Ravinia 2019, Issue 6, Week 12

The unsung history of Pentatonix For a son oF immigrants, one who majored in East Asian Studies and intended to forge a career in medicine, Kevin Olusola has come a hell of a long way. The now 30-year-old was clearly a prodigy when it came to music, not merely studying three different in- struments in his youth, but excelling at them. He never intended to make a living at it, but fate has its own agenda. On August 15, Olusola returns to Ravinia to command the concert stage— and his fans won’t be there to hear him play cello or sax. No, this uncannily talented human beatbox drives the rhythm for four other vocal powerhous- es: Together, they’re known to millions as Pentatonix. The group’s origin lies in a reality TV show, and that fact alone makes their continued success story unlikely. The number of contestants from network talent shows who’ve flittered across our screens in the past two decades is huge, considerably bigger than RuPaul’s wigs or Simon Cowell’s ego. Despite skill and charm, most of them are quickly forgot- ten. Even the winner’s circle is mostly littered with those who never quite reach the heights promised by their televised title. For every Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood on American Idol , for every Christian Siriano on Project Runway , dozens upon dozens of other talents somehow fail to snag more than 15 minutes of fame and fortune. Pentato- nix is the exception that proves the rule. 18 RAVINIA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 12 – AUGUST 25, 2019