Pentatonix (PTX) is an a cappella group from Arlington, Texas consisting of five vocalists. PTX formed in 2011 and made their fame the same year by winning NBC’s show “The Sing-Off.” They also have their own YouTube channel with 10 million subscribers and more than a billion views accumulative. Since then, they have released seven albums and have two Grammy wins under their belt. In “Pitch Perfect 2,” they had a cameo role as the Canadian team in the World Championship of A Cappella. Pentatonix also released a documentary about their journey titled “On My Way Home.” The Bite had a chance to chat with Mitch, one of the members of the group, before their show on April 14 at the CFE Arena.
How did your group come up with the name Pentatonix?
The Pentatonic scale is a five-note scale that’s used in mostly pop music, but R&B also. We have five members, so we thought it was kind of fitting.
Did family and friends encourage your decision of having a career in music or did you ever have anyone tell you were crazy for trying to make it in such a cut-throat business?
Actually, my parents were always really supportive of me. My endeavors for the city I lived in were untraditional because everybody was like “You have to go to college” and “You have to do something academic,” but I didn’t really want to! Before “The Sing-Off” I was just going to move to Austin, Texas and become a starving artist and work my way up, but thankfully “The Sing-Off” paid off.
What has been your favorite song to perform and why?
We just posted a cover of Meghan Trainor’s “NO” and that’s been one of my favorites to perform this year. It’s so fun, but I also love doing the “Daft Punk” medley as well because it means a lot to us, and it’s the song that won us our first Grammy. I feel like it’s everybody’s favorite too.
When did your career in singing begin?
Honestly, with Pentatonix. I didn’t really do anything professionally until then.
What are some goals you have for later albums?
I want to bring in some more collabs because I love collaborating with other musicians. Our next single is “If I Ever Fall in Love” with Jason Derulo, and it was an amazing experience. He was such a professional and I would love to work with more talented people like him.
We understand you guys spend a lot of time together touring. Do you have any funny jokes or interesting stories?
There is always something weird going down. Last year on April Fool’s Day, it was the last show of the Europe tour and everybody was pranking each other. I don’t even remember what happened, but I was so anxious the entire time because I felt like everybody was out to get me, so hopefully we won’t be doing that for a while!
Where has been your favorite place to perform and why?
I would say Japan because our fans are the most intense there and very dedicated. They were the sweetest and most respectful audience ever.
While performing, how do you and the rest of the band engage with the audience?
It’s about energy, enjoying yourself on the stage and connecting with them by making eye contact and making sure they’re having fun as well. That’s the best part honestly–interacting with fans while on stage and after the show. They’re the best fan base.
What was like to be in Pitch Perfect 2?
It was incredible! It was actually a really short day; we flew in at 3 PM and we were just on set, rehearsed, and sung and then we were done at around 3 AM. It was a long day, but it went by quickly. It’s just amazing to see how much goes into a major motion picture, and it was cool to work alongside the stars as well.
Lastly, describe your sound in 3 words.
Futuristic, pop, vocal.
