Listening to a song by the artist Pentatonix for the first time, you might be surprised to discover that the entire song has no instruments what-so-ever. That’s because, prior to PTX, a cappella (singing without instrumental accompaniment) was mostly reserved for “Gleeks” (but let’s be real; you can’t deny that you haven’t jammed alongside the "Glee" version of “Don’t Stop Believing” at some point in your life). Now in 2016, it isn’t uncommon to hear two Pentatonix originals, “Can’t Sleep Love” and “Daft Punk,” on the local radio station.
What’s the amazing thing about this a cappella phenomenon? Each of their soundtracks are recorded with just their voices. That’s right, no electric guitar, drums or auto tune. Beatboxer Kevin Olusola takes over this section, perfectly mimicking drums, a bass guitar and even a trumpet with his vocal cords alone. Who said a cover of “Trumpets” needed an actual instrument to produce that jazzy melody that won’t get out of our heads? (I still haven’t forgiven you for that Jason Derulo.)
After winning NBC’s annual a cappella competition “The Sing-Off,” the five vocalists from Arlington, Texas took off in the pop music industry and never looked back. The key to their success was dominating social media. One of the most subscribed YouTube music channels, the PTX official channel has over 10 million subscribers.
Two Grammy’s, a world tour with Kelly Clarkson and a highest-charting holiday album later, Pentatonix has transformed a cappella into a global sensation. In 2015 the group landed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with their newest self-titled album, marking the first for any a cappella group.
It’s amazing how much can be accomplished with just a dream and your vocal cords.
