Pentatonix's Kirstin Maldonado Has Had Quite The Transformation
As one-fifth of Pentatonix, Kirstin Maldonado has become a standout for fans of the acclaimed a cappella group. Maldonado's popularity is obvious; the group's only female member, her stunning vocal abilities and bubbly personality have propelled her to the forefront, making her a favorite of Pentatonix fans everywhere.
Singing without any musical accompaniment, Maldonado and the other members of the group — named for the pentatonic scale — blend their voices into a cohesive sound that's sent Pentatonix soaring to the top of the charts. That stardom, however, wasn't just handed to them, but came after a lot of hard work and sacrifice. From the group's start in high school choir performances, to appearing on a TV singing competition, to breaking through as viral sensations on YouTube and winning multiple Grammys, there have been a lot of ups and downs in the story of Pentatonix.
That's certainly been true of Maldonado's own personal journey. Her secret to success? "Keep persevering," she told Hollywood Life. "A lot of people get bogged down by everything going on, and so many people are trying to do the same thing, so find your niche and stick with it. Stay true to what that is and create your own unique brand of what you are ... You'll have a lot of 'no's' along the way, but you'll learn so much." To find out more about this intriguing artist, keep on reading to understand why Pentatonix's Kirstin Maldonado has had quite the transformation.
Her singing ambitions began when she was just a kid
Kirstin Maldonado was raised by a single mother in Arlington, Texas. While growing up, she and her mom would often take long car trips, listening to the radio as they drove. Speaking with Asian Fusion, Maldonado credited those drives with fostering her love of music as a child. In fact, Maldonado was quite young when she told her mother she wanted to become a singer, like the kids she watched perform on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.
At first, Maldonado's mother chalked it up to a typical childhood desire that would eventually fall by the wayside. It wasn't until she sang during her mother's wedding, making a major impression on guests with her surprisingly powerful pipes, that Maldonado's mom realized jut how serious the youngster was. "Then everyone was like, 'Does she do singing or voice lessons?' and my mom was like, 'Uh, no,'" she told Sweety High, recalling that as the turning point; it wasn't long after that her mother signed her up for voice lessons, at age eight.
Looking back, Maldonado credits her mother supporting her musical dreams, not to mention all the sacrifices that she made in order to place her daughter on the course that would eventually lead to her future success. "She was so selfless and did everything to make sure that I was taken care of and could go to music lessons and achieve my best," Maldonado said in an interview with Civilian.
She did a lot of musical theater growing up
It was while taking singing lessons that young Kirstin Maldonado was first introduced to musical theater, through her vocal teacher. The attraction she felt was both strong and immediate. "I absolutely fell in love with it," she told Sweety High, "and ever since then, that's everything that I want to do."
She was just eight years old when she performed in her first musical theater production, and there was no turning back after that. As she grew older, musical theater continued to be her passion. To hone her vocal abilities, she sang in her high school choir while continuing to perform in local stage productions. "The high school and local theaters around [Arlington] had so many gifted people so I was always surrounded by talented and great individuals," she said. When she graduated from high school, she continued to pursue her goal in college, majoring in Musical Theater Performance while attending the University of Oklahoma. "That was my plan," she told Asian Fusion, "to be on Broadway one day."
Ironically, it was her involvement in musical theater that wound up setting her on a very different musical path. As she explained, it was through the Arlington theater scene that she first met Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi, with whom she would eventually share some of the biggest stages on the world as members of Pentatonix after they started blending their voices together as high school students.
Pentatonix was born when she was in high school
While attending high school in Arlington, Texas, Kirstin Maldonado and fellow musical theater buffs Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi developed an interest in a cappella singing. Having known each other since they were kids, the three decided to pool their talents as a vocal group. "Scott, Mitch and I formed a little trio for a radio contest and put something together," she said. "We ended up singing at a choir concert and it got a lot of attention so we just kept doing it."
Their performance has become legendary as the origin of what would eventually evolve into Pentatonix. Video of the three — singing a reimagined and reinvented a cappella version of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" — was posted on YouTube, and wound up raking in well over a million views. Fun fact — they didn't win that radio contest, which offered a prize of meeting the cast of "Glee." Nevertheless, the stunning performance at that choir concert was so well-received that the three continued to perform together, crafting more a cappella arrangements of popular pop songs and creating the template they'd follow to future success.
After graduating high school, Maldonado and Hoying went on to college (Grassi did not), with Maldonado studying musical theater at the University of Oklahoma while Hoying attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in pop music. While the three may have gone their separate ways, they would soon reunite for a life-changing opportunity.
Kirstin Maldonado and Pentatonix won a TV singing competition
That opportunity arrived courtesy of NBC's a cappella singing competition "The Sing-Off." Ahead of the show's third season, Hoying recalled the response they'd experienced with their Lady Gaga cover, and decided they should head to Los Angeles to audition. However, Maldonado and the other two singers felt they needed more firepower, which they'd receive by adding a bass singer and a beatboxer. Ben Bram, who would later become PTX's producer, recommended bass singer Avi Kaplan, who immediately clicked with the original three when they all met.
While searching for the right beatboxer, they discovered Kevin "K.O." Olusola online, and pooled their money to buy him a plane ticket to L.A. The first time all five performed together was the day before their audition. "The second we all sang together as a five-person group, it literally was magical," Maldonado told Sweety High of that inaugural performance. The song they chose to audition with? "Telephone," of course, and they passed with flying colors. Dubbing themselves Pentatonix, the five-piece group sailed through from round to round of the eight-week series, eventually making it to the finals. "Our dress rehearsal was a total disaster, but in the actual performance, everything came together and it was the most magical moment," Hoying told USC's Daily Trojan of their final "Sing Off" performance. When the winner was announced, Pentatonix emerged victorious, winning a $200,000 cash prize and a record deal with Sony.
She quit college to focus on Pentatonix
In a matter of weeks, Kirstin Maldonado found herself transformed from freshman college student to a member of a nationally known a cappella group that had just swept a TV singing competition. Faced with the choice of returning to school or capitalizing on the fame that Pentatonix had achieved via "The Sing-Off," her decision was kind of a no-brainer. She quit college, with all five taking the plunge by relocating to Los Angeles in order to pursue a music career.
While it may have appeared glamorous for anyone looking in from the outside, Maldonado found the transition difficult. "It was so hard, and I wasn't at all ready," she told Civilian. Making that leap so rapidly proved to be jarring, particularly given that she was still a teenager at the time. "I dealt with a lot of self conscious issues coming out to L.A. because it happened so quickly," she told Asian Fusion. "I lived in a dorm before and then got thrown out into the world a year later."
While Maldonado wouldn't change a thing, she's hopeful she'll complete her college degree at some point. "On personal time I take online classes; I really want to go back and get my degree," she said, point to the importance that her mother had placed on education throughout her life while growing up. "It's just something I value so much," she said, "especially after I didn't have to do it anymore."
Kristin Maldonado and Pentatonix got a record deal and won Grammys
After winning the third season of "The Sing-Off," Kristin Maldonado and Pentatonix received a wakeup call about the cold realities of showbiz when Sony's Epic Records dropped them. While that was a devastating turn of events, they decided to forge ahead by harnessing the power of YouTube. Building on the fame they'd gained from the TV show, they began producing videos in which they demonstrated their unique five-part harmonies, unencumbered by any instrumentation.
Those videos proved to be viral sensations; one that tracked the musical evolution of Beyoncé racked up nearly 60 million views, while a cover of Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know" has been viewed 75 million times and counting. As their fandom grew, in 2012 they released their debut EP, "PTX Vol. 1," followed later that same year by a holiday offering, "PTXMas," both released through an indie label. Then came "PTX Vol. 2," which pushed them over the top with their a cappella "Daft Punk" medley, which won a Grammy in 2015. PTX won a second Grammy the following year for "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy."
Sony came calling, and signed the group to a new record deal with the company's flagship label, RCA. "We had leverage too, so we had a much better deal than we had from winning a reality show," Pentatonix co-founder Scott Hoyer told Cincinnati Magazine. "Honestly, it was the best possible scenario."
She began branching out on her own beyond Pentatonix
For fans of Pentatonix, it would be easy to assume that the five members are joined at the hip, considering all the popularity they've achieved together as a group. Kirstin Maldonado, however, chose to use the group's success as a springboard to fulfilling her long-held desire to strike out on her own as an artist in her own right, independent from the other members of Pentatonix. Her first step in that direction came in 2014 when she joined songwriter Scott Alan onstage during his London show at the Hippodrome, where she performed his song "Never Neverland" while he accompanied her on piano.
Not long after, she ventured out on her own once again when she performed solo at the inaugural — and, so far, only — edition of the World Dog Awards, which aired on The CW. Appearing onstage at the canine award gala, Maldonado sang an emotional rendition of "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz" in honor of Toto, the pup who accompanied Judy Garland's Dorothy on her journey down the yellow brick road in the iconic movie musical.
Interviewed for BUILD Series, Maldonado explained why it was important for her to perform outside of the confines of group, and why she hadn't done it earlier. "I just felt really great confidence wise, and I think it was just really time to take advantage of the opportunities that I'm given," she said. "I'm glad I waited."
Kristin Maldonado worked with Dolly Parton and won another Pentatonix Grammy
By 2017, Pentatonix had truly hit the big time. That was evident in their third consecutive Grammy win in 2017, for their cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." What made this single all the more special was the fact that it didn't just feature Parton's song, but also her vocals, with the country music icon collaborating with Kirstin Maldonado and the other Penatonix members.
"Like Dolly Parton is legendary and she's maybe the nicest person I've ever met in my entire life and, like, amazing," Maldonado said in an interview with The Oklahoman. "So we've been really, really blessed." For Parton, that admiration was mutual. "It was absolutely magical singing with such a talented group!" Parton gushed in a social media post she issued via Facebook.
As the group's star continued to rise, so too did the opportunities to work with other established musicians. In fact, Maldonado and PTX have also collaborated with Kelly Clarkson, Maren Morris, Jennifer Hudson, Tori Kelly, and Jazmine Sullivan on their "Best of a Pentatonix Christmas" album. She's also sang alongside music legends such as Stevie Wonder and Smokie Robinson, in addition to Miley Cyrus, Backstreet Boys, Jason Derulo, Reba McEntire, and Jennifer Nettles. In addition, Pentatonix has also worked with the John Williams Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. "It's really, really cool that we've been able to have these opportunities to surround ourselves with these people because they're brilliant," Maldonado added.
She got engaged to Jeremy Lewis
By 2016, Pentatonix had catapulted to a level of music stardom beyond anything they'd ever imagined. With her professional life at an unparalleled peak, Kirstin Maldonado's personal life was likewise at a high point when it came to her relationship with boyfriend Jeremy Lewis. That could be seen in a sweet video she unveiled on YouTube, in which Maldonado and Lewis, backed by a chorus of backup singers, crooned their way through a medley of three romantic songs from beloved Disney movies, with the couple's "Disney Love Medley" including "I See the Light" from "Tangled," "You'll Be in My Heart" from "Tarzan" and "Go the Distance" from "Hercules."
Later that same year, the couple announced their engagement, in a since-deleted Instagram post documenting Lewis dropping to one knee to pop the question — in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower during a romantic trip to Paris, no less.
Recalling the proposal during an interview with People, Maldonado admitted she had not seen it coming. "I was just so shocked because it was so out-of-the-blue and wonderful," she gushed. "I was so happy. There were no words!" As she explained, she was in no hurry to walk down the aisle, preferring to bask in the glow of their engagement for as long as possible. "Being engaged is such a beautiful next step, and I don't mind being in that state because it's just so wonderful and happy," she added.
Kristin Maldonado and her Penatonix partners guest starred in a movie sequel and a TV drama
The success of Pentatonix grew to the point that their popularity began to expand beyond the boundaries of music and into other sectors of the entertainment landscape. For evidence, check out "Pitch Perfect 2," the 2015 sequel to the hit comedy movie about an a capella vocal group. In the film, Kirstin Maldonado and her cohorts portray a rival singing group from Canada, performing an a cappella cover of Journey's "Any Way You Want It." That cameo — which took just one day to film — came about because producers of the film were continually besieged by Pentatonix fans begging to include the group in the film franchise.
That wasn't the only acting that Kirstin Maldonado has done onscreen. Subsequently, she and some other members of Pentatonix appeared in a 2016 episode of procedural crime drama "Bones." In the episode, Mitch Grassi and Scott Hoying portray members of an all-male a cappella group — the Whippersnaps. When the group's leader is murdered, forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and FBI agent Seely Booth (David Boreanaz) investigates the homicide. Maldonado guest starred as a member of a rival a cappella group, made up entirely of women, called the Ginger Snaps.
Maldonado didn't do any more acting — at least in film or television — for a few years after, until she and the rest of Pentatonix played Christmas carolers in the 2023 Eddie Murphy-starring holiday comedy "Candy Cane Lane."
She went solo with a 2017 single and EP
Kirstin Maldonado may have made small steps to define herself as a solo artist while still remaining a member of Pentatonix, but in 2017 she pushed the doors wide open with the release of her first-ever solo single, "Break a Little." Not only was the single Maldonado's declaration of independence (without actually exiting the group, of course), it also allowed her the freedom to pursue her own artistic vision. "I'm so proud of 'Break a Little,'" she said in a press release, as reported by Billboard. "I always wanted to write a sad song that sounds happy."
Later that same year, she followed the single with the release of her first solo EP, which she titled "Love." "I hope everyone likes it," she told PopCrush, revealing that the response she'd been receiving from Pentatonix fans had been positive. "The reaction has been really great from fans," she gushed.
As Maldonado told Civilian, recording an album on her own, without the other members of Pentatonix, was a natural progression for her. It was also not something she wanted to rush into, and she waited until all the elements had dropped into place. "I think the reason it took me so long is because I finally had something to say," she said, sharing her gratitude for the opportunity to make music with Pentatonix while also exploring her own musical creativity. "I feel, like, re-motivated and re-inspired," she told BUILD Series.
She broke off her engagement and found new love with Ben Hausdorff
While Kirstin Maldonado's solo career was taking off, adding to the success she was already enjoying as a member of Pentatonix, her personal life was apparently in not such great shape. That became apparent in October, when RadarOnline reported that she and fiancé Jeremy Lewis were postponing their wedding, which had been planned to take place in December. According to the outlet's source, they weren't splitting up, but there were apparently problems in the relationship that needed to be addressed. "They are staying together to work on separate issues," the source said, noting that the couple appeared confident that they'd be able to sort things out.
While the source didn't elaborate on what those issues were, the cracks that had formed in the relationship were apparently insurmountable for the couple. Not long after that report, they did indeed break up.
It wasn't long after that, at some point in 2018, that Maldonado began dating photographer and director Ben Hausdorff, who's directed music videos for both Pentatonix and Maldonado's solo singles. As Hausdorff revealed during an appearance on "The Jacob Restituto Podcast," he became involved with the group when he was asked to film behind-the-scenes footage of the group as they recorded a new track. "Pentatonix management hit me up and said, hey, we're recording this album, and we're doing it a little differently than we normally do," he explained.
She made her Broadway debut in Kinky Boots
Long before she became an a cappella superstar with Pentatonix, Kirstin Maldonado had been aiming for a career in musical theater; since childhood, her ambition had been to someday perform onstage in a bona fide Broadway musical. "My original plan was to move to New York and audition for Broadway and see where it went from there," she told The Oklahoman of her earlier goal.
Maldonado's dream finally came true in February of 2018 when she made her Broadway debut by taking on the leading role of Lauren in the musical "Kinky Boots" for a three-month run. "To start off the year of 2018 with Broadway by myself and feeling like a success was such a return for me," Maldonado told Civilian of having the opportunity to return to her musical theater roots. Maldonado enjoyed the experience so much — while audiences likewise loved watching her in the role — that she extended her run with the show for an additional month. "I am just so excited to be in the show on Broadway ... It's something I've always wanted to do," she said in a promotional video for "Kinky Boots.
After wrapping up her "Kinky Boots" experience, Maldonado was definitely ready to give Broadway another go. "I do want to do more acting! I love it. It's so fun," she told Forbes.
She became a mom and got married
As time went by, the relationship between Kirstin Maldonado and beau Ben Hausdorff progressed. In March 2022, she took to Instagram to announce that they were expecting a baby, posting a photo and video montage in which she showed off her bulging belly and an ultrasound photo of the unborn child. In that post, she also revealed that the couple was expecting a girl.
In July, she shared another Instagram post to announce that their daughter had finally arrived. "I can't believe a week ago you were still in my tummy," she wrote in the caption, accompanying a photo of herself holding her newborn while Hausdorff looked on joyfully. "We had no idea our hearts could expand this much," she added, revealing the infant's name to be Elliana Violet.
The following March, she announced that she and Hausdorff had gotten engaged in Japan, while her husband and baby accompanied her as she and Pentatonix were in the midst of a world tour. For the new mom, bringing her baby on the road with her allowed her to experience the best of both worlds. "We're in different places all the time which makes those memories stronger in a way," she told People of caring for an infant while travelling the world. "Her first train was in Japan, the bullet train, and first crawls in Fiji," Maldonado added. "It feels like she is the most well-traveled baby at this age maybe ever."