The American a cappella group Pentatonix gained fame, mainly through the internet. Their YouTube Channel has more than five million subscribers. The band’s medley of “Daft Punk” songs alone has more than 63 million views. Their Facebook boasts more than a million fans. The group’s Twitter account carries nearly 300,000 followers.
The Pentatonix 2014 North American tour sold out before it even started and all the European stops are sellouts. They are a unique band, gaining popularity in a relatively new way – on the Web. So, VOA offered them a cutting edge opportunity with Google Glass.
Prior to the group's Washington, D.C. concert at the Washington DAR Constitution Hall, VOA’s Carolyn Presutti went backstage to teach lead singer Scott Hoying how to use Glass to record video. After a quick 10 minute class, Hoying pointed to himself and said, “Google glass pro right here.”
Right before the group performed its original hit "Natural Disaster," Hoying explained to the audience what was up.
“We are honored to have a pair of Google Glass, from Google Glass and Voice of America.” He told the sellout crowd, “I feel like a Star Trek character with these on. I feel like I have superpowers.”
Hoying then taught the audience the song's chorus. The Google Glass video showed the audience happily singing and keeping the beat, singing “In your love, in your love. You’re a Natural Disaster…”
As the other four band members nodded, Hoying told the crowd they were brilliant and sounded like a choir of Beyonces (the American singing superstar). He said that was the highest compliment anyone could give.
It's a use of Glass as intended, to give the POV -- point of view -- of the wearer. In this case, it’s a performer's onstage perspective. Pentatonix belted out the lyrics to “Natural Disaster,” along with the audience.
“Love, love, you’re a natural disaster….you’re a natural disaster.”
No disaster here. A totally natural, if unusual, point of view.
The Pentatonix 2014 North American tour sold out before it even started and all the European stops are sellouts. They are a unique band, gaining popularity in a relatively new way – on the Web. So, VOA offered them a cutting edge opportunity with Google Glass.
Prior to the group's Washington, D.C. concert at the Washington DAR Constitution Hall, VOA’s Carolyn Presutti went backstage to teach lead singer Scott Hoying how to use Glass to record video. After a quick 10 minute class, Hoying pointed to himself and said, “Google glass pro right here.”
Right before the group performed its original hit "Natural Disaster," Hoying explained to the audience what was up.
“We are honored to have a pair of Google Glass, from Google Glass and Voice of America.” He told the sellout crowd, “I feel like a Star Trek character with these on. I feel like I have superpowers.”
Hoying then taught the audience the song's chorus. The Google Glass video showed the audience happily singing and keeping the beat, singing “In your love, in your love. You’re a Natural Disaster…”
As the other four band members nodded, Hoying told the crowd they were brilliant and sounded like a choir of Beyonces (the American singing superstar). He said that was the highest compliment anyone could give.
It's a use of Glass as intended, to give the POV -- point of view -- of the wearer. In this case, it’s a performer's onstage perspective. Pentatonix belted out the lyrics to “Natural Disaster,” along with the audience.
“Love, love, you’re a natural disaster….you’re a natural disaster.”
No disaster here. A totally natural, if unusual, point of view.
