NBC'S SENSATIONAL SINGING COMPETITION SERIES "THE SING-OFF" CROWNS PENTATONIX AS THE WINNER OF SEASON THREE

Pentatonix Wins a Sony Music Recording Contract and $200,000

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - November 28, 2011 - Tonight, NBC's popular all-vocal singing competition series, "The Sing-Off," crowned Pentatonix the winner of season three. Pentatonix hit all the right notes to become America's favorite all vocal band taking home the Sony Music recording contract and $200,000 cash prize.

After 10 intensive weeks of competition in front of judges Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds and Shawn Stockman, as well as host Nick Lachey, the field of 16 outstanding groups was narrowed down to the top three - Dartmouth Aires, Pentatonix and Urban Method. The judges turned over the decision to American viewers who cast millions of votes and chose Pentatonix to be the grand-prize winner.

Pentatonix consists of five members - Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado and Kevin Olusola. Hoying, Kaplan and Maldonado are best friends from high school in Arlington, Texas and they found the other two members earlier this year; Olusola via YouTube and Kaplan through a friend. They have a modern style and draw influences from several underground electro genres, including dubstep and garage house. Pentatonix melds electronic music with pop hits creating something that will make viewers want to dance and sing along at the same time.

As previously announced, "The Sing-Off" also is expanding its season with an additional holiday themed live episode, "A Sing-Off Christmas," on Monday, December 5 (8-10 p.m. ET) featuring groups from all three seasons including season two winners Committed, season one winners Nota, The Backbeats, Beelzebubs, On the Rocks, Street Corner Symphony and many of the top ten groups from season three. This all-star episode will include performances of holiday and inspirational classics with special guest Flo Rida performing his smash hit and current Billboard Top 10 single "Good Feeling." All three judges will perform on "The Sing-Off" stage, with Sara Bareilles and Ben Folds tackling a holiday duet while Shawn Stockman takes on a Christmas classic with previous winners Nota.

"The Sing-Off" scours the country in search of the best a cappella groups. This year, the competition expanded not only weekly but also to the 16 very best vocal groups who performed chart-topping songs in weekly competition that culminated with a live finale revealing the grand prize winner. The groups competed for America's vote and a chance to walk away with the ultimate prize -- a Sony Music recording contract and a cash prize of $200,000.

Celebrity judges who critique the singing groups, using their musical expertise, are Folds (Ben Folds Five), Stockman (Boyz II Men) and Bareilles ("Love Song" and "King of Anything").

"The Sing-Off" is produced by Joel Gallen's ("America's Best Dance Crew") Tenth Planet Productions, Outlaw Entertainment and Sony Pictures Television. Gallen, Deb Newmyer ("The Ugly Truth"), Sam Weisman ("George of the Jungle") and Josh Greenberg ("America's Best Dance Crew") are executive producers.

For embeddable clips and full episodes from "The Sing-Off," please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/sing-off/

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