November 12, 2025 • 23 mins
The a cappella phenoneon discuss their new holiday album, Christmas in the City, at an exclusive iHeartRadio LIVE event. Check out the songs here: https://www.iheart.com/artist/pentatonix-655231/albums/christmas-in-the-city-356858495/
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to iHeartRadio Live with Pentatonics celebrating their new album
Christmas in the City from the iHeart Radio Theater in
Los Angeles. Here's your host, Ellen Kay.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Thank you for joining us on the radio, on the
free iHeartRadio app, on YouTube, and here in Los Angeles.
The holiday seasons upon us, and what better way to
start the celebration than with tonight's special guests. They have
reinvigorated and redefined acappella since emerging in twenty eleven. The
three time Grammy Award winning vocal quintet Son It's Crossy,
(00:40):
Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin O'shula, and Matt Sully have reached unprecedented heights,
toppling charts, selling millions of albums, billions of streams, and
performing everywhere from the White House to the Hollywood Bowl.
Their catalog boats back to back number ones. They've just
unwrapped their eighth holiday release, Christmas in the City, and
(01:01):
that is out now.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
From your Public Records.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
We'll hear some seasonal favorites, a few originals, and we'll
talk about a once in a lifetime collaboration iHeartRadio Presents Penatonics. Hello, Hello, Hello,
guys are amazing. I think Santo needs to bring all
(01:25):
the Grammys.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Everybody ready for some Q and A.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Nothing's off limits?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I don't know, all right, guys. Congratulations on your eighth album.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, thank you guys.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Your name kind of Tonics had become synonymous with Christmas.
Was that a plan or did you just kind of
organically happen?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
That was never exactly the plan.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
I mean what happened was we just loved Christmas music
and it felt like it really worked well with what
we did with acapella. And then we just had this
one song, Little Drummer Boy, that really went viral and
that's what kind of started us on this kind of
Christmas train, and.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Then married did you know?
Speaker 5 (02:14):
And Hallelujah, and then it just kind of skyrocketed from
there and literally because of every single one of you guys.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Thank you literally and thank you seriously.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We just heard one of your new original songs tell
us about the origins of Santa be Good to my Baby.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Thank you. I think it was a writing session that
was Oh was that though our friends Geon and Mark
love we oh and Sean. We sat down, it was
just at my house in my home studio, and he
had like the idea for that hooks man, it would
be good to my day, and we were like yes.
(02:52):
And then we were wanting to like implement Andrew's sisters energy,
you know, like boogie boogie bogle boy that vibe into
the music on this album, and so we were like,
this would be a perfect one. Let's do a list
song where all the things we want for Christmas?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is that how some of them come along. Some of
your songs, you're just kind of hanging out and you
have a hook in your head because normal people don't
think like that.
Speaker 6 (03:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
It's so funny that you say that, because I feel
like that's the best arrangement. The best original song is
when it comes from that instinctual place when you're actually
just like having fun, you know, when you're a kid
and you're dancing and making up songs and drawing stuff.
I feel like it's a similar thing that you do
as an adult. It's like staying out of your head
at the hard part.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
That's amazing. Well, the album is called Christmas in the City.
Did one particular city inspire the name?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Yes, it was a New York City, New York City.
I love Magical, we love all cities.
Speaker 7 (03:44):
Cities areat but.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I was walking through New York City and I I
saw like an ornament that had a little taxi on
it said Christmas in the City.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I was like, cute, Okay, Christmas in the City stands
out as the first time the group has added all right,
first time. It's a new chapter for your group. What
led you to that decision?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
You know, I like love that old classic Christmas sound,
the nat King Cole being Crosby with the orchestra, and
there's still a lot of vocals and a lot of harmony,
and it just has this cozy feeling and I feel
like we had never really done that before. It was
our eighth Christmas album, so it's time to take And
what what I'm really proud about this album is it's
(04:25):
creative and it holds true to like our sound and
what we do, but it brings that kind of ten
Pan Alley old school vibe into it. It was it
was really inspiring.
Speaker 8 (04:34):
Yeah, it's going back to roots in a different way
because like the Andrew Sisters were a trio and we're
always taking inspiration from them and just a lot of
little trios and quartets and the way that they were
singing back in the day. We've had such inspiration from,
So even though we're adding a lot of instruments, in
a way, it's returning to kind of like making an
homage to the people that came before us and inspired
what we are now doing too. So it feels special
(04:57):
and yeah, it was fun to just play and go
back to that old school Christmas feeling.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah. Well, we mentioned earlier once in a Lifetime collaboration
and tell us how Pentatonics got to team up with
the chairman of the board Frank Sinatra on I've Got
My Love to Keep Me Warm? How did that come about?
Speaker 4 (05:16):
It is so iconic. I mean, we are obviously very
inspired by him. He's one of the best performers in history.
And are an executive producer and orchestrat that worked on
our album, Dave Pearce, who is amazing. We wrote a
lot of songs with him. He knows the Sinatra estate
and we met someone with the estate and the Sinatra's
(05:36):
had to give their blessing and we are beyond honors
have got and they blessed us with the sweet voice
and we and we got to release like an unheard
vocal and it's wild. If you listen to you can
hear the papers ruffling and like the bleed of the
orchestra from the other rooms. Really really really powerful and
logical yet very special.
Speaker 8 (05:55):
I also feel like like we he was so good
about vocal directing as what that's song too, and with
that arrangement, like I feel like we went back in
time and we're those singers like with him in that
booth that we were inspired by, that we're taking that
inspiration from. And I'm just so proud of that song.
Like how we all sound in the arrangement. It's so
fun to sing and just to do it, Like just
(06:15):
have our names next to Franks and Entreprenos is like
that's such an honor.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, congrats. Well who else living or not would you
want to collapse with?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I mean, I think we can constantly say Arian.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Christmas the cast of Wicked.
Speaker 7 (06:39):
That would be so amazing.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
We've always said.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Michael Jackson would be crazy.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Someone that was on our list was Jojo and she's
on this album, so we got to check that.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
More exciting news to talk about, Pentatonics is out on
tour right now and the biggest tour yet, the Christmas
and the City tour. All right, So some of you
are stops include Saint Paul, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Indie, Detroit,
New York, and wrapping up with two hometown shows on
(07:13):
December twenty first and December twenty second, and Fort Worth, Texas.
So how excited are you to be on the road
at this time of the year.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
So excited.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
It's always the best I personally, I think I can
speak for everyone. This is the tour we look forward
to the most. It's just the best energy, the most
fun that we have on the road. I'm really excited.
Speaker 5 (07:31):
Yeah, And I think also the connection with the fans
is my favorite part. I mean, I remember when we
do VIP. There was one time a few years ago
where we had a grandmother, a mother, their daughter, and
then also the granddaughter. All these generations come and they
all said that penn A Thomas was the one music
that they all agreed on. And so that's just super
special because you just don't see that.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
That's all the best, that connection that you have with
your fans to multi generational exactly. And then you're going
to be at home at the end. It's so cool.
What can your fans expect to see on this tour.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's the best tour yet. Yeah, lots of new stuff,
lots of new songs. The set is so beautiful this year.
We were like amazed when they showed us the rendering
of it and.
Speaker 7 (08:16):
What else we just had. So we just had choreo rehearsal.
Speaker 8 (08:19):
Oh well, we had so many chorey rehearsals like us
by the time, and we were just telling our choreographers
like how they were so amazing and how proud we
all were because we were pushing boundaries on how we
normally do our tours. And it just feels like we're
going to Broadway Musical and we're just doing different things
and having fun with it. And I think it really
goes along with the music, and so I'm excited.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
I'm excited for everyone to see it.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
I do ten pirouettes in a row.
Speaker 8 (08:49):
And then he does a backflip off the backflip.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Into an aerial and around the I.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Just hold up earlier today and saw some dancing in
the parking lot.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yes, just get that.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Wait.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
We also incorporate the musical instruments into your tour.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Oh yeah, you'll you'll hear definitely, you'll hear some musical
instruments on tour. Okay, you also get all the classes
that you get married. Did he know you get Halle Yeah,
there's it's this is a good set list this year.
I'm really excited about.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And then how does that change kind of the stage.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Setup doesn't change it much?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
No, not a whole lot, No, not too much.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Are We do have two giant ramps this year, which
is terrifying and exciting at.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
The same time.
Speaker 8 (09:34):
We've had them in the past when those were dangerous,
but these are like nice baby slide down.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah. What do you love most about being on tour?
I guess it would probably be connecting with all the
fans and all the different cities the shows for sure.
Speaker 8 (09:48):
Yeah, you get to have like, especially with a Christmas tour,
you get to just have like twenty six twenty eight.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
However, many shows are doning like.
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Little Christmases, like little Christmas parties with everyone and that's
really fun. And I feel like even if you ever
feel like a lag or tired or whatever, like everyone's
energy kind of like thank Heaven or someone was saying earlier,
just like brings you up and you get to explore
Christmas and all these different cities as well. Like if
you have an off day and get to see friends
and stuff you've never seen and are you you don't
(10:15):
get to see all the time, and it's just so fun.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
There's so much.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
Joy's joy, there's so much happiness and just kindness. Everyone's
just like high fiving and hugging in the audiences a
moment I'm in the past couple of years, we're like, well,
just hug the person next to you. People would just
love to do that. You should do it right now,
have the person next to you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
I feel like my one of my favorite feelings in
the world is like right when a show is about
to start and like the overtures happening and all the
lights are twinkling and everyone's like getting in their seats
and then you like walk out there and you feel
like beyond six the spotlight. That is such a good
feeling and like it's in like the audience is excited
and we're feeding off each other's energy. And you get
(10:58):
to do that on tour like every night, and it
hits every time. It never gets old. That's one of
my favorite parts.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Well, it's all about good feelings. So tell us about
how it felt when you first heard your song on
the radio. I'm trying to anyone of your songs. You're driving,
maybe you're in the car, maybe someone calls you like,
oh my god, I don't let you feel in the radio, like,
what does that feel like?
Speaker 6 (11:19):
That is always so surreal. It's something you dream about
as a position your whole life. And I even still
to this day when it happens or if somebody hears us,
like on TV or out in public at a story,
even I'm just like, it's so crazy that people love
what we do.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, oh definitely. And so when like, can you even
go to a grocery store? Do you get stopped and
recognized and will you sing for me?
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Oh my god, it doesn't happen often every one's while.
It's not like a Ariana Grandezra Taylor so situation. But
also Pentatonics fans are so sweet and kind of like,
it's always amazing meeting all of them. I forgot the story.
I was just thinking about the fantas.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
I just love being recognized and famous stuff. Thank you
(12:36):
so much, Thank you so much, m hm, thank you.
It's iHeart Radio Live with Pentatonics on YouTube. I'm ellen k.
The brand new holiday release is Christmas in the City
hashtag I Heart Pentatonics. All right, guys, incredible, What were
your influences growing up for each of you? You know,
(12:59):
you're you're you're just little Pentatonics and you're like dreaming
of being a group one day. But but what were
your influences?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's so different for each one of us.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
I was a classical musician, so I love everything classical music.
One of my favorite cellists name is Jaqueline Duprey, and
so I just listened to so much classical music, and
I feel like that really inspired me growing going growing.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Up, I was mainly really inspired by Image and Heaps.
She's my main vocal influence. And then I also listened
to a lot of R and B. And I listened
to a lot of show tunes when I was growing
up because I was in community theater. Any favor in particular,
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I mean Wicked Oklahoma.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yeah, I love.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Oh. So it started out country because we grew up
in Texas. I loved like Dixie Chicks, and but then
it all changed when I heard Jazzmine Sullivan for the
first time, I Love with another man, and I was obsessed.
And then I just fell in love with R and
B and pop relies and the rest is history.
Speaker 7 (14:04):
I loved.
Speaker 8 (14:05):
I was like a musical theater girly too, like Disney
Musical theater shaped my entire life. But I also really
loved and loved Sarah Burrells and Amy Lee from Evanescence.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
I feel like I really love her voice transpill.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
From that.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Mine Are.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
I listened to a lot of Christian gospel music, so
I grew up on a lot of gospel music like
Kirk Franklin, John mcclerk and all those guys. But I
big musical theater guy, like I laid this is one
of my favorite shows ever.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So good.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
See, I saw a lot of musical theater and Christian
gospel music.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Were you all like pretty young when you knew you
had this gift of song?
Speaker 7 (14:46):
It would be quiet?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
I just remember being eight years old and I like
performed at a country music review and I remember the
applause and I was like, I love this.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
I was like, I'm gonna do this forever.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
Stars appeared in his eyes.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Well, there are so many classic songs on the album
Silver Bells and Holly Dolly Christmas as well as the
show stopping Christmas classics Medley, What holiday songs have you
not covered yet? Uh that you have your sight set on,
you know.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
For the first time ever. I would say we've done
them all.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Maybe I think we've done that's what you wrote new
one because.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
In my phone, the list I have, it's like Holly
Jolly and Silver Bells are the only two left. Well,
we still have like all the kid ones like Hippopotamus and.
Speaker 7 (15:29):
Gray like a silly one.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, we'll do kids Christmas.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Yeah, we have a bunch of fan questions. We have
talkbacks for you, so let's start with our first talk back.
Hey Pentatonics, It's Carly from Wisconsin, and my question is
would any of you receive coal from Santa this year?
And why?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
That's a great question.
Speaker 7 (15:54):
It's a great question.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Hi, car.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I would not receive coal because I've never I've never
done anything wrong. Actually, no, it's kind of crazy. My
track rider wild it's nice, less nice, less nice.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I don't think.
Speaker 7 (16:13):
I don't trying to be really good this year.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
All I do is hang out with my baby girl.
Speaker 8 (16:19):
Me too. I've been in mommy mommy world, so I
hope I wouldn't get cool.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Maybe you stated we're a wholesome bunch.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
You're all good. You're all good guys and girls.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Let's get to our next fan talk back.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Hi guys, my name is Junior.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I'm from south of the df W area in Texas,
and my question is to Matt sa Lee. First off, Yeah,
such a beautiful voice. That's a great range. How did
y'all decide on doing what songs to do in the
love bedley? And for you, what made you decide on
untained melody? Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
That's very kind of you. Thank you so nice.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yeah, we were going through like we love doing medleys
and as you guys know, and arrangements and putting songs together,
and we were going through a bunch.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
We had a pretty long, extensive.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
List of of classic songs, just love songs of that era,
the fifties era, and and that one was just one
that I've always loved to sing. It's just sing back
in my days when I to sing a wedding bands,
I used to love singing that song.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
And so we we sang in the room.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Remember now.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
Matt sang it and we were like, yeah, yeah, that's
nice because yeah, yeah it was made for your voice.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
It was we should have done public domain songs. It
would be easier to clear.
Speaker 8 (17:49):
Yeah, they were hard to clear, a little back end.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
It's all right.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, we have another fan question. This one's from the
iHeartRadio app Hie.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
This is Sammy and I'm from Illinois.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
I just want to know what is your favorite part
about being on tour and what is your least favorite part?
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Sammy, what a soothing boy? What a podcast?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Sammy for that question. My favorite part is the shows.
I love it, and I also my husband and I
we like bird around the cities and explore you know,
that's always fun. My least favorite part is when you
get sick and you haven't anxiety, oh yeah.
Speaker 7 (18:30):
Yeah, and you have no time to recover and then you.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Yeah, I mean our tradition is going on tour, gone
for Christmas tour for like seven eight years now, and
so our team that we have for our Christmas tour
run our touring team, our management team.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Is like it's like going to camp. It's so fun.
You're like looking for it.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Like I can't wait to see Sarah, I can't wait
to see Alexis. And it's just this fun vibe and
so we enjoy each other's company and so we look
forward to being with each.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Other on tour.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, you guys have always be having so much fun. Yeah,
I love that. And then for each of you, what
is your favorite holiday song? I know that might be
a hard one to name, but one do you each? Yeah,
like editor, if you just had to pick one favorite.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Are you on a grandde Santa?
Speaker 6 (19:15):
Tell me? Yeah? Sure?
Speaker 5 (19:18):
For me? Oh my gosh, how am I literally forgetting
the name of the song? But that one gets me
in the I have done. It's like I'm in there.
It's great.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
You know what I love is Merry Christmas Darling, Uh huh,
good one picks.
Speaker 8 (19:41):
I love Holy Night David Philps sings a really amazing
version of any version. But I also really love Underneath
the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
It just gets me.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
She starts in the rafters.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, verse one.
Speaker 7 (19:58):
Right off the bat, You're.
Speaker 8 (19:59):
Like, yes, Christmas the right and I love it.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Oh mine would be White Christmas by the Drifters, the
one that's like.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I just want to be on an airplane with you guys, do.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
In one word, what do the holidays mean to you?
That's kind of a deep one.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
It is or not love. Family. That's two words, but
they're synonymous.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Mine would be gratefulness, humanity.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
Humanity, family.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
Peace is what in peace because we're family, and then
you get to go be with your own family, make family.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
Joy, to be with your families. iHeart radio.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
That's a good answer.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Just what work?
Speaker 3 (21:01):
How do you describe Christmas in the city? This this
to me, if I could start those songs I've heard,
it makes you feel so happy. It just makes me.
It's like such happy, feel good music, is it not?
It's just this, Yes, you feel you fill the air
with joy.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Oh, thank you, thank you very much. One word.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
One word.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
But the first one that came to on was adventurous.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
I was thinking that too.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
The music is adventurous and bold and like it makes
you feel like you're on an adventure and life is
an adventure and life is a highway.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
That's true.
Speaker 7 (21:37):
Magical magic, magical magic.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
I feel like so many of them are like little
Broadway musicals, and I think about like listening to those
and just feeling so inspired and just getting so into it.
And I feel like so many of these have like
little special stories within.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Them and so fun to weave them together nice.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
I would I would venture to say classic if I'm allowed.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
If I could use a phrase, I'd say glitz and glam.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
I'm so sorry, that's technically three words.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
This is what you get. I'd say heartfelt, heartfelt. Yeah,
we really put our heart. We really did.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Like we were sitting in scott twssin like all together
and talking about this and really starting the process. We
really were like, we really love music and we love
to do this and I'm so grateful that we get
to do this. And so I feel like that set
the tone for this project and we're like, we're going to.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Try this and oh that you're awesome.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
We just the coolest part too, is that we fell
in love with each other's talents too. Again, like we
fall in love with each other's voices and abilities, and
we're like, Wow, I'm grateful to be with these humans
next to me.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
We love the love. Yay, and this has been iHeartRadio
Live with Pentatonics on YouTube. I'm ellen k the brand
new Holiday releases Christmas in the City hashtag I heart Pentatonics.
Thank you all for being here. Happy Holidays. We love
you Pentatonics. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Was produced, edited, and mixed by Jordan Runtalk.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
If you liked what you heard, please subscribe and leave
us a review. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, listen to
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
favorite shows.
iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Welcome to iHeartRadio Live with Pentatonics celebrating their new album
Christmas in the City from the iHeart Radio Theater in
Los Angeles. Here's your host, Ellen Kay.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Thank you for joining us on the radio, on the
free iHeartRadio app, on YouTube, and here in Los Angeles.
The holiday seasons upon us, and what better way to
start the celebration than with tonight's special guests. They have
reinvigorated and redefined acappella since emerging in twenty eleven. The
three time Grammy Award winning vocal quintet Son It's Crossy,
(00:40):
Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin O'shula, and Matt Sully have reached unprecedented heights,
toppling charts, selling millions of albums, billions of streams, and
performing everywhere from the White House to the Hollywood Bowl.
Their catalog boats back to back number ones. They've just
unwrapped their eighth holiday release, Christmas in the City, and
(01:01):
that is out now.
Speaker 4 (01:01):
From your Public Records.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
We'll hear some seasonal favorites, a few originals, and we'll
talk about a once in a lifetime collaboration iHeartRadio Presents Penatonics. Hello, Hello, Hello,
guys are amazing. I think Santo needs to bring all
(01:25):
the Grammys.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Everybody ready for some Q and A.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Nothing's off limits?
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I don't know, all right, guys. Congratulations on your eighth album.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Yeah, thank you guys.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Your name kind of Tonics had become synonymous with Christmas.
Was that a plan or did you just kind of
organically happen?
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Oh?
Speaker 1 (01:59):
That was never exactly the plan.
Speaker 5 (02:01):
I mean what happened was we just loved Christmas music
and it felt like it really worked well with what
we did with acapella. And then we just had this
one song, Little Drummer Boy, that really went viral and
that's what kind of started us on this kind of
Christmas train, and.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Then married did you know?
Speaker 5 (02:14):
And Hallelujah, and then it just kind of skyrocketed from
there and literally because of every single one of you guys.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Thank you literally and thank you seriously.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
We just heard one of your new original songs tell
us about the origins of Santa be Good to my Baby.
I love it.
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Thank you. I think it was a writing session that
was Oh was that though our friends Geon and Mark
love we oh and Sean. We sat down, it was
just at my house in my home studio, and he
had like the idea for that hooks man, it would
be good to my day, and we were like yes.
(02:52):
And then we were wanting to like implement Andrew's sisters energy,
you know, like boogie boogie bogle boy that vibe into
the music on this album, and so we were like,
this would be a perfect one. Let's do a list
song where all the things we want for Christmas?
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is that how some of them come along. Some of
your songs, you're just kind of hanging out and you
have a hook in your head because normal people don't
think like that.
Speaker 6 (03:13):
You know.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
It's so funny that you say that, because I feel
like that's the best arrangement. The best original song is
when it comes from that instinctual place when you're actually
just like having fun, you know, when you're a kid
and you're dancing and making up songs and drawing stuff.
I feel like it's a similar thing that you do
as an adult. It's like staying out of your head
at the hard part.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
That's amazing. Well, the album is called Christmas in the City.
Did one particular city inspire the name?
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Yes, it was a New York City, New York City.
I love Magical, we love all cities.
Speaker 7 (03:44):
Cities areat but.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I was walking through New York City and I I
saw like an ornament that had a little taxi on
it said Christmas in the City.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
I was like, cute, Okay, Christmas in the City stands
out as the first time the group has added all right,
first time. It's a new chapter for your group. What
led you to that decision?
Speaker 4 (04:05):
You know, I like love that old classic Christmas sound,
the nat King Cole being Crosby with the orchestra, and
there's still a lot of vocals and a lot of harmony,
and it just has this cozy feeling and I feel
like we had never really done that before. It was
our eighth Christmas album, so it's time to take And
what what I'm really proud about this album is it's
(04:25):
creative and it holds true to like our sound and
what we do, but it brings that kind of ten
Pan Alley old school vibe into it. It was it
was really inspiring.
Speaker 8 (04:34):
Yeah, it's going back to roots in a different way
because like the Andrew Sisters were a trio and we're
always taking inspiration from them and just a lot of
little trios and quartets and the way that they were
singing back in the day. We've had such inspiration from,
So even though we're adding a lot of instruments, in
a way, it's returning to kind of like making an
homage to the people that came before us and inspired
what we are now doing too. So it feels special
(04:57):
and yeah, it was fun to just play and go
back to that old school Christmas feeling.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Yeah. Well, we mentioned earlier once in a Lifetime collaboration
and tell us how Pentatonics got to team up with
the chairman of the board Frank Sinatra on I've Got
My Love to Keep Me Warm? How did that come about?
Speaker 4 (05:16):
It is so iconic. I mean, we are obviously very
inspired by him. He's one of the best performers in history.
And are an executive producer and orchestrat that worked on
our album, Dave Pearce, who is amazing. We wrote a
lot of songs with him. He knows the Sinatra estate
and we met someone with the estate and the Sinatra's
(05:36):
had to give their blessing and we are beyond honors
have got and they blessed us with the sweet voice
and we and we got to release like an unheard
vocal and it's wild. If you listen to you can
hear the papers ruffling and like the bleed of the
orchestra from the other rooms. Really really really powerful and
logical yet very special.
Speaker 8 (05:55):
I also feel like like we he was so good
about vocal directing as what that's song too, and with
that arrangement, like I feel like we went back in
time and we're those singers like with him in that
booth that we were inspired by, that we're taking that
inspiration from. And I'm just so proud of that song.
Like how we all sound in the arrangement. It's so
fun to sing and just to do it, Like just
(06:15):
have our names next to Franks and Entreprenos is like
that's such an honor.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, congrats. Well who else living or not would you
want to collapse with?
Speaker 1 (06:27):
I mean, I think we can constantly say Arian.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Christmas the cast of Wicked.
Speaker 7 (06:39):
That would be so amazing.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
We've always said.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Michael Jackson would be crazy.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
Someone that was on our list was Jojo and she's
on this album, so we got to check that.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
More exciting news to talk about, Pentatonics is out on
tour right now and the biggest tour yet, the Christmas
and the City tour. All right, So some of you
are stops include Saint Paul, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Cincinnati, Chicago, Indie, Detroit,
New York, and wrapping up with two hometown shows on
(07:13):
December twenty first and December twenty second, and Fort Worth, Texas.
So how excited are you to be on the road
at this time of the year.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
So excited.
Speaker 6 (07:21):
It's always the best I personally, I think I can
speak for everyone. This is the tour we look forward
to the most. It's just the best energy, the most
fun that we have on the road. I'm really excited.
Speaker 5 (07:31):
Yeah, And I think also the connection with the fans
is my favorite part. I mean, I remember when we
do VIP. There was one time a few years ago
where we had a grandmother, a mother, their daughter, and
then also the granddaughter. All these generations come and they
all said that penn A Thomas was the one music
that they all agreed on. And so that's just super
special because you just don't see that.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
That's all the best, that connection that you have with
your fans to multi generational exactly. And then you're going
to be at home at the end. It's so cool.
What can your fans expect to see on this tour.
Speaker 4 (08:04):
It's the best tour yet. Yeah, lots of new stuff,
lots of new songs. The set is so beautiful this year.
We were like amazed when they showed us the rendering
of it and.
Speaker 7 (08:16):
What else we just had. So we just had choreo rehearsal.
Speaker 8 (08:19):
Oh well, we had so many chorey rehearsals like us
by the time, and we were just telling our choreographers
like how they were so amazing and how proud we
all were because we were pushing boundaries on how we
normally do our tours. And it just feels like we're
going to Broadway Musical and we're just doing different things
and having fun with it. And I think it really
goes along with the music, and so I'm excited.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
I'm excited for everyone to see it.
Speaker 4 (08:44):
I do ten pirouettes in a row.
Speaker 8 (08:49):
And then he does a backflip off the backflip.
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Into an aerial and around the I.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
Just hold up earlier today and saw some dancing in
the parking lot.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Yes, just get that.
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Wait.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
We also incorporate the musical instruments into your tour.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Oh yeah, you'll you'll hear definitely, you'll hear some musical
instruments on tour. Okay, you also get all the classes
that you get married. Did he know you get Halle Yeah,
there's it's this is a good set list this year.
I'm really excited about.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
And then how does that change kind of the stage.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Setup doesn't change it much?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
No, not a whole lot, No, not too much.
Speaker 4 (09:28):
Are We do have two giant ramps this year, which
is terrifying and exciting at.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
The same time.
Speaker 8 (09:34):
We've had them in the past when those were dangerous,
but these are like nice baby slide down.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Yeah. What do you love most about being on tour?
I guess it would probably be connecting with all the
fans and all the different cities the shows for sure.
Speaker 8 (09:48):
Yeah, you get to have like, especially with a Christmas tour,
you get to just have like twenty six twenty eight.
Speaker 7 (09:54):
However, many shows are doning like.
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Little Christmases, like little Christmas parties with everyone and that's
really fun. And I feel like even if you ever
feel like a lag or tired or whatever, like everyone's
energy kind of like thank Heaven or someone was saying earlier,
just like brings you up and you get to explore
Christmas and all these different cities as well. Like if
you have an off day and get to see friends
and stuff you've never seen and are you you don't
(10:15):
get to see all the time, and it's just so fun.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
There's so much.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
Joy's joy, there's so much happiness and just kindness. Everyone's
just like high fiving and hugging in the audiences a
moment I'm in the past couple of years, we're like, well,
just hug the person next to you. People would just
love to do that. You should do it right now,
have the person next to you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
I feel like my one of my favorite feelings in
the world is like right when a show is about
to start and like the overtures happening and all the
lights are twinkling and everyone's like getting in their seats
and then you like walk out there and you feel
like beyond six the spotlight. That is such a good
feeling and like it's in like the audience is excited
and we're feeding off each other's energy. And you get
(10:58):
to do that on tour like every night, and it
hits every time. It never gets old. That's one of
my favorite parts.
Speaker 3 (11:05):
Well, it's all about good feelings. So tell us about
how it felt when you first heard your song on
the radio. I'm trying to anyone of your songs. You're driving,
maybe you're in the car, maybe someone calls you like,
oh my god, I don't let you feel in the radio, like,
what does that feel like?
Speaker 6 (11:19):
That is always so surreal. It's something you dream about
as a position your whole life. And I even still
to this day when it happens or if somebody hears us,
like on TV or out in public at a story,
even I'm just like, it's so crazy that people love
what we do.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
Yeah, oh definitely. And so when like, can you even
go to a grocery store? Do you get stopped and
recognized and will you sing for me?
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Oh my god, it doesn't happen often every one's while.
It's not like a Ariana Grandezra Taylor so situation. But
also Pentatonics fans are so sweet and kind of like,
it's always amazing meeting all of them. I forgot the story.
I was just thinking about the fantas.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
I just love being recognized and famous stuff. Thank you
(12:36):
so much, Thank you so much, m hm, thank you.
It's iHeart Radio Live with Pentatonics on YouTube. I'm ellen k.
The brand new holiday release is Christmas in the City
hashtag I Heart Pentatonics. All right, guys, incredible, What were
your influences growing up for each of you? You know,
(12:59):
you're you're you're just little Pentatonics and you're like dreaming
of being a group one day. But but what were
your influences?
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It's so different for each one of us.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
I was a classical musician, so I love everything classical music.
One of my favorite cellists name is Jaqueline Duprey, and
so I just listened to so much classical music, and
I feel like that really inspired me growing going growing.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Up, I was mainly really inspired by Image and Heaps.
She's my main vocal influence. And then I also listened
to a lot of R and B. And I listened
to a lot of show tunes when I was growing
up because I was in community theater. Any favor in particular,
Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
I mean Wicked Oklahoma.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Yeah, I love.
Speaker 4 (13:45):
Oh. So it started out country because we grew up
in Texas. I loved like Dixie Chicks, and but then
it all changed when I heard Jazzmine Sullivan for the
first time, I Love with another man, and I was obsessed.
And then I just fell in love with R and
B and pop relies and the rest is history.
Speaker 7 (14:04):
I loved.
Speaker 8 (14:05):
I was like a musical theater girly too, like Disney
Musical theater shaped my entire life. But I also really
loved and loved Sarah Burrells and Amy Lee from Evanescence.
Speaker 7 (14:17):
I feel like I really love her voice transpill.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
From that.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
Mine Are.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
I listened to a lot of Christian gospel music, so
I grew up on a lot of gospel music like
Kirk Franklin, John mcclerk and all those guys. But I
big musical theater guy, like I laid this is one
of my favorite shows ever.
Speaker 1 (14:35):
So good.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
See, I saw a lot of musical theater and Christian
gospel music.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
Were you all like pretty young when you knew you
had this gift of song?
Speaker 7 (14:46):
It would be quiet?
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (14:47):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:49):
I just remember being eight years old and I like
performed at a country music review and I remember the
applause and I was like, I love this.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (14:57):
I was like, I'm gonna do this forever.
Speaker 7 (15:00):
Stars appeared in his eyes.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Well, there are so many classic songs on the album
Silver Bells and Holly Dolly Christmas as well as the
show stopping Christmas classics Medley, What holiday songs have you
not covered yet? Uh that you have your sight set on,
you know.
Speaker 4 (15:17):
For the first time ever. I would say we've done
them all.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
Maybe I think we've done that's what you wrote new
one because.
Speaker 4 (15:23):
In my phone, the list I have, it's like Holly
Jolly and Silver Bells are the only two left. Well,
we still have like all the kid ones like Hippopotamus and.
Speaker 7 (15:29):
Gray like a silly one.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Yeah, we'll do kids Christmas.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Yeah, we have a bunch of fan questions. We have
talkbacks for you, so let's start with our first talk back.
Hey Pentatonics, It's Carly from Wisconsin, and my question is
would any of you receive coal from Santa this year?
And why?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
That's a great question.
Speaker 7 (15:54):
It's a great question.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Hi, car.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I would not receive coal because I've never I've never
done anything wrong. Actually, no, it's kind of crazy. My
track rider wild it's nice, less nice, less nice.
Speaker 1 (16:12):
I don't think.
Speaker 7 (16:13):
I don't trying to be really good this year.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
All I do is hang out with my baby girl.
Speaker 8 (16:19):
Me too. I've been in mommy mommy world, so I
hope I wouldn't get cool.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Maybe you stated we're a wholesome bunch.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
You're all good. You're all good guys and girls.
Speaker 7 (16:30):
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
Let's get to our next fan talk back.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Hi guys, my name is Junior.
Speaker 9 (16:36):
I'm from south of the df W area in Texas,
and my question is to Matt sa Lee. First off, Yeah,
such a beautiful voice. That's a great range. How did
y'all decide on doing what songs to do in the
love bedley? And for you, what made you decide on
untained melody? Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
That's very kind of you. Thank you so nice.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Yeah, we were going through like we love doing medleys
and as you guys know, and arrangements and putting songs together,
and we were going through a bunch.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
We had a pretty long, extensive.
Speaker 5 (17:15):
List of of classic songs, just love songs of that era,
the fifties era, and and that one was just one
that I've always loved to sing. It's just sing back
in my days when I to sing a wedding bands,
I used to love singing that song.
Speaker 1 (17:30):
And so we we sang in the room.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
Remember now.
Speaker 8 (17:36):
Matt sang it and we were like, yeah, yeah, that's
nice because yeah, yeah it was made for your voice.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
It was we should have done public domain songs. It
would be easier to clear.
Speaker 8 (17:49):
Yeah, they were hard to clear, a little back end.
Speaker 4 (17:52):
It's all right.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
Well, we have another fan question. This one's from the
iHeartRadio app Hie.
Speaker 4 (18:00):
This is Sammy and I'm from Illinois.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
I just want to know what is your favorite part
about being on tour and what is your least favorite part?
Speaker 1 (18:10):
Sammy, what a soothing boy? What a podcast?
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Sammy for that question. My favorite part is the shows.
I love it, and I also my husband and I
we like bird around the cities and explore you know,
that's always fun. My least favorite part is when you
get sick and you haven't anxiety, oh yeah.
Speaker 7 (18:30):
Yeah, and you have no time to recover and then you.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
Yeah, I mean our tradition is going on tour, gone
for Christmas tour for like seven eight years now, and
so our team that we have for our Christmas tour
run our touring team, our management team.
Speaker 1 (18:45):
Is like it's like going to camp. It's so fun.
You're like looking for it.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
Like I can't wait to see Sarah, I can't wait
to see Alexis. And it's just this fun vibe and
so we enjoy each other's company and so we look
forward to being with each.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Other on tour.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, you guys have always be having so much fun. Yeah,
I love that. And then for each of you, what
is your favorite holiday song? I know that might be
a hard one to name, but one do you each? Yeah,
like editor, if you just had to pick one favorite.
Speaker 4 (19:14):
Are you on a grandde Santa?
Speaker 6 (19:15):
Tell me? Yeah? Sure?
Speaker 5 (19:18):
For me? Oh my gosh, how am I literally forgetting
the name of the song? But that one gets me
in the I have done. It's like I'm in there.
It's great.
Speaker 6 (19:34):
You know what I love is Merry Christmas Darling, Uh huh,
good one picks.
Speaker 8 (19:41):
I love Holy Night David Philps sings a really amazing
version of any version. But I also really love Underneath
the Tree by Kelly Clarkson.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
It just gets me.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
She starts in the rafters.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Yeah, verse one.
Speaker 7 (19:58):
Right off the bat, You're.
Speaker 8 (19:59):
Like, yes, Christmas the right and I love it.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Oh mine would be White Christmas by the Drifters, the
one that's like.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I just want to be on an airplane with you guys, do.
Speaker 4 (20:23):
Well.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
In one word, what do the holidays mean to you?
That's kind of a deep one.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
It is or not love. Family. That's two words, but
they're synonymous.
Speaker 1 (20:37):
Mine would be gratefulness, humanity.
Speaker 7 (20:42):
Humanity, family.
Speaker 8 (20:43):
Peace is what in peace because we're family, and then
you get to go be with your own family, make family.
Speaker 4 (20:50):
Joy, to be with your families. iHeart radio.
Speaker 3 (20:56):
That's a good answer.
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Just what work?
Speaker 3 (21:01):
How do you describe Christmas in the city? This this
to me, if I could start those songs I've heard,
it makes you feel so happy. It just makes me.
It's like such happy, feel good music, is it not?
It's just this, Yes, you feel you fill the air
with joy.
Speaker 4 (21:17):
Oh, thank you, thank you very much. One word.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
One word.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
But the first one that came to on was adventurous.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
I was thinking that too.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
The music is adventurous and bold and like it makes
you feel like you're on an adventure and life is
an adventure and life is a highway.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (21:36):
That's true.
Speaker 7 (21:37):
Magical magic, magical magic.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
I feel like so many of them are like little
Broadway musicals, and I think about like listening to those
and just feeling so inspired and just getting so into it.
And I feel like so many of these have like
little special stories within.
Speaker 7 (21:50):
Them and so fun to weave them together nice.
Speaker 6 (21:54):
I would I would venture to say classic if I'm allowed.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
If I could use a phrase, I'd say glitz and glam.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
I'm so sorry, that's technically three words.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
This is what you get. I'd say heartfelt, heartfelt. Yeah,
we really put our heart. We really did.
Speaker 5 (22:20):
Like we were sitting in scott twssin like all together
and talking about this and really starting the process. We
really were like, we really love music and we love
to do this and I'm so grateful that we get
to do this. And so I feel like that set
the tone for this project and we're like, we're going to.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Try this and oh that you're awesome.
Speaker 5 (22:35):
We just the coolest part too, is that we fell
in love with each other's talents too. Again, like we
fall in love with each other's voices and abilities, and
we're like, Wow, I'm grateful to be with these humans
next to me.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
We love the love. Yay, and this has been iHeartRadio
Live with Pentatonics on YouTube. I'm ellen k the brand
new Holiday releases Christmas in the City hashtag I heart Pentatonics.
Thank you all for being here. Happy Holidays. We love
you Pentatonics. Thank you.
Speaker 4 (23:08):
iHeartRadio Live is a production of iHeartRadio.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
Was produced, edited, and mixed by Jordan Runtalk.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
If you liked what you heard, please subscribe and leave
us a review. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, listen to
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your
favorite shows.
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