a day? Yeah, I agree with that. If 0:12:12.076 --> 0:12:13.676 we got it in the morning and picked the song 0:12:13.756 --> 0:12:15.876 and then arranged it's been that would take a few hours, 0:12:16.116 --> 0:12:18.076 and then each record our part or like learn it. 0:12:18.116 --> 0:12:19.396 I feel like we could do it in a day. Yea. 0:12:20.556 --> 0:12:23.916 How does decision making work in your in your group? 0:12:24.876 --> 0:12:27.156 It's actually really cool and organic and we we uh, 0:12:27.716 --> 0:12:29.476 we just all just bring an idea when we have it, 0:12:29.556 --> 0:12:31.316 and we talk about it and we're all inspired and 0:12:31.356 --> 0:12:33.796 you can feel the momentum, then we just go with it. 0:12:34.196 --> 0:12:36.476 But there's no like voting process or anything, and you 0:12:36.476 --> 0:12:38.596 don't have because you have no It's not like the 0:12:38.676 --> 0:12:41.596 Rolling Stones, where like Mick is saying we're doing this 0:12:41.676 --> 0:12:45.956 and everyone else is and Ron Wood is saying, okay, yeah, 0:12:45.996 --> 0:12:49.916 it's pretty definite. Yeah, And if you see multiple members excited, 0:12:49.956 --> 0:12:51.916 even if you're not as inspired, you'll be like, Okay, 0:12:51.956 --> 0:12:54.516 let's go with it because they're excited, and then see 0:12:54.516 --> 0:12:56.356 where it goes. Do you have five of you? Do 0:12:56.396 --> 0:12:59.996 you have? Do you have very divergent tastes in music? 0:13:00.276 --> 0:13:03.116 For sure? Yeah, tell me a little bit about what 0:13:03.156 --> 0:13:06.556 the kind of span is actually bad? Why did you start? 0:13:07.476 --> 0:13:09.076 I grew up on a lot of music theater like 0:13:09.196 --> 0:13:11.316 some of us, but I also grew up in like 0:13:11.756 --> 0:13:14.516 gospel music, in contemporary Christian music, Like I was the 0:13:14.516 --> 0:13:16.276 only allowed to listen to that growing up for a 0:13:16.316 --> 0:13:19.396 little bit. And then then I evolved into musical theater 0:13:19.516 --> 0:13:20.916 and then kind of jazz. I went to work at 0:13:20.916 --> 0:13:22.476 College of Music, so it was a lot of jazz 0:13:22.676 --> 0:13:25.116 in that school, and so I have a really eclectic 0:13:25.436 --> 0:13:30.756 amount of different types of music that I like and enjoy. Yeah, 0:13:30.796 --> 0:13:32.316 I would say mine is pretty eclectic as well. I 0:13:32.316 --> 0:13:35.076 grew up on musical theater, and then I've been listening 0:13:35.116 --> 0:13:38.236 to like singer songwriters like Sarah Brellis, and I grew 0:13:38.316 --> 0:13:39.876 up on like Regina Spector and then you know, all 0:13:39.876 --> 0:13:43.556 the pop female side as well. And I listened to 0:13:43.636 --> 0:13:45.556 some electronic music here and there, like James Blake I 0:13:45.596 --> 0:13:50.716 really love. Yeah. I started in musical theater as well actually, 0:13:51.396 --> 0:13:53.596 and was really really big into that and soundtracks. And 0:13:54.156 --> 0:13:58.636 I think, uh, that's where my pitch accuracy came from, 0:13:58.796 --> 0:14:02.076 is because I would always emulate musical theater actors, actresses 0:14:02.076 --> 0:14:03.996 and they you know, that's like a big part of 0:14:04.076 --> 0:14:06.116 musical theater that I really appreciated is that they were 0:14:06.156 --> 0:14:08.676 all very very precise and pitch accurate. And then I 0:14:08.716 --> 0:14:13.516 moved on to electronic music and specifically using vocals and 0:14:13.556 --> 0:14:16.476 electronic music and cutting them up and using them as 0:14:16.476 --> 0:14:20.596 instruments and and yeah, I still haven't I still haven't 0:14:20.596 --> 0:14:22.116 gotten out of that. That's that's the genre that I 0:14:22.116 --> 0:14:26.916 think really inspires me the most. Yeah, I like I 0:14:26.996 --> 0:14:30.476 like anything with harmony. I also grew up doing musical theater. 0:14:30.516 --> 0:14:34.436 That's how we all. Matt and I love pop R 0:14:34.476 --> 0:14:36.956 and B. That's like what I listened to Beyonce and 0:14:37.036 --> 0:14:40.796 Ariana Grande and Jasmine Sullivan. Anything where it's like pleasurable 0:14:40.916 --> 0:14:44.716 chords and like happy sounding music but with soulful vocals. 0:14:44.556 --> 0:14:48.196 It's really my vibe. Yeah. For myself, I grew up 0:14:48.236 --> 0:14:52.556 on classical music. I played cello and so because that's 0:14:52.756 --> 0:14:56.236 all kind of like him. My parents are very heavily Christian, 0:14:56.316 --> 0:14:58.516 so that's what we could only listen to in the house. 0:14:58.596 --> 0:15:01.876 That and then this radio station called Delilah. There's just 0:15:01.916 --> 0:15:06.796 a lot of soft pop that's literally like all my delia. Yeah, 0:15:06.516 --> 0:15:09.396 that's what we listen to all the time. And then 0:15:09.476 --> 0:15:11.756 when I kind of went to boarding school and then college, 0:15:11.756 --> 0:15:14.876 that's when I started learning about more like contemporary pop 0:15:14.996 --> 0:15:17.316 music and I started to just take as much of 0:15:17.316 --> 0:15:19.516 it and as I possibly can. Were you also involved 0:15:19.516 --> 0:15:22.436 in musical theater and no, I wasn't. Literally we just 0:15:22.476 --> 0:15:25.036 did this Wicked special and that's when I kind of 0:15:25.116 --> 0:15:27.676 was really my first Forriento musical theater because I didn't 0:15:27.676 --> 0:15:31.156 really know much about it and so but it's truly amazing, 0:15:31.196 --> 0:15:33.476 like the things that these people do. Oh my gosh, 0:15:34.236 --> 0:15:38.796 So what is it about? Since four four to five 0:15:38.836 --> 0:15:44.276 of you eight Pentatonics comes out of musical theater. What 0:15:44.436 --> 0:15:48.116 is it specifically about that world that prepares you for 0:15:48.636 --> 0:15:51.316 a cappella singing. Would you have been as adept at 0:15:51.316 --> 0:15:52.716 what you do if you would all have just been 0:15:52.716 --> 0:15:56.596 in bands in high school? I think it obviously there's 0:15:56.596 --> 0:16:01.316 a certain theatrical aspect, and I think acapella I don't 0:16:01.356 --> 0:16:02.996 know what it is. I don't know if if a 0:16:02.996 --> 0:16:06.356 cappella singers just feel like they have to what's the 0:16:06.356 --> 0:16:09.116 word I'm looking for, not compromise, but they have to 0:16:09.196 --> 0:16:12.476 sort of prove themselves as performers without backing tracks or 0:16:12.476 --> 0:16:14.236 instruments or anything like that. So it's become a very 0:16:14.236 --> 0:16:17.996 performative art and also just takes accuracy, and it takes 0:16:18.036 --> 0:16:20.196 accurately don't have any inments behind you, so if someone 0:16:20.236 --> 0:16:23.156 if you're flat, then it's like extremely noticeable. And so 0:16:23.196 --> 0:16:26.236 I think that in musical theater it's all about pitch accuracy. 0:16:26.316 --> 0:16:28.596 That's like like those are the best singers in the world. 0:16:28.676 --> 0:16:30.916 And it's very emotional too, and that's something we all 0:16:30.996 --> 0:16:34.196 really show emotion. I also think it takes a lot 0:16:34.236 --> 0:16:36.716 of hard work to be doing eight shows a week. 0:16:36.756 --> 0:16:39.716 I was very fortunate to being Kinky boot taller this year, 0:16:40.076 --> 0:16:42.636 and I learned so many like tricks of the trade 0:16:42.636 --> 0:16:44.636 from all these people that I was in the cast with, 0:16:44.716 --> 0:16:46.836 and I took all of that with me into our 0:16:46.916 --> 0:16:49.076 summer tour and onto this tour as well, and just 0:16:49.116 --> 0:16:51.196 everyone is just an amazing workout that they know when 0:16:51.236 --> 0:16:52.796 to say no, they know how to take care of 0:16:52.796 --> 0:16:56.076 their body, and I just it's just really inspiring because 0:16:56.116 --> 0:16:57.516 you think, like, you know, we go on a tour, 0:16:57.756 --> 0:16:59.756 a two and a half month tour or this tour 0:16:59.796 --> 0:17:01.676 and you know, this Christmas tour, and they can be 0:17:01.716 --> 0:17:03.956 so grueling, but these people are doing it all year long, 0:17:04.036 --> 0:17:06.916 like there is no stop and they get one day 0:17:06.916 --> 0:17:08.636 off and yes they can call out, you know, they 0:17:08.636 --> 0:17:11.276 can take a but that is that is their life, 0:17:11.316 --> 0:17:13.876 their entire time. So it takes a lot of work out. 0:17:13.916 --> 0:17:16.356 That they have families, they have you know, So I 0:17:16.396 --> 0:17:19.916 think that's something also just really beautiful about the craft. Yeah, 0:17:20.036 --> 0:17:23.956 does does see curious about the relationship you have to 0:17:23.996 --> 0:17:29.636 your audience. Does the when you do something that's really 0:17:30.236 --> 0:17:33.436 difficult in demanding that you're really proud of pulling off, 0:17:33.916 --> 0:17:36.556 do you think your audience realizes how hard it is? 0:17:36.676 --> 0:17:38.756 Do they are they are. They do you think you're 0:17:39.116 --> 0:17:41.956 appreciated by the casual listener, like the craft of it? 0:17:42.556 --> 0:17:44.876 I think they do. I think they do realize how 0:17:44.916 --> 0:17:46.836 difficult it is and appreciate it. I think that they 0:17:46.876 --> 0:17:50.476 appreciate more when it feels emotional, whether it's difficult or not. 0:17:50.596 --> 0:17:52.396 I think they respond more to the emotion of the 0:17:52.516 --> 0:17:55.836 arrangement than like the complexities. But I do think, especially 0:17:55.916 --> 0:18:00.436 the nerdier acapella lovers really like we also arrange for that. 0:18:00.596 --> 0:18:04.036 We make sure that we have specific quote unquote impressive 0:18:04.076 --> 0:18:07.436 moments in our songs so people will be like, oh, wow, acapella, 0:18:07.476 --> 0:18:10.316 I forgot they're doing it live, you know. Yeah, yeah, 0:18:10.396 --> 0:18:15.596 I'm thinking of the Bahamian Rhapsody, which is like, you 0:18:15.596 --> 0:18:17.676 don't have to know anyth about music. You watch your 0:18:17.876 --> 0:18:19.356 video of you guys doing that, You're like, oh, this 0:18:19.476 --> 0:18:22.596 is something amazing is going on here, and I don't know, 0:18:22.636 --> 0:18:24.596 you know, So it is kind of in that case, 0:18:24.596 --> 0:18:26.916 it really because the song, I guess is so actually 0:18:26.956 --> 0:18:29.036 talk about that song? That song is I might write 0:18:29.036 --> 0:18:31.596 the song is that about? Its demanding a piece of 0:18:31.676 --> 0:18:37.676 music to do? Is sure that one's really hard? Did 0:18:37.716 --> 0:18:41.036 you feel like you were taking a risk by trying it. Yes, 0:18:41.916 --> 0:18:43.316 we were afraid of it for a couple of years, 0:18:43.396 --> 0:18:45.116 put it off for six years. We talked about doing 0:18:45.116 --> 0:18:48.316 it for wow six years. Yeah. Yeah, But I think 0:18:48.316 --> 0:18:51.276 you touched on something that's really important, that it really 0:18:51.516 --> 0:18:55.036 the song matters that much, especially for the casual listener, 0:18:55.036 --> 0:18:57.436 because I think a lot of our fans are music lovers, 0:18:57.436 --> 0:18:59.716 so they do appreciate a lot of what we do intricately. 0:19:00.076 --> 0:19:01.636 But the thing is, we also want to reach a 0:19:01.676 --> 0:19:03.556 wider fan base, So I think it's so important that 0:19:03.556 --> 0:19:05.596 the song choice is so important so that people listen 0:19:05.636 --> 0:19:07.756 to it. They say, I don't even care or know 0:19:07.876 --> 0:19:09.956 that it's a cappella. I care that this is a 0:19:09.956 --> 0:19:12.036 song that they're doing and it it makes me feel 0:19:12.076 --> 0:19:14.396 so good, and I would like to listen to them more. 0:19:14.476 --> 0:19:16.596 So I think song choice for that reason is so 0:19:16.596 --> 0:19:20.196 important to us. We Can we do a little Can 0:19:20.236 --> 0:19:22.676 we break down Bohemian rhapsty for a moment here? Sure? 0:19:23.476 --> 0:19:27.116 Because I'm curious about Uh. First of all, there's so 0:19:27.196 --> 0:19:30.396 much going on in that song, and I'm curious to 0:19:30.476 --> 0:19:33.356 know what you think of as being the most interesting 0:19:34.356 --> 0:19:36.876 parts of that song from your perspective. I think the 0:19:36.916 --> 0:19:40.156 middle section of it, the Galileo. That whole part is 0:19:40.236 --> 0:19:43.876 very interesting because there's dueling choirs, but we have two backgrounds, 0:19:45.116 --> 0:19:46.796 so we're literally like, let them go, let me go. 0:19:46.836 --> 0:19:48.796 I love it. We're singing all these parts, and it's 0:19:48.836 --> 0:19:50.756 it's almost a little bit ridiculous, Like if you heard 0:19:50.796 --> 0:19:52.916 one of us singing our part, it would be hilarious, 0:19:52.916 --> 0:19:59.596 but we would like my word, will let you go, 0:19:59.756 --> 0:20:02.796 let me go, will not let you go, let me go, 0:20:03.316 --> 0:20:07.316 let you go, never, never, never, Like that's what I'm doing, 0:20:08.396 --> 0:20:12.916 like way higher, screaming these parts. As as you're doing that, 0:20:13.956 --> 0:20:16.236 can you give you individually do what you're doing. When 0:20:16.236 --> 0:20:18.076 he's doing that, it's pretty much the same we're doing. 0:20:20.036 --> 0:20:24.316 We will not let you let me go. Yeah, and 0:20:24.436 --> 0:20:26.276 you're like trying to catch a breath at any moment 0:20:26.316 --> 0:20:30.316 you can't let it let you go. Do you wonder 0:20:30.876 --> 0:20:32.676 how I Every time I heard that song, all I 0:20:32.716 --> 0:20:34.836 can think of is, how on earth did this song 0:20:34.916 --> 0:20:39.756 get written? Like the movie? And I was like every 0:20:39.756 --> 0:20:41.956 single song, I'm like, yeah, I kind of create a genius. 0:20:42.556 --> 0:20:44.996 It's so it's bananas. It's like it comes from a 0:20:45.036 --> 0:20:50.236 different musical universe. Is that what is that. What are 0:20:50.276 --> 0:20:52.276 the songs you've done that you feel have been kind 0:20:52.276 --> 0:20:55.676 of breakthrough? Did he know? Is what launched our first 0:20:55.756 --> 0:21:00.556 Christmas album? And then Hallelujah was huge? Can you talk? 0:21:00.636 --> 0:21:04.956 So it's funny you mentioned Alujah. I did a one 0:21:04.996 --> 0:21:07.116 of my podcast episodes of my other podcast, I did 0:21:07.116 --> 0:21:10.956 a whole episode devoted to that song, talking about all 0:21:10.996 --> 0:21:14.076 of the different versions over the years. It took twenty 0:21:14.156 --> 0:21:17.956 years to emerge. The original version is so different from 0:21:17.956 --> 0:21:20.476 what we associate. You know, we think of the of 0:21:20.476 --> 0:21:22.476