First Time Reaction to "Happy Now" by Pentatonix

In this video we will be taking our first look at the song "Happy Now" by Pentatonix.
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[@LisaD-1969]

This song came out a year after my 19 year old son died of an overdose. So the lyrics represent my grief, even today, 2 years later. I still feel a bit sad if I’m having fun. I do know that I shouldn’t feel that way but it’s a long, hard process to get through. Great reaction!

[@TouchyReactions]

Lisa, I'm so sorry about your son. I wish there was something I could say to take away the pain you are going through. Without going into details, I will tell you, Cindy and I know exactly what you are going through. We lost our daughter at 19 as well. We usually never bring it up on the channel because people are turning to KZbin for an escape, and we want to give them a positive experience. But I felt compelled to let you know since you were so open and honest with us. You are not alone. It gets better with time. Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. If you go back and watch this reaction, I was absolutely talking about Cindy and I when trying to decipher the song meaning. ❤️

[@beverlykrebs4372]

I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine how devastating that would be, You will be in my prayers.

[@larryross9492]

[@LisaD-1969]

I am so sorry to both of you. Thank you for sharing your story with me. I’ve seen many reactors react to this song, but you guys were with first ones to consider it could be from the perspective of grief. I felt like I could relate to your reaction, I just wish this wasn’t your reality. Thanks for the encouraging words. ❤️

[@sarahhorowitz1915]

I’m so sorry for all of you and your loss. I feel guilty for not feeling happy and being depressed when there are people who’d love to just be alive.

[@elizabethtucker6026]

Things this song could apply to: the band moving on without Avi; moving on after a breakup or death; moving on after cutting off a soured family relationship, whether because of coming out or just any other boundary setting; moving on from an abusive relationship or even leaving a toxic employer or career behind. It can also be about leaving guilt behind, or unrealistic expectations for yourself. Good songwriting leaves the door open. Nice reaction.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Elizabeth 😊

[@LisaD-1969]

Great comment Elizabeth. So many artists say they write from experiences, whether it be their own or someone they know, but they hope the listener gets what they need from the song.

[@scottboyd9383]

They performed this song live even before they recorded it. They are so good, I saw them in concert at the Hollywood Bowl and they sound the same live as recorded. Yes they use a clapping track because of the microphone pick up, You can look all you want to and try and catch them at it, I choose to just sit back and enjoy them.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Scott

[@pattis2641]

There is a back in track for the clapping in the video, but they are singing live for the actual vocals on this video!! They do use back up production on some of their new music on Lucky Ones. Well done for catching it, and please know we are here for you whether you enjoy the music or not! I can assure you, the actual vocals are real!!! Some of their Xmas tour videos use a back up track for songs like White Winter Hymnal. Please check out their mash up of their Lucky Ones original album!!

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Patti

[@larryross9492]

I'm always awed by how relentless Kevin is. How in the world can he keep this up for a whole song, let alone a whole concert?

[@RonHeartsMe]

This is my favorite track off The Lucky Ones, so happy y’all reacted to it! It’s such a beautiful cheerful kind of song.

[@davidphillips4476]

This song ALWAYS makes me smile by the midpoint, no matter what kind of day I'm having...I'm happy now....loved this.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks David

[@mp-ji9yi]

When performing live they use a backing track for any clapping or body percussion, because the microphones aren't able to pick it up clearly.

[@jamesensley3906]

For many of their more recent recordings they also use stacked vocals. PENTATONIX THE RECORDING OF EVERGREEN is a good one to watch to see them working on this type of effect. I suspect they used a backing track that included stacking as well as the clapping that others have mentioned. I think this is what the edited refers to.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks James

[@bonnieflynn4798]

I concur. Watching “making Evergreen “. is a great idea. React to it and we will watch your reaction. It’s a great way to get to know them

[@wmk3953]

Funny how the “gotcha live” bug hits. Yes this appears produced, don’t feel bad lots of folk hanging on catching “something”. I would suggest watching The Making of Evergreen to add to your perspective on composition and being able to reasonably re-create live. It is enlightening how much effort is expended to introduce just the right polyrhythm. When. Levels and acoustics are done well, a live performance can be quite amazing! Better than studio production some might say. For that …… New Years Eve 2016 NYC is probably one of the best I have seen

[@TouchyReactions]

Thank you

[@raycardy4843]

Hi guys! Hope you enjoy the Pentatonix concert as much as I did - saw them in London on 3rd May (been waiting since 2021 when I bought the ticket!) There was a fair bit of newer stuff, plus some old favourites as well as a sing-along bit with Matt and Kevin, it was awesome! 😊

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Ray. We are so excited to see them.

[@bethphillips9693]

I think that all of that applies - moving on to living their best lives. I definitely saw that as a coming out.

[@TouchyReactions]

It's a great song

[@brunettealesoda]

thats the great thing about the music, you can interpret it however you want, im not 100 percent sure but i think mitchs sheet kind of represents him coming out of his shell, growing up in texas, he didnt feel like he could be himself, and i think thats what the sheet represented, and then him coming out and finally being able to show his true self, as for a track, they usually do sing over a clapping track when theres clapping or snaps involved its really common for them

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks for sharing

[@Gwennedd]

I hear you on the Mitch coming out of his shell part, but I doubt he is using the Coming Out of the Closet metaphor in this. He came out years ago. In Imagine he was the one holding the LGBTQ+ sign first and then passed it to Scott. I see it as him coming out from behind the veil he holds between himself and the world at large.

[@brunettealesoda]

@@Gwennedd yes that was what i meant, not him coming out as lgbtq but more as coming out of his shell

[@vmcgriff]

They do use some backing tracks along with their live performances. It is Live vocals just with some addition assistance of backing tracks. Love your reactions! ❤

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks for the info!

[@vmcgriff]

@@TouchyReactions It’s not with every song - just mainly the ones that were heavily layered in production so that they still have a similar feel when performed live. ♥️

[@sevencatsnow]

Will be going to the concert in Alpharetta also been to Christmas concerts they are great.

[@TouchyReactions]

Sweet, see you there

[@lorriredmon8212]

I also see this as asking for permission to move away from the old (parents, school, home town....etc) to become their own person/individual in life. Not to say they're leaving it altogether, but growing. I enjoyed hearing both the live and recording. Thank you!

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Lorri

[@ruth2141]

The second "edited' version has some replies in the comments from the person who posted it. It was a live performance that he found on Vimeo but the sound wasn't good so he took the studio recording and synced it with the video. Clues that it's a live Pentatonix video -- 1) Scott always throws in some extra riffs and runs deliberately to differentiate it from the studio version. 2) The studio version has sound editing and filtering to balance the parts and generally enhance the sound, plus usually echo. Live versions can have effects programed but not to the extent of a studio track. 3) You will see them using mics. If they are doing a lip synch to a studio track they do not have mics.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Ruth

[@MSKPELLEGRINO]

They've gotten into the habit of almost looping percussion in the beginning of the song. Only it isn't live looping, it's pre-recorded.

[@df5199]

Recommend their original, Be My Eyes.

[@rfiliagaful]

I really enjoy how you go through two recordings of the song and compare how they sing it live and in the official release. Because of that, I'd love to have you do their song Papatouai, a colab with Lyndsey Stirling. It's a cover from Stromae, a Belgian artist who is out of this world fabulous in his own way. All his work has deep meaning, including this song, which is basically asking, "Father, where are you?" Watch Stromae's original first, then PTX's cover. Make sure you turn on your subtitles because it's sung in French. It's great and may introduce you to a new fabulous performer.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks, I'll add it to our list.

[@melissacoviello2886]

I’ve always thought the song was about the changes within Pentatonix when Avi left and then they found Matt. I’m sure they were scared the group wasn’t going to make it through such a huge change.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

[@debbierichardson9009]

This song was released 2020 many of the ‘Live’ performances during Lockdown were done like this with greenscreen then projected into the talkshows/ concerts that aired the performances. So you werent wrong about the syncing. Another is the Live performance of Love when I Dont

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Debbie

[@ruth2141]

Pentatonix has already finished the Asia / Australia leg of this year's tour, and fans have been posting videos. They were there for most of March, are on break now and will do the European leg in May. Then another break and the US concerts will be in August and September. I assume the set list will stay mostly the same, though I'm sure they'll change it up some. It's a mix of some of their older hits and songs from their second originals album, "The Lucky Ones" including a new medley of a few songs from that album. Not sure if you want to check out any of the posted tour videos or if that's too much of a spoiler.

[@TouchyReactions]

We will want the set list, but I'll try to avoid performance spoilers. Thanks again Ruth

[@joebarnhart4460]

I think it's the happiest breakup song ever.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Joe. I'll think about that next time I hear it.

[@Badger77722]

Between Happy Now and A Little Space, PTX somehow manages to create happy, upbeat songs about relationships breaking up. Thankfully, we can always fall back to Say Something for a depressing (although glorious) song about another depressing breakup situation. On their current world tour, PTX performs White Winter Hymnal - which if you remember the video, has a lot of clapping/body slapping etc., which would be impossible to properly mic in a concert setting. So they use a clap-track for that song - the vocals are all live, and they perform the clapping etc., but the sounds of the clapping is from a previously recorded track. And I know from watching the Recording of Evergreen video that they've used multiple voice tracks on some of their newer stuff, including The Prayer. And they've performed Over the River, using a recording of Lindsay Stirling's violin playing. So they do sometimes use pre-recorded tracks, usually pretty infrequently, but if they're doing a lot of their new original stuff at your concert, it might happen.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Badger 😊

[@ruth2141]

Most Pentatonix albums have one or more original songs, but there have been two "originals" albums that are almost all originals -- 2015's self-titled album and 2021's "The Lucky Ones". The first one is strictly a capella, but for "The Lucky Ones" they experimented with different sounds -- some instruments / synths and more vocal editing and processing. FYI -- in case you haven't realized yet, all PTX albums have Wikipedia pages with track lists, songwriters and other information.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Ruth

[@Arcusfp1]

Never thought of the cloak in that way... I have dealt with depression most of my life and when I am leaving a depressive episode i always notice how much brighter and more colorful the world seems.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thank you so much for sharing your story with us ❤️

[@monykasaso]

They usually use a backing track, specially if there's beat boxing and body percussion at the same time. If you want more originals Coffee In Bed and Love Me When I Don't are scencial for mental health issues. Great reactions as usual!!

[@TouchyReactions]

Both are recorded and coming real soon. They are on my Patreon channel right now.

[@lauriep2018]

There is a back track for the clapping but vocals are live

[@diannecardenas9866]

You can have a breakup with yourself that will allow you to be free of your past and able to move forward with your new life.

[@TouchyReactions]

Exactly 💯

[@sjc9121]

Coffee In Bed will be fun

[@TouchyReactions]

Great Song

[@terriepurkey708]

Is it promoted as a Live performance? I agree - I feel like the mouths don't match with singing and their mouths are over-acting the words. There's definitely a clapping track and I guess that's not unusual to have some of the percussion or layered harmonies on a track. Like you though, it doesn't deny their abilities - I've seen lots of filmed live performances and they always throw a little riff or 'hey' or something in when it's live and I didn't catch anything like that in this performance. Still an absolutely fabulous song - one of my faves.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Terrie. It's a great song.

[@brunettealesoda]

i did some digging as i had not seen that video before, the description of the original video says that they found the video on vimeo but with no audio so they edited the studio version on it but originally they did sing this live

[@brunettealesoda]

in case you wanted to see the actual live version you watched, it was finally released today kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHTWeIWmmq5jpJo

[@TouchyReactions]

Great performance. Thanks

[@scottboyd9383]

I dont think him or scott spent much time in the closet. they have been open about it ever since I first saw them

[@JaniceDAgostino]

In school it was not so easy

[@elizabethtucker6026]

I don't think Mitch had a choice on that, he was perceived as gay from the get go, even when he was dating Kirstie. I think coming out for him may be less about people not knowing and more about people respecting his differences instead of bullying him for them.

[@hanielyngalano2518]

Please do react to Gigi de Lana cover of Better days by Dianne Reeves and her Don't know why by Norah Jones

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks, We recorded Better days last night.

[@martycullison4095]

Most of the songs on the Lucky Ones album is out about depression and coping! Ans I perfer to watch 'live' from their converts, during the pandemic the did a lot os 'live' performances on the talk shows, and they were recorded.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Marty

[@Texastigerdigsdetects]

LOL Hate#1 (just kidding)a track is not unusual it would be 30 percent track 70% live.

[@TouchyReactions]

Thanks Tiger