Scott Hoying of Pentatonix is in the kitchen! From singing on Star Search to winning The Sing-Off, Scott shares his incredible journey and the experience of building a Grammy-winning a cappella empire. He opens up about his solo music, creative anxiety, queer joy, and a heartfelt behind-the-scenes story of his wedding day with Christina Perri. Plus, the ultimate pop star test: can Scott correctly guess which iconic artists once sang a cappella?

Episode Breakdown:

• 00:00 - He’s here! Scott Hoying joins the show. Anthony and Jonathan fangirl immediately

• 5:00 - Scott, Jonathan, and Anthony chat the Snow White premiere, working with Rachel Zegler, and meeting Jon M. Chu

• 12:00 - Scott’s beginnings. Texas, Star Search, and Maren Morris

• 14:00 - How Pentatonix got their start

• 17:45 - Winning The Sing-Off and immediately losing a record deal

• 20:00 - PTX takes their momentum to YouTube

• 21:15 - Working with Dolly Parton

• 24:00 - Working with Tori Kelly

• 25:30 - Posthumous work with Whitney Houston

• 27:00 - PTX Christmas albums and tours

• 30:00 - Producing for Brittany Broski

• 33:30 - Scott’s dream producing projects

• 35:00 - Christina Perri officiating and singing at Scott’s wedding

• 36:45 - Mel Robbins, bowling, and Sabrina Carpenter singing Justin Beiber

• 39:40 - A surprise guest drops by (hint: our first “pod dog!”)

• 41:45 - Chatting Scott & Mark’s children books

• 43:30 - “Rose Without The Thorns” and Grammy-Award nominations

• 47:00 - Game time! “Land of the Free, Home of the Rank”: Scott blind-ranks the most iconic National Anthems

• 55:00 - Final thoughts and where you can find Scott online!

Follow Scott’s Journey:

Listen to Parallel and find Scott on all socials at @ScottHoying!

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

https://pods.to/countermelodies

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert

Sam Harris of X Ambassadors joins the guys in the kitchen today—and he’s telling all the stories you want to hear! From the random drumhead brand that inspired the band name to how a one-line fadeout turned into a billion-streamed hit, this episode is packed with career surprises, emotional songwriting, and laugh-out-loud moments. Sam talks about working with Rihanna, co-writing for Lizzo, how Imagine Dragons changed everything, and the surprising story behind their massive Jeep jingle (Renegades). Plus, he joins Anthony and Jonathan for the ultimate performer’s challenge: rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 - catching up with the guys + a family affair! Anthony’s parents surprise the team with custom mugs and wooden spoons.

04:00 - Welcome Sam Harris! From mistaken identity (he’s not the neuroscientist) to the backstory behind his full name.

06:00 - The “X” in X Ambassadors. How a copyright issue, Photoshop, and Dan Reynolds led to a last-minute rebrand.

09:00 - The real origin of “Ambassadors.” Hint: it involves a drumhead.

11:30 - Upstate New York roots. Sam and Anthony bond over small-town New York, from Ithaca to Albany.

13:00 - VHS turns 10. Sam reflects on the album that changed everything.

14:30 - How a ballad got them signed. A five-minute sad song caught fire on Virginia radio, leading to a chance encounter with Dan from Imagine Dragons.

17:30 - Label rejections and a surprise call from Alex Da Kid. The real start of X Ambassadors’ record deal.

19:00 - Opening for Imagine Dragons. From schlepping gear to performing for arenas with no crew—it was chaos.

22:15 - Why collaboration changed Sam’s life. How writing with others freed him from perfectionism.

23:30 - The Sucker for Pain saga (full story). Featuring Lil Wayne, a hotel bathroom, and 7 million artists.

26:45 - Working with Lizzo. From writing Jerome and Cuz I Love You to co-producing her latest single.

31:00 - Writing with artists from different worlds. Sam’s approach to helping artists stay authentic, especially with voices as big as Lizzo’s.

33:00 - The Rihanna story. How American Oxygen took a year to write—and why it wasn’t the hit they hoped for.

37:30 - The myth of the “sure thing.” Sam reflects on the unpredictability of the industry.

40:30 - Writing Unsteady. How a song originally intended for Zedd became one of the band’s biggest emotional anthems.

46:00 - Fans and trauma-dumping. Sam opens up about the intensity of fan interactions and what it means when people say “your song saved my life.”

49:00 - TikTok and TV revivals. Why Unsteady lives on, and how Anthony may have helped reignite the trend.

51:00 - The Renegades twist. How Sam accidentally wrote a jingle for Jeep—and why he’s now proud of it.

58:00 - Game time! Sam and the guys rank all of the possible live show fails that can happen

57:00 - Game time: What’s the Rena-grade? Sam gives letter grades to live performance challenges: no soundcheck, broken packs, untuned guitars, and more.

1:11:00 - The rubber band trick. A therapy technique Sam uses to stop the spiral of self-blame.

1:12:00 - What’s next for X Ambassadors? Sam announces (exclusive!) that a VHS 10-year rerecord is coming, with tour dates to follow.

Follow Sam and X Ambassadors:

Stream their new releases and keep up with the band on all socials @XAmbassadors and at xambassadors.com

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

CounterMelodiesPod.com

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert

Haley Reinhart has entered the kitchen! From American Idol powerhouse to Postmodern Jukebox queen, Haley joins Anthony and Jonathan for an episode packed with career surprises, full-circle moments, and iconic vocals. She spills the behind-the-scenes story of how her version of Can't Help Falling in Love became the soundtrack to a globally beloved gum commercial, shares how her Aunt’s psychic vision predicted one of her legendary Idol performances, and reveals how choosing then-unknown drummer, Anderson.Paak, for her band led to an unexpected Grammy win. Plus, the pressure is on for Haley in this episode’s game: American Idol or American Impostor—and let’s just say sports trivia might not be her thing.

Episode Breakdown:

• 00:00 - Haley Reinhart is here! The crew dives straight into introductions and iconic moments.

• 04:00 - The Extra gum commercial. How a last-minute call turned Haley’s cover of Can't Help Falling in Love into an ad that ran for over five years.

• 09:00 - Voice acting secrets. Haley shares how a homemade audition tape led to voicing Bill Burr’s cartoon alter ego on F Is for Family.

• 13:00 - From music to movies. Haley talks about starring as a superhero in Robert Rodriguez’s We Can Be Heroes.

• 14:30 - Lady Gaga's perfect advice. How Gaga pushed Haley to bring more drama on American Idol and how it changed her performances forever.

• 20:00 - American Idol memories. From her first audition to her game-changing performances of Bennie and the Jets and House of the Rising Sun.

• 24:00 - Why third place was perfect. Haley shares why not making the finale was actually the best-case scenario.

• 28:30 - Justice for Free. Haley talks about her debut single and the surprising reality star cameo in the music video.

• 30:00 - The Postmodern Jukebox era. How Creep became a viral sensation and why touring the world with PMJ felt like a second chapter of Idol.

• 33:00 - What's next? Haley teases her fifth studio album and shares the inspiration behind her new single Danger.

• 35:45 - Grammy winner?! The wild full-circle story of how Haley’s old drummer, Anderson .Paak, brought her into a Grammy-winning project.

• 38:00 - Game time! Haley takes on American Idol or American Impostor—can she spot the fake contestant or is she stumped by sports stars?

Follow Haley’s Journey:

Stay up to date on Haley’s latest music, including her upcoming album, on all socials @HaleyReinhart.

Socials: Follow the hosts for more fun content!

@AnthonyGargiula

@JonathanTilkin

@CounterMelodiesPod

Listen and Watch:

CounterMelodiesPod.com

Credits:

Executive Producer/Showrunner/Editor: Louis Gargiula

Consulting Producer: Renee Colvert