The shots of the night sky are a tribute to Queen drummer, Dr. Brian May (an astrophysicist), and the 4 shooting stars represent the 4 members of Queen. It's so good not only because of the talents of PTX, but the respect they display for the original song and Queen. BTW they perform this live on stage in concert...
If you really want your mind blown, watch their Daft Punk Medley, it’s impossible to believe it’s just their voices! Other than that ANYTHING they do is absolutely amazing. The list of recommendations is just too long for this section, but you can’t find a bad one, and their live stuff is just as good. They say if they can’t do it live they won’t do it at all!
Daft Pink is definitely one that will blow your mind, and if you really want your mind blown you need to check out the video of them performing that one live
It took PTX years to get the courage to cover this. They have so much respect for the song that they were terrified of not doing it justice. It was worth the wait.
When PTX first released this cover, Brian May posted it to his social media with a one word endorsement, "Enjoy!" Can't get any higher praise than that!
Yeah, that was the guy doing lead playing guitar with his mouth, and the black guy was a full drum kit with cymbals, and the guy with the dark long hair was a bass guitar and wind chimes. Those were all vocal performances. And yes they actually did that. There is a live performance of this song where that becomes obvious. That megaphone is a prop and nothing more. He is producing that sound with his voice alone. The same with all the other sound effects you hear. If you don't see an instrument, but you hear an instrument, that's entirely their voices producing the sound.
When Mitch does the guitar solo with the loudspeaker it's not on, it's a prop, when done live its just his voice, it's amazibg. This group are at the top of their game, I'm sure who will now go down the pentatonix rabbit hole, and become a pentaholic. Welcome.
I went to their concert last September in Washington State. I swear, it sounded EXACTLY the same live. They are one of the most phenomenal groups in the world.
Just saw them live 2 months ago - this is one of their encores - just as good live!!! Whether or not you are a full blown Pentaholic, do yourself a huge favor and go see them perform!!!! Great reaction.
I am seriously SO in love with your reaction to this video. It is an AMAZING cover and I was so impressed with how they paid homage to Queen throughout the song. I love that they have 4 shooting stars in the sky seen for each band member. ❤
For an idea of how they sound live, I recommend their Popspring 2016 concert. 3 of their original songs and the Evolution of Michael Jackson. It's almost 15 minutes, but well worth it. Loved the reaction. You do you, dude!
You obviously really enjoyed this rendition of Queen's iconic song. Dr.Brian May, lead guitar of Queen also enjoyed it and posted it on his social media, simply saying, "Enjoy!" I see you noticed those arpeggio notes ( also called bell tones) and PTX excels at using them. They do this performance live in lots of concerts...and Mitch never uses that megaphone. It was just a prop he found on set and though it would be fun to use. He doesn't actually need it to be a guitar. There were a couple of Easter Eggs in the video: The shot of the shooting stars is a tribute to Dr Brian May who has his doctorate in astrophysics. The shot of them all sprawled on the couch is a nod to the cover art of the Queen album, Sheer Heart attack. The couch itself is a dig at themselves...a few weeks after winning a record contract with Sony, Sony cancelled it ( because they didn't think they could successfully market an acapella group...they were SOOOO wrong!) and so the group would get together on one of the couch's in their apartments and record themselves singing a cover and post it on RUclips. They did gain a LOT of fans and patrons...and eventually another record contract. The fact that the couch is moving is a nod to Wayne's World where the guys put Bohemian Rhapsody on in the car and made it famous all over again. If you're interested, there is a BTS video of the making of this video.
First of all, your reaction was priceless. We Pentaholics thrive on the mind blown, jaw sagging look on reactor's faces. PTX are on a level all their own and the amazing thing is that just when you deep down believe they have given the ultimate performance of their lives.....you discover your wrong. Surprise, Pentatonix just outdid themselves and you have already exhausted your vocabulary of words of praise and appreciation. Their catalog is huge, their styles endless - to match their creativity and talent. Please jump down the rabbit hole and we all will take the unbelievable journey with you. Pentaholics live to share everything they know about PTX and welcome every new reactor they find and for us, the journey never gets old. So let's get started❤️🧡💚💙💜
I have watched COUNTLESS reactions to PTX as well as HF and VP, and this, BY FAR, is my absolute favorite reaction to this song!!!!! Loved it! ❤ I liken watching reactors to riding a roller coaster. There's a thrill the first several times you experience it, but you get to enjoy it again through new eyes when you talk your friends into riding it for their first time, and you sit them in the front with you right behind them so you can watch their faces... because YOU KNOW WHAT IS COMING AROUND THE NEXT BEND! ❤️❤️❤️
A little long, but gives you a great break-down:- Pentatonix They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that. The founding members are:- Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”. Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease); Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese). Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theater. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on RUclips, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings. Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma. While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition. They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his RUclips videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing". Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours! They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on RUclips), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building. But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an a cappella group could sell records. Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on RUclips, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live. Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers. But when their cove r of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label. They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys. Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry. Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group. If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently. After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre. Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. A good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/ Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work. Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place. They have Grammy wins for Daft Punk Medley, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jolene featuring Dolly Parton. They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win. Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET! They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only a capella group with a star! They came 3rd in the 2023 Masked Singer performing as "California Rolls" being unmasked in May 23. Things you need to know because if you get these wrong Pentaholics will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!! 1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to. 2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album. 3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
Oh man... taking on Bohemian Rhapsody as your first introduction to Pentatonix? You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself... that's a dive into the deep end, the best of the best!
I'm a great fan of Pentatonix--we call ourselves Pentaholics--and I really enjoyed this reaction. You will probably hear from more of us. Keep the Pntatonix coming!
Welcome the world of the Pentaholics! You’ve just discovered why Pentatonix (or PTX) is the first, and so far only, a capella group to every get a grammy (they now have three) and the first to get a Hollywood star. They worked on this cover for FIVE YEARS, because they wanted it to be perfect. Proving your point about how hard this song is to cover. So, when they are all sitting on the couch - On the far left is Kirstin Maldonado, mezzo-soprano. Next to her (our lead singer in this one) is Mitch Grassi who is a counter-tenor, which is actually the rarest male voice as he can sing into the soprano range. On the end is Scott Hoying who sings baritone and sometimes bass. Those three have been friends since middle school and have been singing together for most of their lives. In the front is Avi Kaplan (pronounced Ah-vee with a soft a-sound). He has the second rarest male voice and is a counter-bass, which means he can sing deeper than most basses. He has left the group since this and now has an AMAZING solo career. You should definitely check out his stuff. He has been replaced in the group by Matt Sallee, who you will see in their more recent videos. And last but DEFINITELY not least is the hidden treasure of the group. Kevin Olusola is their beatboxer. He also sings tenor, performed in Carnegie Hall twice before ever hooking up with PTX (once as a cello soloist and once as a saxophone soloist), and created the art of cello-boxing, playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time. He’s also a graduate of Yale and speaks fluent Mandarin, because of course. He has some solo stuff out as well that will blow your mind. From here you NEED to check out their covers of ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Imagine’ (that one will make you cry), and absolutely don’t miss ‘Daft Punk’, which won them their first grammy.
Pentatonix is the Rolls Royce of A Cappella. They will take on any genre of music, and have. Don' forget, Queen never did that middle part of this song live.
You look like you have been ridden hard and put away wet. That is by far the best reaction I have seen. If you are sweating like that from listening, imagine how they feel after performing it. 😂😂😂
Pentatonix Bohemian Rhapsody Insights: So, some things to know about this cover and video: -It took PTX years to get the arrangement to where they felt they could do the original masterpiece justice. -The cover, and especially the video, was meant to be an homage to Queen. Some of the moments paying respect were: The mono-recording of the line "easy come, easy go" followed by the panning of the voices from left to right on the line "little high, little low" (which is how the original was recorded), obviously the flashlights being used to mimic the lighting on the operatic part of the original video, the four shooting stars to represent the four members of Queen, as well as acknowledge the fact that Dr. Brian May is an astrophysicist, and the overhead shot of them lying on the couch is to represent the Sheer Heart Attack album cover. -The megaphone was just a prop. It is not needed to reproduce the electric guitar distortion. -PTX can, and does, perform this live with no backing track...something even Queen and the Great Freddie Mercury could not do. -Freddy once said he didn't care what people did with his music as long as they "...don't make it boring, darling!", so I think he would absolutely approve. -The overall video--with the "living room" and couch--is an homage to Pentatonix's own journey as a group. They lost their record deal right after winning the Sing Off and moving to LA, so they started putting out videos on RUclips, performing covers. They would sit on the couch in Kevin (beatboxer) and Avi's (bass) living room and just record themselves on Mitch's (counter tenor who took the lead on this song) iPad. Some of their earliest videos went viral and they eventually were able to secure a new deal, record an EP, go on tour, release chart-topping albums and win three Grammy awards...so they moved out of the living room and down this new, unknown road. At the end of the day, though, they're still the same choir-nerds they've always been; just happy to sit together on a couch and sing. Also when Brian Mays heard it... then he posted it on his web site with the word "ENJOY”.
I agree, Pentatonix is so good, separately and together. There are so many great songs to hear: Daft Punk (Grammy winner), Hallelujah, The Prayer, Imagine and Mad World for easy starters. If you want more Bohemian Rhapsody though, an equally good group (which I had thought was impossible) is Forestella. Forestella is a South Korean crossover male quartet known (justifiably) as The Kings Of Harmony. Well worth a reaction.
love that panning in the audio too! It's crazy how much goes on in PTX songs with just the 5 of them. Brian May when he saw this posted on his site, "Enjoy" Great, fun reaction man! added: simply 5 of the most talented peeps there are.
Pentatonix History…..composed by Alan Freeman They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that. The founding members are:- Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”. Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease); Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese). Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theater. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on RUclips, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings. Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma. While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition. They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his RUclips videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing". Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours! They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on RUclips), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building. But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an acappella group could sell records. Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on RUclips, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live. Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers. But when their cover of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label. They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys. Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry. Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group. If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently. After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre. Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/ Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work. Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place. They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win. Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET! They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only acapella group with a star! Things you need to know because if you get these wrong “Pentaholics” will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!! 1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to. 2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album. 3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
I loved your reaction and as a Pentaholic of 12 years standing I've subscribed because i think you are going to LOVE the Pentatonix rabbit hole! They are simply the best a cappella band in the world in my opinion. They have three Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They have a huge catalogue so hundreds of songs for you to enjoy. They cover lots of different music styles including pop, rock, EDM, hip hop, rap, musical theatre, world music and even a bit of country (they won their third Grammy for a collab with Dolly Parton on a cover of Jolene). There really is something for everyone! Brian May loves this cover. It took them six years before they made it because they wanted to do it justice. They sound exactly the same singing this, and all their songs, live and Mitch does the guitar solo just with his mouth - the megaphone was just a prop for the video! They are best known for their covers (their cover of Hallelujah has over 700 MILLION views on RUclips!) and their Christmas music but their originals are incredible too and much under-rated. As a PTX newbie, I would always suggest their Daft Punk medley which won them their first Grammy. In fact the Grammy's created a category so they could win it with this one. The video was filmed in the kitchen of two of the band members - Kevin and Avi - for around $400 using just a ring light and some blue contact lenses (a visor for Kevin whose eyes were too irritated by the contacts!) It's incredible and alongside this Bohemian Rhapsody cover probably the best a cappella arrangement ever made in my view. Also try Hallelujah for a stunning ballad. There is a 'Mitch-slap' in that one. That's what we call it when people react to Mitch's incredible high tenor, otherworldly angelic voice! Mitch is the dark haired singer who took most of the lead on this one. A quick run down of the group. The tall, blonde baritone is Scott. The beatboxer (he also sings tenor and plays the cello and saxaphone) is Kevin, the girl is Kirstin (known as Kirstie, rhymes with 'thirsty') and the bass here is Avi. They have only had one member change since they formed in 2012 for the a capella contest the Sing-Off. Their bass, Avi left amicably in 2017 for personal reasons (his mum was very sick and he couldn't cope with the band's hectic schedule). He was replaced by Matt Sallee - who is also phenomenal. If you watch anything since 2017, e.g. The Sound of Silence, it will be Matt rather than Avi though you may think they have changed band members because Mitch and Kirstie change their looks up a lot! Scott, Mitch and Kirstie have known each other since they were 8 and 10 years old respectively growing up in Arlington, Texas. They sang together as 'the trio' in high school. They are super close. Pentatonix won the third season of the Sing-off (the trio had found Kevin and Avi by then as they needed at least five members) and the prize was a Sony record contract. Unfortunately Sony dropped them after a couple of weeks because they had decided a cappella wasnt marketable. PTX went it alone and started their own RUclips channel. 12 years, billions of subscribers, many best selling albums, three Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later and PTX proved Sony so wrong! A few years later Sony did resign them on their prestigious RCA label and the rest is history. They don't sing anything in the studio that they can't sing live and with the exception of a few songs where Kevin 'cello-boxes' (i.e. plays the cello while beatboxing!) and when they collab with violinist Lindsey Stirling, they don't use any instruments. They don't have a lead singer as such, as they change the lead according to who is best to sing any one individual song. Sometimes (like with Hallelujah) they will all, bar Kevin, sing a verse. Scott probably has most leads though, followed by Mitch and Kirstie, then Avi/Matt. Kevin doesn't sing the lead on songs but he does sing on about 10 per cent of the songs as well as beat box. Really anything they do is amazing. If you like more live stuff watch their 'Evolution of' videos. They do these medleys in one take just sitting in front of a camera. They have done Beyonce, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Ariana Grande and a general music one. If you like 90s songs watch their 90s dance medley. If you like EDM, e.g. their Daft Punk medley, watch their original Love again. It's Incredible and the video has a cool alien Steampunk vibe. Also their original 'Sing' is a real bop and features their fans and some of their famous friends! If you keep watching and enjoying them the Pentaholics will come to your channel as we're a loyal bunch and we love seeing people discover Pentatonix. Enjoy!
Great reaction! I’m afraid that you’re in for a lot more jaw dropping moments. I carry a pillow around when I hear their new music. I recommend their Daft Punk Medley, or 90s dance medley, as your next listen, DPM Is the one that won them their first Grammy Award. You may also want to check out the live stream they did from the Hollywood Bowl. This show was just after they received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You’ll love it.
Mind blowing for sure!!! Since you have a Beatles shirt on, I would recommend you do their Imagine cover by John Lennon. It is incredibly amazing. You will love it. Too goood!!!! Towards the end of the song it swells so big it just blows m
as a pentaholic, we say they don't do covers, they do upgrades!!!!! Mary did you know, Daft Punk medley, 90's medley, the prayer, just to mention a few...
Jaw-dropping😂😂😂!!!! They can literally take any song and with their migical spin they put on it... you can simply watch them open mouth!❤️ thank you so much for this..much appreciated ❤️
They never disappoint. Welcome to PTX world. They are all so talented and together they are a force of greatness. Check out their huge catalog and pick a song. Not a bad one in the bunch. We fans are called Pentaholics and welcome
Welcome to the PTX world of a cappella. They are the ones who really changed the face of "A Cappella" and brought it into a legit "Genre". I didn't really like Queen in their prime days but after hearing this version I became obsessed with learning more about Queen, and now I love their music. Pentatonix IS the #1 A Cappella group today, in my opinion. It is amazing what just five members can do when they are so tight and synchronized. And to stay this tight for over 6 minutes of a song is pure MASTERY ! I swear Mitch IS Freddie reincarnated. It took me a really long time to digest this one, had to watch/ listen to it about ten times. It brought me to tears, then laughter, then wonder, then amazement, then confusion, then dumbfounded and brain fry then right back to tears and started all over again. So don't feel confused, because NO ONE is really ever "ready" for this one. They have so many other songs that will do the same thing too. 🤯🤯 So keep 'em comin' and ENJOY !!!
They're amazing!!! I was really hesitant because this song is an icon, all by itself. I grew up listening to it by Queen. PTX really did it respectfully and amazingly! Also at the beginning when the sound went to one ear than the other, that was how Queen did it too. 😊
They are still doing this live. Saw them do it in August at their concert. You are in for a treat with everything they do. You might want to cover one of their originals, Love Again. I think you would enjoy it. Also New Rules x Are you that Somebody. Actually anything. They are all wonderful.
These guys are just flippin amazing alien unicorns! It took them 5 years to feel ready to do this song and to do it the justice that it deserves. They are all massive Queen fans. Brian May, lead guitarist from Queen, heard this song when it came out and posted a link to his socials with the one word comment 'Enjoy!' I feel like that is giving Queen's Seal of Approval right there! They also inserted a lot of references and easter eggs into this video in tribute to the original video - which by the way, if you haven't seen - you should probably check it out! Queen couldn't perform this song live because of all the layering they did in post! And not only can Pentatonix do this Live, but the Mitch Grassi Guitar has no need for a Megaphone. Mitch just saw it lying around the set and decided to use it to draw attention to who was doing the guitar solo part - the megaphone was not on, Mitch can do this live! The couch is in reference to their beginning videos where they recorded themselves on various of theirs couches to post onto RUclips after they were dropped by Sony because they didn't think that Acapella would be popular enough to sell records. It is also a tip of the hat to Wayne's World movie scene with the car and head banging to this song which brought in a whole new generation to Queen's music! The part where Mitch is laying on the couch is in reference to Freddie's death and the members walking alongside are his coffin's Pallbearers. A lot of the visuals in here are in tribute to the original video's trippy graphics; like when they all line up and do the 'oh, oh, oh's' one after the other, and also when they line up behind Kirstie standing on the couch only to fan out behind her with their vocal parts. The shot of the sky is in tribute to Dr. Brian May who is Queen's lead guitarist and also an astrophysicist! Each shooting star represents a member of Queen. When they all collapse onto the couch with the shot from above is a homage to the cover art of Queen's record 'Sheer Heart Attack' Also I am pretty sure, Mitch is a reincarnation of Freddie Mercury - one...he can grow the Freddie Stash and looks so much like Freddie that it is kinda creepy - two...he can sing just as high if not higher than Freddie could - and three...Freddie died 8 months before Mitch was born!
It was fun to see this again. I love a first reaction to PTX. Nobody does it like they do. There are other great acapella bands, each in their own lane, but Pentatonix is number one mathmatically (sales, streams, awards, sell-out concerts, etc.) as well as in my playlist. They have proven time and again that they can smash even the most complicated and challenging songs of any genre. This song is epic, live, btw.
You mentioned Queens Live Aid performance, i saw it live. We only left when a band we didnt like played, otherwise we sat there for hours. I also was watching when MTV launched. Probably someone already me yioned, but the star sky was a tribute to Dr Brian May.
The audio panning on "little high, little low" is a direct quote from Queen. If you listen to Queen's original you'll hear the same panning on the same phrase. Pentatonix loves Queen, and they love "Bohemian Rhapsody," so they always wanted to cover this song, but they feared that they couldn't do it justice, so they decided to wait until they were sure they were ready. That took them five years, but it was worth the wait - they were definitely ready. In the early days of Pentatonix, after Epic reneged on the recording contract Pentatonix had "won" on _The Sing-Off,_ Pentatonix started posting to RUclips; it was the only way they COULD publish their music. A lot of those early RUclips videos show the five of them sitting on a couch, with the trio on the back of the couch and Avi and Kevin on the seat in front of them, just five very young people singing their hearts out, making their dream come true. Note that this is the configuration we see them in at the beginning and end of "Bohemian Rhapsody," which is one reason the couch needs to move - it's taking Pentatonix (and us) on a trip down Memory Lane. The more important reason the couch moves is that it's standing in for the car in _Wayne's World,_ where Wayne and Garth introduced a whole new generation to the genius of Queen by putting a tape of "Bohemian Rhapsody" into the car's tape player. The couch was motorized, and not very well balanced. (Note that when they're sitting on it their feet don't quite reach the ground. The little curtain thing on the bottom was added to hide the motor.) It kept trying to tip over during the filming and actually managed to throw Kevin off at one point. There was a small platform attached to the back so that Kirstie could climb on the couch from behind - Scott, being a foot taller than Kirstie, didn't need it. When Mitch lies down on the couch, singing "Too late, My time has come," they're refering to Freddie Mercury's death (the foreshadowing was, of course, unintentional on Freddie's part; there's no way he could have known). The other four are walking next to the couch to serve as his pall bearers. Many people think the megaphone is distorting Mitch's voice to make him sound more like an electric guitar, but it actually has nothing to do with it. The megaphone wasn't turned on, and couldn't have distorted Mitch's voice even if it had been - it was just a megaphone. The electric guitar is all Mitch. Mitch happened to see the megaphone lying around on the set and thought it would make a cool prop, so it's been confusing people ever since. During the "Bismillah" argument, note that Scott, whose range includes both bass and tenor registers, is actually singing along with both the high and low sides of the argument. Scott has said that this rapid switching is the hardest part of the song for him. When the camera pans up to show us the starry night sky during Mitch's second guitar solo, it's meant as a tribute to Queen's lead guitarist, Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics. The four shooting stars honor the four members of Queen. When the camera pans back down to show Pentatonix lying on the couch together it's meant to recall the cover art for Queen's "Sheer Heart Attack" album. Kevin and Mitch are both singing that last "Any way the wind blows." Note that this completes it; EVERY member of Pentatonix had an opportunity to play Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody," yet another dream come true. And when this official video was first released, Brian May posted a link to it on all his social media accounts with the comment: "Enjoy."
"How can they do this with just their voices?" I don't know. I can give you part of it, though. 1. The trio has had an incredible amount of good luck when it comes to finding exactly the right people to fill out the band, exactly when they need them. 2. Every individual in Pentatonix is a world class musician. Each of them could easily have an incredible career as a solo singer. Yet with just one exception they've chosen to stay together, partly because they consider their bandmates to be family and partly because they know they can do so much more together than they could separately. 3. They don't let egos get in the way. Everyone gets time in the spotlight, and everyone puts their all into backing up the current soloist. 4. Their vocal ranges are astonishing. 5. They love what they do, which makes it more powerful. 6. Old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. 7. It's magic.
😊❤ I was chills watching you get chills!! LOL 😅 And it's going to happen every time you listen to ANY song by PENTATONIX!! OBTW it's a HUGE RABBIT HOLE!! Welcome! 😉😊❤❤
"Can't Hold Us." "The Prayer" as you haven't heard it. "Sound of Silence" best of all versions made, even by: Disturbed" MO. and their Grammy winning"Daft Punk". Well done on the reaction.
Just a reminder this is a re-upload. I have reacted to a few more Pentatonix songs since. They can be found on my A Capella Reactions Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL_qa773W2OKw-iZZVZF9rAjqWjMU_pNcv&si=3_rbZTXKIalY6zvx and plenty more to come!
As a former trauma ICU nurse, I would like to state that I'm concerned about a coup contre coup brain injury as you rocked out starting out at 11:03. All that head nodding is not good for the brain! 🤣
I not only got to see Queen do this live but listened to the album hundreds off times, which takes me to the point...... Lots of reactors listening to this version, freak over the fact that the audio changes from one ear to the other. I love PTX but this effect is on the original Queen album and is just being recreated by PTX.
Another song that is almost impossible to cover well that they haven't done yet and I would love to see them do is Hotel California by the Eagles. I think they could do it the same justice they did this song. They also do a cover of Imagine, one of Sound of Silence, one of Hallelujah, and one of The Prayer that are all great. They won Grammies for Daft Punk Medley, for Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, and for Jolene featuring Dolly Parton. They were nominated but didn't win for the album that The Prayer came from. I believe it's called Evergreen, but I may be wrong there.
PTX does not do covers! They do upgrades. There is a reason they have 3 Grammys, Daft Punk Melody(best acapella arrangement)j, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy(best insturmental performance, again they do it all with their voices) and Jolene with Dolly Pardon(best Country Duo). Now I want another set of perfomers that have done that in 3 different catagories.
The shots of the night sky are a tribute to Queen drummer, Dr. Brian May (an astrophysicist), and the 4 shooting stars represent the 4 members of Queen. It's so good not only because of the talents of PTX, but the respect they display for the original song and Queen. BTW they perform this live on stage in concert...
If you really want your mind blown, watch their Daft Punk Medley, it’s impossible to believe it’s just their voices! Other than that ANYTHING they do is absolutely amazing. The list of recommendations is just too long for this section, but you can’t find a bad one, and their live stuff is just as good. They say if they can’t do it live they won’t do it at all!
Daft Pink is definitely one that will blow your mind, and if you really want your mind blown you need to check out the video of them performing that one live
Yes daft punk for sure
the guitar solo was so unbelievable that the first time I watched it I had to search for a live performance. My Mind Was BLOWN!
I've watched this video being reacted to hundreds of times but your reaction and enthusiasm made me feel like it was the first time. Thank you.
It took PTX years to get the courage to cover this. They have so much respect for the song that they were terrified of not doing it justice. It was worth the wait.
Brian May also posted it and said enjoy!
6 years
It wasn't years to get the courage to cover it. It was years in the making to ensure it was perfect in doing the song every justice it deserves.
When PTX first released this cover, Brian May posted it to his social media with a one word endorsement, "Enjoy!" Can't get any higher praise than that!
Yeah, that was the guy doing lead playing guitar with his mouth, and the black guy was a full drum kit with cymbals, and the guy with the dark long hair was a bass guitar and wind chimes. Those were all vocal performances. And yes they actually did that. There is a live performance of this song where that becomes obvious. That megaphone is a prop and nothing more. He is producing that sound with his voice alone. The same with all the other sound effects you hear. If you don't see an instrument, but you hear an instrument, that's entirely their voices producing the sound.
They worked on this for 5 years, just to make sure that they did Queen proud! When Brian May saw this, he shared it with the simple comment" ENJOY"!
The left/right panning of the headphones is/was a part of Queen’s original recording, in 1975.
When Mitch does the guitar solo with the loudspeaker it's not on, it's a prop, when done live its just his voice, it's amazibg. This group are at the top of their game, I'm sure who will now go down the pentatonix rabbit hole, and become a pentaholic. Welcome.
I went to their concert last September in Washington State. I swear, it sounded EXACTLY the same live. They are one of the most phenomenal groups in the world.
Brian May was even impressed by Mitch Grassi covering his guitar riffs (with wah-wah). Welcome to the rabbit hole.
Just saw them live 2 months ago - this is one of their encores - just as good live!!! Whether or not you are a full blown Pentaholic, do yourself a huge favor and go see them perform!!!!
Great reaction.
Definitely an eargasm!
I am seriously SO in love with your reaction to this video. It is an AMAZING cover and I was so impressed with how they paid homage to Queen throughout the song. I love that they have 4 shooting stars in the sky seen for each band member. ❤
So lovely that you found PTX, you looked like a little boy with a new toy. So enjoying, will check out some more of your reactions. Thank you.
For an idea of how they sound live, I recommend their Popspring 2016 concert. 3 of their original songs and the Evolution of Michael Jackson. It's almost 15 minutes, but well worth it. Loved the reaction. You do you, dude!
This was done as respect for Queen. The 4 shooting stars was for each of the members of Queen. 🇬🇧🇱🇷❤️🙏
You obviously really enjoyed this rendition of Queen's iconic song. Dr.Brian May, lead guitar of Queen also enjoyed it and posted it on his social media, simply saying, "Enjoy!"
I see you noticed those arpeggio notes ( also called bell tones) and PTX excels at using them.
They do this performance live in lots of concerts...and Mitch never uses that megaphone. It was just a prop he found on set and though it would be fun to use. He doesn't actually need it to be a guitar.
There were a couple of Easter Eggs in the video:
The shot of the shooting stars is a tribute to Dr Brian May who has his doctorate in astrophysics. The shot of them all sprawled on the couch is a nod to the cover art of the Queen album, Sheer Heart attack.
The couch itself is a dig at themselves...a few weeks after winning a record contract with Sony, Sony cancelled it ( because they didn't think they could successfully market an acapella group...they were SOOOO wrong!) and so the group would get together on one of the couch's in their apartments and record themselves singing a cover and post it on RUclips. They did gain a LOT of fans and patrons...and eventually another record contract.
The fact that the couch is moving is a nod to Wayne's World where the guys put Bohemian Rhapsody on in the car and made it famous all over again.
If you're interested, there is a BTS video of the making of this video.
Back in the day when they switched from mono to stereo, that was a popular feature because it was so new.
First of all, your reaction was priceless. We Pentaholics thrive on the mind blown, jaw sagging look on reactor's faces. PTX are on a level all their own and the amazing thing is that just when you deep down believe they have given the ultimate performance of their lives.....you discover your wrong. Surprise, Pentatonix just outdid themselves and you have already exhausted your vocabulary of words of praise and appreciation. Their catalog is huge, their styles endless - to match their creativity and talent. Please jump down the rabbit hole and we all will take the unbelievable journey with you. Pentaholics live to share everything they know about PTX and welcome every new reactor they find and for us, the journey never gets old. So let's get started❤️🧡💚💙💜
Pentatonix is arguably the master of Acapella. They have such vocal talent and range. They are geniuses with their covers or their originals.
I love their cover of Imagine. Also their song Sing.
ruclips.net/video/JfGllgEvAlE/видео.htmlsi=4CFzx-QaYARKIZ5R
Welcome to the PTX rabbit hole,you will love hallelujah ,sound of silence etc ,enjoy❤❤❤
I have watched COUNTLESS reactions to PTX as well as HF and VP, and this, BY FAR, is my absolute favorite reaction to this song!!!!!
Loved it! ❤
I liken watching reactors to riding a roller coaster. There's a thrill the first several times you experience it, but you get to enjoy it again through new eyes when you talk your friends into riding it for their first time, and you sit them in the front with you right behind them so you can watch their faces... because YOU KNOW WHAT IS COMING AROUND THE NEXT BEND! ❤️❤️❤️
A little long, but gives you a great break-down:-
Pentatonix
They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that.
The founding members are:-
Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”.
Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease);
Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and
Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese).
Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theater. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on RUclips, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings.
Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma.
While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition.
They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his RUclips videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing".
Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours!
They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on RUclips), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building.
But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an a cappella group could sell records.
Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on RUclips, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live.
Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers.
But when their cove r of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label.
They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys.
Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry.
Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group.
If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently.
After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre.
Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. A good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/
Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work.
Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place.
They have Grammy wins for Daft Punk Medley, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jolene featuring Dolly Parton. They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win.
Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET!
They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only a capella group with a star!
They came 3rd in the 2023 Masked Singer performing as "California Rolls" being unmasked in May 23.
Things you need to know because if you get these wrong Pentaholics will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!!
1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to.
2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album.
3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
Oh man... taking on Bohemian Rhapsody as your first introduction to Pentatonix? You're lucky you didn't hurt yourself... that's a dive into the deep end, the best of the best!
Loved your reaction! I love PTX! I am glad you are going to react to more of them. Your mind will be blown a lot ❤
I'm a great fan of Pentatonix--we call ourselves Pentaholics--and I really enjoyed this reaction. You will probably hear from more of us. Keep the Pntatonix coming!
Welcome to the pentatonix rabbit hole. Listen to hallelujah, the prayer, dance of sugar plum fairy, daft punk medley, carol of the bells
Welcome the world of the Pentaholics! You’ve just discovered why Pentatonix (or PTX) is the first, and so far only, a capella group to every get a grammy (they now have three) and the first to get a Hollywood star.
They worked on this cover for FIVE YEARS, because they wanted it to be perfect. Proving your point about how hard this song is to cover.
So, when they are all sitting on the couch - On the far left is Kirstin Maldonado, mezzo-soprano. Next to her (our lead singer in this one) is Mitch Grassi who is a counter-tenor, which is actually the rarest male voice as he can sing into the soprano range. On the end is Scott Hoying who sings baritone and sometimes bass. Those three have been friends since middle school and have been singing together for most of their lives. In the front is Avi Kaplan (pronounced Ah-vee with a soft a-sound). He has the second rarest male voice and is a counter-bass, which means he can sing deeper than most basses. He has left the group since this and now has an AMAZING solo career. You should definitely check out his stuff. He has been replaced in the group by Matt Sallee, who you will see in their more recent videos. And last but DEFINITELY not least is the hidden treasure of the group. Kevin Olusola is their beatboxer. He also sings tenor, performed in Carnegie Hall twice before ever hooking up with PTX (once as a cello soloist and once as a saxophone soloist), and created the art of cello-boxing, playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time. He’s also a graduate of Yale and speaks fluent Mandarin, because of course. He has some solo stuff out as well that will blow your mind.
From here you NEED to check out their covers of ‘Hallelujah’, ‘Imagine’ (that one will make you cry), and absolutely don’t miss ‘Daft Punk’, which won them their first grammy.
They did this song when i saw them on Sept 14th. It just incredible to see them do it live.
Pentatonix is the Rolls Royce of A Cappella. They will take on any genre of music, and have. Don' forget, Queen never did that middle part of this song live.
Also you’ve got the golden goose for your channel. Your listening to it right now. There’s a hell of a lot of Pentaholics out there. 👏👏👏🤷♀️👍🇬🇧❤️🇬🇧
Check out their Daft Punk Medley. They won a grammy for it.
THIS IS WHY PTX IS THE NUMBER ONE ACAPELLA GROUP IN THE WORLD 🌎.
🎶🎙🎵
You look like you have been ridden hard and put away wet. That is by far the best reaction I have seen. If you are sweating like that from listening, imagine how they feel after performing it. 😂😂😂
You should hear them do this live in their 2022 Hollywood Bowl concert. It’s amazing too.
Pentatonix Bohemian Rhapsody Insights:
So, some things to know about this cover and video: -It took PTX years to get the arrangement to where they felt they could do the original masterpiece justice. -The cover, and especially the video, was meant to be an homage to Queen. Some of the moments paying respect were: The mono-recording of the line "easy come, easy go" followed by the panning of the voices from left to right on the line "little high, little low" (which is how the original was recorded), obviously the flashlights being used to mimic the lighting on the operatic part of the original video, the four shooting stars to represent the four members of Queen, as well as acknowledge the fact that Dr. Brian May is an astrophysicist, and the overhead shot of them lying on the couch is to represent the Sheer Heart Attack album cover. -The megaphone was just a prop. It is not needed to reproduce the electric guitar distortion. -PTX can, and does, perform this live with no backing track...something even Queen and the Great Freddie Mercury could not do. -Freddy once said he didn't care what people did with his music as long as they "...don't make it boring, darling!", so I think he would absolutely approve. -The overall video--with the "living room" and couch--is an homage to Pentatonix's own journey as a group. They lost their record deal right after winning the Sing Off and moving to LA, so they started putting out videos on RUclips, performing covers. They would sit on the couch in Kevin (beatboxer) and Avi's (bass) living room and just record themselves on Mitch's (counter tenor who took the lead on this song) iPad. Some of their earliest videos went viral and they eventually were able to secure a new deal, record an EP, go on tour, release chart-topping albums and win three Grammy awards...so they moved out of the living room and down this new, unknown road. At the end of the day, though, they're still the same choir-nerds they've always been; just happy to sit together on a couch and sing. Also when Brian Mays heard it... then he posted it on his web site with the word "ENJOY”.
With your Beatles shirt on, the next one you should react to is PTX’s cover of Imagine, bring the tissues.
I agree, Pentatonix is so good, separately and together. There are so many great songs to hear: Daft Punk (Grammy winner), Hallelujah, The Prayer, Imagine and Mad World for easy starters.
If you want more Bohemian Rhapsody though, an equally good group (which I had thought was impossible) is Forestella. Forestella is a South Korean crossover male quartet known (justifiably) as The Kings Of Harmony. Well worth a reaction.
Brilliant reaction. Thank you!
Loved to watch you watch them. I feel rhe same way. They are beyound mindblowing!
love that panning in the audio too! It's crazy how much goes on in PTX songs with just the 5 of them. Brian May when he saw this posted on his site, "Enjoy" Great, fun reaction man! added: simply 5 of the most talented peeps there are.
How about that Mitch SLAP!!! Just awesome! Love love love ❤️ them!!!
Pentatonix History…..composed by Alan Freeman
They won The Sing Off in 2011. They made a guest starring appearance on America′s Got Talent as non−competitors a couple of years after that.
The founding members are:-
Scott Hoying (tall blond guy, natural baritone but has an impressive five−to−six octave range, can go all the way up to high tenor and down to bass, sings the bass lines when the usual bass singer takes the lead);
Kirstin "Kirstie" (Rhymes with "Thirsty") Maldonado (the only female member, natural mezzo soprano, but can go down to low alto and as high as upper soprano, also can sing in whistle notes that are off the scale); For a time in 2018 between the group’s tours, had the female lead on Broadway in the production of “Kinky Boots”.
Mitch Grassi (a true contra−tenor, can hit high notes in his chest voice with ease and go WAY higher in his falsetto, also with ease);
Avriel "Avi" Kaplan (dark beard and long hair), true basso profundo, trained as an opera singer, also can go up into the tenor range; and
Kevin "KO" Olusola (beatboxer extraordinaire, also is a world−class cellist who plays cello on some of their songs, has a beautiful high tenor voice and gets occasional lead vocal solos as well, graduated pre−med from Yale and speaks several languages including Mandarin Chinese).
Kirstie, Scott & Mitch grew up together in Arlington, Texas, and began performing together as children in local youth musical theater. They ended up in high school together and performed in the choir. While there, they formed an a cappella group called The Trio which had several performance videos go viral on RUclips, most notably a cover of Lady Gaga′s "Telephone". The three of them are best friends and consider themselves to be almost siblings.
Scott & Kirstie (who were a class year ahead of Mitch) both graduated high school in 2010 and went their separate ways to different colleges, Scott at USC and Kirstie at Oklahoma.
While at USC, Scott joined a USC−based a cappella group called the SoCal VoCals, where he met alumnus Ben Bram, who was now an arranger and vocal coach for the NBC TV show The Sing Off, an a cappella competition show. Ben convinced Scott to get The Trio to audition for the show. The three reunited (Mitch had to skip high school graduation ceremonies to go) in Los Angeles for the audition.
They found out that the rules had changed, so they needed at least five members to audition. Ben put them together with Avi (a native of Visalia, California), who he knew from Avi′s performing days at Mount San Antonio College in California. They found Kevin (from Kentucky) through one of his RUclips videos that had gone viral featuring him playing the cello and beatboxing at the same time, a talent that Kevin coined as "Cello−Boxing".
Kevin arrived in Los Angeles literally the day before the audition! Scott came up with the name "Pentatonix" after the pentatonic scale. They performed a re−arrangement of "The Telephone" for the audition and passed, despite having been together as a five−piece group for less that 24 hours!
They won The Sing Off that season (all of the performances are available on RUclips), in which they received a substantial cash prize AND a record contract with Epic Records. They pooled their prize winnings together and all moved to Los Angeles, and all got apartments right next door to each other in the same building.
But just a week later, Epic dropped them because the marketing people didn′t think an acappella group could sell records.
Instead of giving up, they were determined and began recording their own songs on RUclips, hiring Ben Bram as their producer and arranger. These usually consisted of the five of them sitting on a couch and performing cover songs live.
Several of the videos went viral, and Sony (the parent company of Epic) decided to give them another chance by placing them on one of their smaller labels, Madison Gate. They released two secular EPs and one Christmas EP on Madison Gate, all of which were strong sellers.
But when their cover of a medley of songs by Daft Punk not only went super−viral, but also won them their first Grammy, they were promoted all the way up to RCA Records, Sony′s top label.
They began writing and producing their own songs in addition to their covers, began putting out a Christmas album just about annually (which has become their best−selling genre), and have had multi−platinum album sales, sold−out world tours, and have won two additional Grammys.
Avi began getting burned out with all of the touring and heavy recording schedule, was suffering from anxiety and personal problems, and learned that his mother had been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. He announced he was departing from the group and taking some time away from the music industry.
Matt Sallee (from Baltimore) joined them in September 2017. He did only become official when they renewed their RCA contract in February 2018, but he recorded with them in September as a featured artist and went on their Christmas tour as a featured artist, as well. When he attended the audition for the group, he had already mastered the Bass part for most if not all their past catalogue. He was successful and has proved that he fits in well with the group.
If you think there have been other changes to the line up - look again. This is the ONLY change. Kirstie and Mitch are like chameleons and change looks frequently.
After a year away from music, Avi has now returned as a phenomenal solo artist in the Folk/Americana/Roots genre.
Ben Bram has been in charge of their production, including arranging and directing from the beginning. He is often referred to as the sixth member. Scott and Kevin are major players in the arrangements, but every member contributes. good watch is "The Recording of Evergreen" where a camera was invited into the studio for the second week of recording/
Also, all members are songwriters for both Pentatonix and their own solo work.
Ed Boyer who mixes everything of theirs (even the HWB Livestream) is the one who pulled Ben Bram into the sing off in the first place.
They were nominated for a 4th Grammy for their album Evergreen, but didn't win.
Kirstie became a new mum which caused a pause in touring after their Evergreen Christmas tour 2021. Mid March 2023 Kirstie has announced that she is engaged to Ben Hausdorff, their videographer. No dates YET!
They have a star on the Hollywood walk of fame installed in February 2023. They are the only acapella group with a star!
Things you need to know because if you get these wrong “Pentaholics” will come after you with pitch forks and torches! Ha Ha!!
1- There is NO Auto-Tune; what you hear is actually what they sing. They really are that good. One exception is the 90's Dance Medley where Cher used autotune as an effect - so they had to.
2- What produces everything that you hear in the video, you see in the official video. If there is an instrument used in the music, you see it on screen. In the 2022 Christmas album, there are some instruments not featured throughout the album.
3- They never release something on video they can’t reproduce with the exact same quality live on-stage.
I loved your reaction and as a Pentaholic of 12 years standing I've subscribed because i think you are going to LOVE the Pentatonix rabbit hole!
They are simply the best a cappella band in the world in my opinion. They have three Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They have a huge catalogue so hundreds of songs for you to enjoy. They cover lots of different music styles including pop, rock, EDM, hip hop, rap, musical theatre, world music and even a bit of country (they won their third Grammy for a collab with Dolly Parton on a cover of Jolene). There really is something for everyone!
Brian May loves this cover. It took them six years before they made it because they wanted to do it justice. They sound exactly the same singing this, and all their songs, live and Mitch does the guitar solo just with his mouth - the megaphone was just a prop for the video!
They are best known for their covers (their cover of Hallelujah has over 700 MILLION views on RUclips!) and their Christmas music but their originals are incredible too and much under-rated.
As a PTX newbie, I would always suggest their Daft Punk medley which won them their first Grammy. In fact the Grammy's created a category so they could win it with this one. The video was filmed in the kitchen of two of the band members - Kevin and Avi - for around $400 using just a ring light and some blue contact lenses (a visor for Kevin whose eyes were too irritated by the contacts!) It's incredible and alongside this Bohemian Rhapsody cover probably the best a cappella arrangement ever made in my view.
Also try Hallelujah for a stunning ballad. There is a 'Mitch-slap' in that one. That's what we call it when people react to Mitch's incredible high tenor, otherworldly angelic voice! Mitch is the dark haired singer who took most of the lead on this one.
A quick run down of the group. The tall, blonde baritone is Scott. The beatboxer (he also sings tenor and plays the cello and saxaphone) is Kevin, the girl is Kirstin (known as Kirstie, rhymes with 'thirsty') and the bass here is Avi.
They have only had one member change since they formed in 2012 for the a capella contest the Sing-Off. Their bass, Avi left amicably in 2017 for personal reasons (his mum was very sick and he couldn't cope with the band's hectic schedule). He was replaced by Matt Sallee - who is also phenomenal. If you watch anything since 2017, e.g. The Sound of Silence, it will be Matt rather than Avi though you may think they have changed band members because Mitch and Kirstie change their looks up a lot!
Scott, Mitch and Kirstie have known each other since they were 8 and 10 years old respectively growing up in Arlington, Texas. They sang together as 'the trio' in high school. They are super close.
Pentatonix won the third season of the Sing-off (the trio had found Kevin and Avi by then as they needed at least five members) and the prize was a Sony record contract.
Unfortunately Sony dropped them after a couple of weeks because they had decided a cappella wasnt marketable. PTX went it alone and started their own RUclips channel. 12 years, billions of subscribers, many best selling albums, three Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later and PTX proved Sony so wrong! A few years later Sony did resign them on their prestigious RCA label and the rest is history.
They don't sing anything in the studio that they can't sing live and with the exception of a few songs where Kevin 'cello-boxes' (i.e. plays the cello while beatboxing!) and when they collab with violinist Lindsey Stirling, they don't use any instruments. They don't have a lead singer as such, as they change the lead according to who is best to sing any one individual song. Sometimes (like with Hallelujah) they will all, bar Kevin, sing a verse. Scott probably has most leads though, followed by Mitch and Kirstie, then Avi/Matt. Kevin doesn't sing the lead on songs but he does sing on about 10 per cent of the songs as well as beat box.
Really anything they do is amazing. If you like more live stuff watch their 'Evolution of' videos. They do these medleys in one take just sitting in front of a camera. They have done Beyonce, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, Ariana Grande and a general music one. If you like 90s songs watch their 90s dance medley. If you like EDM, e.g. their Daft Punk medley, watch their original Love again. It's Incredible and the video has a cool alien Steampunk vibe. Also their original 'Sing' is a real bop and features their fans and some of their famous friends!
If you keep watching and enjoying them the Pentaholics will come to your channel as we're a loyal bunch and we love seeing people discover Pentatonix. Enjoy!
Re-uploads still require likes and comments! Glad there's more to come.
Your full body workout enjoying this cover was fabulous! One of the best reactions ever.
Great reaction! I’m afraid that you’re in for a lot more jaw dropping moments. I carry a pillow around when I hear their new music. I recommend their Daft Punk Medley, or 90s dance medley, as your next listen, DPM Is the one that won them their first Grammy Award. You may also want to check out the live stream they did from the Hollywood Bowl. This show was just after they received their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. You’ll love it.
Your reaction was great! You can just feel it, they are amazing!
Welcome to the PTX rabbit hole. They about 200 covers and original songs to watch. Most are Christmas, which they own .
Yea we can tell. Great reaction!!!
Mind blowing for sure!!! Since you have a Beatles shirt on, I would recommend you do their Imagine cover by John Lennon. It is incredibly amazing. You will love it. Too goood!!!! Towards the end of the song it swells so big it just blows m
It’s just as awesome live!
I agree. Mitch doesn't use the megaphone when they do it live - it's just a prop. They're amazing!
as a pentaholic, we say they don't do covers, they do upgrades!!!!! Mary did you know, Daft Punk medley, 90's medley, the prayer, just to mention a few...
Jaw-dropping😂😂😂!!!! They can literally take any song and with their migical spin they put on it... you can simply watch them open mouth!❤️ thank you so much for this..much appreciated ❤️
They never disappoint. Welcome to PTX world. They are all so talented and together they are a force of greatness. Check out their huge catalog and pick a song. Not a bad one in the bunch. We fans are called Pentaholics and welcome
How did they do this with just their voices? To quote Egg Shen in Big Trouble In Little China : "Wasn't easy!".
Great reaction! You just opened the door to PTX... Plenty more, plenty. Keep going, you won't be disappointed!
Welcome to the PTX rabbit hole!
I so enjoy listening to PENTATONIX. 🖖❤
Me Too!!
Subbed for more PTX reactions. PTX is the acapella gold standard.
Brill reaction! Thoroughly recommend Avi Kaplan's Change on the Rise and Kevin Olusola's Down cover to see their individual amazing talents.
Welcome to the PTX world of a cappella. They are the ones who really changed the face of "A Cappella" and brought it into a legit "Genre". I didn't really like Queen in their prime days but after hearing this version I became obsessed with learning more about Queen, and now I love their music. Pentatonix IS the #1 A Cappella group today, in my opinion. It is amazing what just five members can do when they are so tight and synchronized. And to stay this tight for over 6 minutes of a song is pure MASTERY ! I swear Mitch IS Freddie reincarnated. It took me a really long time to digest this one, had to watch/ listen to it about ten times. It brought me to tears, then laughter, then wonder, then amazement, then confusion, then dumbfounded and brain fry then right back to tears and started all over again. So don't feel confused, because NO ONE is really ever "ready" for this one. They have so many other songs that will do the same thing too. 🤯🤯 So keep 'em comin' and ENJOY !!!
They're amazing!!! I was really hesitant because this song is an icon, all by itself. I grew up listening to it by Queen. PTX really did it respectfully and amazingly! Also at the beginning when the sound went to one ear than the other, that was how Queen did it too. 😊
You are in for an amazing treat!
You are in for one hell of a ride, enjoy it sir
I think Hallelujah has eight hundred billion views ❤❤❤❤
this is the closest copy of this song as I have ever heard. Absolutely fantastic cover the best ever.
Check out their cover of CAN'T HOLD US, by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis! They can rap like pros!
They are still doing this live. Saw them do it in August at their concert. You are in for a treat with everything they do. You might want to cover one of their originals, Love Again. I think you would enjoy it. Also New Rules x Are you that Somebody. Actually anything. They are all wonderful.
These guys are just flippin amazing alien unicorns! It took them 5 years to feel ready to do this song and to do it the justice that it deserves. They are all massive Queen fans. Brian May, lead guitarist from Queen, heard this song when it came out and posted a link to his socials with the one word comment 'Enjoy!' I feel like that is giving Queen's Seal of Approval right there!
They also inserted a lot of references and easter eggs into this video in tribute to the original video - which by the way, if you haven't seen - you should probably check it out! Queen couldn't perform this song live because of all the layering they did in post! And not only can Pentatonix do this Live, but the Mitch Grassi Guitar has no need for a Megaphone. Mitch just saw it lying around the set and decided to use it to draw attention to who was doing the guitar solo part - the megaphone was not on, Mitch can do this live!
The couch is in reference to their beginning videos where they recorded themselves on various of theirs couches to post onto RUclips after they were dropped by Sony because they didn't think that Acapella would be popular enough to sell records. It is also a tip of the hat to Wayne's World movie scene with the car and head banging to this song which brought in a whole new generation to Queen's music!
The part where Mitch is laying on the couch is in reference to Freddie's death and the members walking alongside are his coffin's Pallbearers. A lot of the visuals in here are in tribute to the original video's trippy graphics; like when they all line up and do the 'oh, oh, oh's' one after the other, and also when they line up behind Kirstie standing on the couch only to fan out behind her with their vocal parts.
The shot of the sky is in tribute to Dr. Brian May who is Queen's lead guitarist and also an astrophysicist! Each shooting star represents a member of Queen. When they all collapse onto the couch with the shot from above is a homage to the cover art of Queen's record 'Sheer Heart Attack'
Also I am pretty sure, Mitch is a reincarnation of Freddie Mercury - one...he can grow the Freddie Stash and looks so much like Freddie that it is kinda creepy - two...he can sing just as high if not higher than Freddie could - and three...Freddie died 8 months before Mitch was born!
Everyone told you they were awesome!
Welcome to the Pentaholics😁😁😁
Please do The Prayer, Amazing Grace, Mary Did You Know and Sound of Silence. They're epic. All of their songs are.
Have a look at there 90’s Medley. 😂😂🎉🎉
You probably know by now…but they spend 5 years perfecting Bohemian Rapsody…!!!
It was fun to see this again. I love a first reaction to PTX. Nobody does it like they do. There are other great acapella bands, each in their own lane, but Pentatonix is number one mathmatically (sales, streams, awards, sell-out concerts, etc.) as well as in my playlist. They have proven time and again that they can smash even the most complicated and challenging songs of any genre. This song is epic, live, btw.
This was PTX's homage to Queen... It took them 5 years to get it to where the were happy with the final product!
The 4 shooting stars are one for each member of Queen. 👏🙏👏🙏❤️🇬🇧
Dude, Great reaction! Pentatonix....you have no idea. Keep going.....
A Queen member has a link to this song on their web page - it's that good
You mentioned Queens Live Aid performance, i saw it live. We only left when a band we didnt like played, otherwise we sat there for hours. I also was watching when MTV launched. Probably someone already me yioned, but the star sky was a tribute to Dr Brian May.
The audio panning on "little high, little low" is a direct quote from Queen. If you listen to Queen's original you'll hear the same panning on the same phrase.
Pentatonix loves Queen, and they love "Bohemian Rhapsody," so they always wanted to cover this song, but they feared that they couldn't do it justice, so they decided to wait until they were sure they were ready. That took them five years, but it was worth the wait - they were definitely ready.
In the early days of Pentatonix, after Epic reneged on the recording contract Pentatonix had "won" on _The Sing-Off,_ Pentatonix started posting to RUclips; it was the only way they COULD publish their music. A lot of those early RUclips videos show the five of them sitting on a couch, with the trio on the back of the couch and Avi and Kevin on the seat in front of them, just five very young people singing their hearts out, making their dream come true. Note that this is the configuration we see them in at the beginning and end of "Bohemian Rhapsody," which is one reason the couch needs to move - it's taking Pentatonix (and us) on a trip down Memory Lane.
The more important reason the couch moves is that it's standing in for the car in _Wayne's World,_ where Wayne and Garth introduced a whole new generation to the genius of Queen by putting a tape of "Bohemian Rhapsody" into the car's tape player.
The couch was motorized, and not very well balanced. (Note that when they're sitting on it their feet don't quite reach the ground. The little curtain thing on the bottom was added to hide the motor.) It kept trying to tip over during the filming and actually managed to throw Kevin off at one point. There was a small platform attached to the back so that Kirstie could climb on the couch from behind - Scott, being a foot taller than Kirstie, didn't need it.
When Mitch lies down on the couch, singing "Too late, My time has come," they're refering to Freddie Mercury's death (the foreshadowing was, of course, unintentional on Freddie's part; there's no way he could have known). The other four are walking next to the couch to serve as his pall bearers.
Many people think the megaphone is distorting Mitch's voice to make him sound more like an electric guitar, but it actually has nothing to do with it. The megaphone wasn't turned on, and couldn't have distorted Mitch's voice even if it had been - it was just a megaphone. The electric guitar is all Mitch. Mitch happened to see the megaphone lying around on the set and thought it would make a cool prop, so it's been confusing people ever since.
During the "Bismillah" argument, note that Scott, whose range includes both bass and tenor registers, is actually singing along with both the high and low sides of the argument. Scott has said that this rapid switching is the hardest part of the song for him.
When the camera pans up to show us the starry night sky during Mitch's second guitar solo, it's meant as a tribute to Queen's lead guitarist, Brian May, who has a doctorate in astrophysics.
The four shooting stars honor the four members of Queen.
When the camera pans back down to show Pentatonix lying on the couch together it's meant to recall the cover art for Queen's "Sheer Heart Attack" album.
Kevin and Mitch are both singing that last "Any way the wind blows." Note that this completes it; EVERY member of Pentatonix had an opportunity to play Freddie Mercury in "Bohemian Rhapsody," yet another dream come true.
And when this official video was first released, Brian May posted a link to it on all his social media accounts with the comment: "Enjoy."
"How can they do this with just their voices?" I don't know. I can give you part of it, though.
1. The trio has had an incredible amount of good luck when it comes to finding exactly the right people to fill out the band, exactly when they need them.
2. Every individual in Pentatonix is a world class musician. Each of them could easily have an incredible career as a solo singer. Yet with just one exception they've chosen to stay together, partly because they consider their bandmates to be family and partly because they know they can do so much more together than they could separately.
3. They don't let egos get in the way. Everyone gets time in the spotlight, and everyone puts their all into backing up the current soloist.
4. Their vocal ranges are astonishing.
5. They love what they do, which makes it more powerful.
6. Old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.
7. It's magic.
😊❤ I was chills watching you get chills!! LOL 😅 And it's going to happen every time you listen to ANY song by PENTATONIX!! OBTW it's a HUGE RABBIT HOLE!! Welcome! 😉😊❤❤
wonderful reaction, if you want to check out their beat boxer" Kevin" watch Kevin's fifth.
"Can't Hold Us." "The Prayer" as you haven't heard it. "Sound of Silence" best of all versions made, even by: Disturbed" MO. and their Grammy winning"Daft Punk". Well done on the reaction.
Pentatonix are totally amazing!
Just a reminder this is a re-upload. I have reacted to a few more Pentatonix songs since. They can be found on my A Capella Reactions Playlist: ruclips.net/p/PL_qa773W2OKw-iZZVZF9rAjqWjMU_pNcv&si=3_rbZTXKIalY6zvx and plenty more to come!
Great reaction. Next check out their Daft Punk Medley (First Grammy) or Mad World! Pentatonix is the Best in the world at what they do!!! NUFFSAID
Welcome to PTX!
You don’t truly know this song until you hear Angelina Jordan sing it. Absolutely incredible performance.
Love your reaction it was stellar!!! Subscribed for more.
As a former trauma ICU nurse, I would like to state that I'm concerned about a coup contre coup brain injury as you rocked out starting out at 11:03. All that head nodding is not good for the brain! 🤣
I not only got to see Queen do this live but listened to the album hundreds off times, which takes me to the point...... Lots of reactors listening to this version, freak over the fact that the audio changes from one ear to the other. I love PTX but this effect is on the original Queen album and is just being recreated by PTX.
I call Mitch, Mitch May Mercury
While they did make it look easy, they spent years working on it, and Scott has said that it's the hardest arrangement they perform.
And in case no one has mentioned, there are videos of them doing this LIVE! No edits, no effects... just the Masters of A Capella!
Another song that is almost impossible to cover well that they haven't done yet and I would love to see them do is Hotel California by the Eagles. I think they could do it the same justice they did this song. They also do a cover of Imagine, one of Sound of Silence, one of Hallelujah, and one of The Prayer that are all great. They won Grammies for Daft Punk Medley, for Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, and for Jolene featuring Dolly Parton. They were nominated but didn't win for the album that The Prayer came from. I believe it's called Evergreen, but I may be wrong there.
PTX does not do covers! They do upgrades. There is a reason they have 3 Grammys, Daft Punk Melody(best acapella arrangement)j, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy(best insturmental performance, again they do it all with their voices) and Jolene with Dolly Pardon(best Country Duo). Now I want another set of perfomers that have done that in 3 different catagories.