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{{Infobox musical artist |
{{Infobox musical artist |
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| name = Kevin "K.O." Olusola |
| name = Kevin "K.O." Olusola |
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| image =File:Kevin Olusola – Pentatonix.jpg |
| image =File:Kevin Olusola – Pentatonix.jpg |
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| caption =Olusola at a Pentatonix concert in Paris |
| caption = Olusola at a Pentatonix concert in Paris |
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| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| background = non_vocal_instrumentalist |
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| birth_name = Kevin Oluwole Olusola |
| birth_name = Kevin Oluwole Olusola |
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'''Kevin "K.O." Olusola''' (born October 5, 1988) is an [[United States|American]] [[cellist]], [[beatboxer]], [[saxophonist]], [[songwriter]], [[music producer|producer]], and [[singer]]. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the widely acclaimed vocal band [[Pentatonix]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ptxofficial.com/bio |title=Pentatonix Official Website |publisher=Ptxofficial.com |date=2013-11-03 |accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> After the group won [[NBC]]'s [[The Sing-Off]] in 2011, they released 5 albums which all charted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200 charts, have sold over 500,000 records,<ref name="HollyRep">{{cite web |title=Pentatonix Signed to RCA Records |url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pentatonix-signed-rca-records-703811 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=13 May 2014}}</ref> and have amassed more than 600 million views on their YouTube channel. Olusola has also been identified as developing the art of "celloboxing" (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously).<ref>{{cite web|last=Tsioulcas |first=Anastasia |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/12/03/166431597/bach-beatboxed |title=Bach, Beatboxed : Deceptive Cadence |publisher=NPR |date=2012-12-03 |accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> His celloboxing version of [[Mark Summer]]'s "Julie-O" went viral in April 2011, which led him to become involved with Pentatonix. Olusola has performed at prestigious classical musical festivals such as the Amsterdam Cello Biennale and the Kronberg Academy Festival, opened the [[TED (conference)|TED]] Conference in Vancouver, and was chosen by [[Quincy Jones]] to represent him in concert at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival on the same program as [[Bobby McFerrin]] and [[Chick Corea]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Nebehay |first=Stephanie |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/entertainment-us-montreux-quincy-idUSBRE8610XX20120702 |title=Quincy Jones brings jazz prodigies to Montreux stage |publisher=Reuters |date=2012-07-02 |
'''Kevin "K.O." Olusola''' (born October 5, 1988) is an [[United States|American]] [[cellist]], [[beatboxer]], [[saxophonist]], [[songwriter]], [[music producer|producer]], and [[singer]]. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the widely acclaimed vocal band [[Pentatonix]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ptxofficial.com/bio |title=Pentatonix Official Website |publisher=Ptxofficial.com |date=2013-11-03 |accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> After the group won [[NBC]]'s [[The Sing-Off]] in 2011, they released 5 albums which all charted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200 charts, have sold over 500,000 records,<ref name="HollyRep">{{cite web |title=Pentatonix Signed to RCA Records |url= http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/pentatonix-signed-rca-records-703811 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=13 May 2014}}</ref> and have amassed more than 600 million views on their YouTube channel. Olusola has also been identified as developing the art of "celloboxing" (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously).<ref>{{cite web|last=Tsioulcas |first=Anastasia |url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2012/12/03/166431597/bach-beatboxed |title=Bach, Beatboxed : Deceptive Cadence |publisher=NPR |date=2012-12-03 |accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> His celloboxing version of [[Mark Summer]]'s "Julie-O" went viral in April 2011, which led him to become involved with Pentatonix. Olusola has performed at prestigious classical musical festivals such as the Amsterdam Cello Biennale and the Kronberg Academy Festival, opened the [[TED (conference)|TED]] Conference in Vancouver, and was chosen by [[Quincy Jones]] to represent him in concert at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival on the same program as [[Bobby McFerrin]] and [[Chick Corea]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Nebehay |first=Stephanie |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/02/entertainment-us-montreux-quincy-idUSBRE8610XX20120702 |title=Quincy Jones brings jazz prodigies to Montreux stage |publisher=Reuters |date=2012-07-02 |accessdate=2014-06-08}}</ref> |
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==History== |
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Olusola was born in [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]], [[California]] to Nigerian-born Oluwole Olusola, a psychiatrist, and [[Grenadian]]-born Curline Paul, a nurse. At that time, his father had just come from medical school in [[Nigeria]] and internship in [[Trinidad]] and [[Tobago]] to [[Loma Linda University]] (a [[Seventh-day Adventist Church|Seventh-day Adventist]] institution), where he met his wife while she was doing her MPH. After they married, they moved to [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]] for his father to finish residency at [[Albert Einstein Medical Center]] (where Kevin’s siblings, Candace and Kellon were born). Olusola started his education at Greater Philadelphia Junior Academy, but his family eventually moved to [[Owensboro]], [[Kentucky]] where he was raised. He attended the Triplett School, a Montessori based school, for a short period of time before his parents transferred him to the Owensboro Public School system for their accelerated math program that allowed him to take [[precalculus]] starting in the 9th grade. He applied and was accepted to [[Phillips Academy Andover]], [[Choate Rosemary Hall]], and [[Deerfield Academy]] for boarding school for 11th grade (upper year) but decided on Andover. |
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Olusola says that Andover taught him work ethic, tenacity, and discipline. He went from an average student to a high honors student in his senior year. He was involved in community service (directing a music program for elementary string students) and Spanish-speaking activities, where he led the Spanish language table and went to [[Costa Rica]] for four weeks to study Spanish. Olusola chose to attend [[Yale University]], but was also accepted at [[Princeton University]], [[Stanford University]], [[University of Pennsylvania]], and [[Brown University]]. |
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At Yale, Olusola planned to pursue medicine and finished all his pre-med requirements. He started as an academic music major, but decided to switch to East Asian Studies after being introduced to [[China]] through a 10-day Chinese government sponsored trip for 100 Yalies. He lived in [[Beijing]] for 6 months through a PKU-Yale joint program during his sophomore year, and then took a leave of absence during the 2009-2010 academic school year on Yale’s Light Fellowship to study intensive Chinese at the [[Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Study]] in Beijing. He also finished his pre-med requirements. In school, Olusola was the Director of Communications for a Rhodes Scholar-led non-profit called College Outreach, and he worked as a book monitor in the [[Yale Law School]] library and as a practice room monitor at the [[Yale School of Music]]. He graduated from Yale in 2011. |
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==Life== |
==Life== |
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===2010-present: Pentatonix=== |
===2010-present: Pentatonix=== |
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⚫ | Olusola was contacted by Scott Hoying who was impressed by his musicality and beatboxing skills. Hoying was forming a group with Kirstie Maldonado, Mitch Grassi, and Avi Kaplan to compete in season three of [[NBC]]’s ''[[The Sing-Off]]'' and he wanted Olusola to join. The second weekend after Olusola graduated college, he met the group the day before the audition, and Pentatonix was born. After the taping of the show, Olusola did a brief stint as the cellist for [[Gungor]] on the [[David Crowder Band]] "7" Tour before returning with Pentatonix for the season finale. The group won the Sing-Off title on November 28th, 2011, which landed them a recording contract with [[Sony Music Entertainment]] and a $200K cash prize. The band immediately moved to Los Angeles to record their first album with producer Ben Bram, whom they met on the show.<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Grady |title='Sing-Off' champs Pentatonix talk competition, their future album, and (of course) Nick Lachey's puns |work=Inside TV |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |date=2 December 2011 |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/02/the-sing-off-pentatonix-interview/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Still |first=Jennifer |title='The Sing-Off' Pentatonix interview: 'We want mainstream success' |work=Digital Spy |date=30 November 2011 |url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/s184/the-sing-off/interviews/a353572/the-sing-off-pentatonix-interview-we-want-mainstream-success.html |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref> Their first [[Extended play|EP]], ''[[PTX, Volume 1]]'', was released on June 26, 2012, charting at #14 in the US [[Billboard 200]] chart and #5 on the digital chart.<ref>{{cite web |last=Grein |first=Paul |title=Week Ending July 1, 2012. Albums: Keeping Adam Humble |work=Yahoo! Music Chart Watch |date=4 July 2012 |url= http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart-watch/week-ending-july-2-2012-albums-keeping-adam-152652331.html |accessdate=24 August 2012}}</ref> It sold 20,000 copies in its first week of release.<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=Grady |title=Winners of 'The Sing-Off' outsell 'The Voice' winner Javier Colon |work=music-mix.ew.com |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |date=3 July 2012 |url=http://music-mix.ew.com/2012/07/03/pentatonix-sing-off-the-voice-javier-colon/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Linkin Parks One, Maroon's Next |work=Hits Daily Double |date=27 June 2012 |url=http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/news/newsPage.cgi?news09031m01 |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref> They embarked on a fall 2012 and released their Christmas EP, ''PTXmas'', on November 13, 2012. |
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After Olusola’s academic stint in China, he spent the summer in Beijing working on his celloboxing version of Mark Summer’s “Julie-O” the summer of 2010 while living in a Chinese friend’s apartment in Beijing, China as a way to begin expanding his skills. He continued working on it throughout the year and decided to audition to music schools with it. He was accepted at [[New England Conservatory]] for their Third Stream Program and [[Berklee School of Music]], but chose Berklee in the end. During his spring semester of senior year, Olusola (along with YouTube sensation [[Sam Tsui]]) was nominated for a graduation-day prize and videotaped “Julie-O” with the help of YouTube star and Yale alum Jake Bruene. Olusola posted the video on April 14, 2011 and by the second week, the video had reached number 6 on [[Reddit]], and had become a viral video on the internet, garnering national and international acclaim. |
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⚫ | |||
After their winter/spring 2013 tour, Pentatonix returned to the studio to finish their second EP, ''[[PTX, Vol. II]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moraski |first=Lauren |title=Pentatonix: Keeping the a cappella spark bright after 'The Sing-Off' |work=CBS News |date=6 July 2012 |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57467477-10391698/pentatonix-keeping-the-a-cappella-spark-bright-after-the-sing-off/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lawton |first=Adam |title=Pentatonix's Avi Kaplan & Scott Hoying talk about NBC's 'The Sing Off' |work=mediamikes.com |date=29 July 2012 |url= http://www.mediamikes.com/2012/07/pentatonixs-scott-hoying-and-avi-kaplan-talk-about-nbcs-the-sing-off/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pentatonix (Interview) |work=dfwlive.org |date=10 August 2012 |url=http://dfwlive.org/beta/2012/08/10/pentatonix-interview/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref> Olusola became more interesting in songwriting and production, especially with how stomping and clapping could be used as an effective production tool for bolstering their a cappella tracks. Olusola co-wrote three of the songs on the album, ''Natural Disaster'', ''Love Again'', and ''Run to You''. The album was released on November 5, 2013 and debuted at number ten on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the Independent charts, selling 31,000 copies in the first week. The Christmas album was re-released on November 19, 2013, additionally labeled the "Deluxe Edition", and contained two additional tracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ptxofficial.com/news_item&NewsID=3765647615765 |title=PTXMAS DELUXE (WITH 2 NEW TRACKS) - AVAILABLE NOW! |accessdate=2014-03-28}}</ref> One of these, ''The Little Drummer Boy'', charted in several ''[[Billboard charts|Billboard]]'' categories including peaking at number two on the "Streaming Songs" chart and number one on the "Holiday 100" chart. It also became the fourth-highest charting holiday song on the Hot 100 in Billboard history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1490043/pentatonix/chart |title=Billboard: Pentatonix Chart History}}</ref> Pentatonix signed a deal with [[RCA Records]] after finishing their third US tour and their second European tour in 2014, and are currently working on their next album. |
After their winter/spring 2013 tour, Pentatonix returned to the studio to finish their second EP, ''[[PTX, Vol. II]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Moraski |first=Lauren |title=Pentatonix: Keeping the a cappella spark bright after 'The Sing-Off' |work=CBS News |date=6 July 2012 |url= http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57467477-10391698/pentatonix-keeping-the-a-cappella-spark-bright-after-the-sing-off/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lawton |first=Adam |title=Pentatonix's Avi Kaplan & Scott Hoying talk about NBC's 'The Sing Off' |work=mediamikes.com |date=29 July 2012 |url= http://www.mediamikes.com/2012/07/pentatonixs-scott-hoying-and-avi-kaplan-talk-about-nbcs-the-sing-off/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Pentatonix (Interview) |work=dfwlive.org |date=10 August 2012 |url=http://dfwlive.org/beta/2012/08/10/pentatonix-interview/ |accessdate=25 August 2012}}</ref> Olusola became more interesting in songwriting and production, especially with how stomping and clapping could be used as an effective production tool for bolstering their a cappella tracks. Olusola co-wrote three of the songs on the album, ''Natural Disaster'', ''Love Again'', and ''Run to You''. The album was released on November 5, 2013 and debuted at number ten on the ''Billboard'' 200 and number one on the Independent charts, selling 31,000 copies in the first week. The Christmas album was re-released on November 19, 2013, additionally labeled the "Deluxe Edition", and contained two additional tracks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ptxofficial.com/news_item&NewsID=3765647615765 |title=PTXMAS DELUXE (WITH 2 NEW TRACKS) - AVAILABLE NOW! |accessdate=2014-03-28}}</ref> One of these, ''The Little Drummer Boy'', charted in several ''[[Billboard charts|Billboard]]'' categories including peaking at number two on the "Streaming Songs" chart and number one on the "Holiday 100" chart. It also became the fourth-highest charting holiday song on the Hot 100 in Billboard history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/1490043/pentatonix/chart |title=Billboard: Pentatonix Chart History}}</ref> Pentatonix signed a deal with [[RCA Records]] after finishing their third US tour and their second European tour in 2014, and are currently working on their next album. |
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== External links == |
== External links == |
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* {{Facebook Page|KO1Music}} |
* {{Facebook Page|KO1Music}} |
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* {{YouTube user|kolusola}} |
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{{Pentatonix}} |
{{Pentatonix}} |
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{{Persondata |
{{Persondata |
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| NAME = Kevin |
| NAME = Kevin Olusola |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = KO |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = KO |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American cellist, beatboxer, and vocalist |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American cellist, beatboxer, and vocalist |
Revision as of 22:52, 21 December 2014
Kevin "K.O." Olusola | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Kevin Oluwole Olusola |
Also known as | KO, Meat |
Born | Pasadena, California[1] | October 5, 1988
Genres | Classical, Pop, Rock, Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Cellist, Saxophonist, Singer, Beatboxer, Celloboxer |
Instrument(s) | Cello, Saxophone, Vocals, Beatboxing, Celloboxing |
Years active | 2011-present |
Labels | Madison Gate Records, RCA Records[1] |
Kevin "K.O." Olusola (born October 5, 1988) is an American cellist, beatboxer, saxophonist, songwriter, producer, and singer. Olusola is best known as the beatboxer of the widely acclaimed vocal band Pentatonix.[2] After the group won NBC's The Sing-Off in 2011, they released 5 albums which all charted in the top 20 of the Billboard 200 charts, have sold over 500,000 records,[3] and have amassed more than 600 million views on their YouTube channel. Olusola has also been identified as developing the art of "celloboxing" (playing cello and beatboxing simultaneously).[4] His celloboxing version of Mark Summer's "Julie-O" went viral in April 2011, which led him to become involved with Pentatonix. Olusola has performed at prestigious classical musical festivals such as the Amsterdam Cello Biennale and the Kronberg Academy Festival, opened the TED Conference in Vancouver, and was chosen by Quincy Jones to represent him in concert at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival on the same program as Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea.[5]
Life
1988-2010: Early years
Olusola’s parents discovered his musical talent when he was 6 months old and decided to put him in music lessons. He started the piano at age 4, the cello at age 6, and alto saxophone at age 10. He was heavily involved in music programs throughout grade school at Owensboro, KY in school and the community participating in jazz band, marching band, concert band, orchestra, and community youth orchestra. When Olusola was 12 years old, he was selected as the principal saxophonist of the United States Collegiate Wind Band and toured Europe during the summer for three weeks. He was also the principal cellist of the Kentucky State Youth Orchestra and received the highest honor at the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts. He soloed and performed in a piano trio at Carnegie Hall as the winner of the American Fine Arts Festival, and soloed a second time on alto saxophone for PBS’s special “From the Top at Carnegie Hall”.
While at Yale, Olusola was one of the principal cellists of the Yale Symphony Orchestra and participated in chamber music. It was during his junior year when he started thinking about music as a career when, that previous summer in Beijing, he began working on “celloboxing”. One of his teachers at a Harvard summer intensive Chinese program suggested that he should try combining the two abilities. He won runner-up in Yo-Yo Ma’s “Celebrate and Collaborate With Yo-Yo Ma’ competition (Ma said Olusola’s version of Dona Nobis Pacem was “inventive and unexpected”) and opened for KRS-One at Southern Connecticut State University. Olusola says that, during that spring break, his pre-med mentor Brandon Ogbunuafor (who was MD/PhD at Yale at the time) helped him to make the decision to finally go into music, saying medicine would always be there. After a summer of neurobiology research at Yale, Olusola moved to Beijing for his academic year of Chinese study and continuously honed his celloboxing skills. He started uploading celloboxing covers to his YouTube channel and performed for Ambassador Jon Huntsman, Jr. at his residence, and on Beijing Television with Li Yu Gang and Chong’er (Chinese beatboxer). He also met KorElement, an American rapper in Beijing, and they did covers on YouTube, in addition to performing together at the American Pavilion for the 2010 Shanghai World Expo.
2010-present: Pentatonix
Olusola was contacted by Scott Hoying who was impressed by his musicality and beatboxing skills. Hoying was forming a group with Kirstie Maldonado, Mitch Grassi, and Avi Kaplan to compete in season three of NBC’s The Sing-Off and he wanted Olusola to join. The second weekend after Olusola graduated college, he met the group the day before the audition, and Pentatonix was born. After the taping of the show, Olusola did a brief stint as the cellist for Gungor on the David Crowder Band "7" Tour before returning with Pentatonix for the season finale. The group won the Sing-Off title on November 28th, 2011, which landed them a recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment and a $200K cash prize. The band immediately moved to Los Angeles to record their first album with producer Ben Bram, whom they met on the show.[6][7] Their first EP, PTX, Volume 1, was released on June 26, 2012, charting at #14 in the US Billboard 200 chart and #5 on the digital chart.[8] It sold 20,000 copies in its first week of release.[9][10] They embarked on a fall 2012 and released their Christmas EP, PTXmas, on November 13, 2012.
After their winter/spring 2013 tour, Pentatonix returned to the studio to finish their second EP, PTX, Vol. II.[11][12][13] Olusola became more interesting in songwriting and production, especially with how stomping and clapping could be used as an effective production tool for bolstering their a cappella tracks. Olusola co-wrote three of the songs on the album, Natural Disaster, Love Again, and Run to You. The album was released on November 5, 2013 and debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Independent charts, selling 31,000 copies in the first week. The Christmas album was re-released on November 19, 2013, additionally labeled the "Deluxe Edition", and contained two additional tracks.[14] One of these, The Little Drummer Boy, charted in several Billboard categories including peaking at number two on the "Streaming Songs" chart and number one on the "Holiday 100" chart. It also became the fourth-highest charting holiday song on the Hot 100 in Billboard history.[15] Pentatonix signed a deal with RCA Records after finishing their third US tour and their second European tour in 2014, and are currently working on their next album.
References
- ^ a b Copley, Rich (November 30, 2011). "Owensboro native relishes victory on 'Sing Off' TV show". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
- ^ "Pentatonix Official Website". Ptxofficial.com. November 3, 2013. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ "Pentatonix Signed to RCA Records". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 13, 2014.
- ^ Tsioulcas, Anastasia (December 3, 2012). "Bach, Beatboxed : Deceptive Cadence". NPR. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Nebehay, Stephanie (July 2, 2012). "Quincy Jones brings jazz prodigies to Montreux stage". Reuters. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Smith, Grady (December 2, 2011). "'Sing-Off' champs Pentatonix talk competition, their future album, and (of course) Nick Lachey's puns". Inside TV. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Still, Jennifer (November 30, 2011). "'The Sing-Off' Pentatonix interview: 'We want mainstream success'". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Grein, Paul (July 4, 2012). "Week Ending July 1, 2012. Albums: Keeping Adam Humble". Yahoo! Music Chart Watch. Retrieved August 24, 2012.
- ^ Smith, Grady (July 3, 2012). "Winners of 'The Sing-Off' outsell 'The Voice' winner Javier Colon". music-mix.ew.com. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "Linkin Parks One, Maroon's Next". Hits Daily Double. June 27, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Moraski, Lauren (July 6, 2012). "Pentatonix: Keeping the a cappella spark bright after 'The Sing-Off'". CBS News. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Lawton, Adam (July 29, 2012). "Pentatonix's Avi Kaplan & Scott Hoying talk about NBC's 'The Sing Off'". mediamikes.com. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "Pentatonix (Interview)". dfwlive.org. August 10, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "PTXMAS DELUXE (WITH 2 NEW TRACKS) - AVAILABLE NOW!". Retrieved March 28, 2014.
- ^ "Billboard: Pentatonix Chart History".