Kirstin Maldonado: Pentatonix, SIX The Musical, and Motherhood
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show ON DEMAND
Elvis Duran Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts
4.7 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 2 June 2026
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Tommy is joined by Kirstin Maldonado, the Grammy-winning vocalist of Pentatonix and current star of SIX, for a conversation about music, motherhood, and pursuing new dreams. Kirstin reflects on becoming part of one of the most successful vocal groups in the world, sharing why the members of Pentatonix continue to champion one another’s successes. She opens up about bringing beloved songs to life, the emotional experience of performing SIX each night, and what it’s like balancing the demands of Broadway with raising a family. The conversation also explores the importance of setting boundaries, the teachers and mentors who helped shape her career, and why she never gave up on her Broadway dream after an early audition didn’t go her way. Plus, Kirstin discusses her love of Disney, dream roles she still hopes to play, writing music for other artists, and how motherhood has changed the way she views both her career and herself.
Subscribe, rate, and leave a written review if you enjoy this conversation!
Tune in every week for new episodes of I’ve Never Said This Before
Executive Producers: iHeart Media and Elvis Duran Podcast Network
Producers: Andrew Pugliese, Stephanie Lane, Josh Kolodny, Celia Romano
Follow us on socials!
Instagram: @neversaidthisbefore
YouTube: @NeverSaidThisBefore
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:05.0 | Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me, Tommy Dodario. |
| 0:11.5 | I am such a huge fan of pentatonic. |
| 0:14.6 | They cross every genre and they create music that makes us feel something. |
| 0:18.5 | We feel something when we listen to them. |
| 0:21.9 | And every time I listen to them while walking around New York City, I feel like I'm either rocking out or I'm dancing |
| 0:26.4 | because they create such a reaction in me. Today's guest is the only gal in the group, the brilliantly |
| 0:32.3 | talented Kirsten Maldonado, who just when I think can't serve vocals any more fiercely, |
| 0:38.5 | I listen to the next song of Pentatonics and I'm proven wrong. So, so wrong. What a gift she has. And sign up, |
| 0:44.8 | you guys, if you haven't heard, there are renditions of the prayer and hallelujah. After this interview, |
| 0:49.2 | go listen to those songs. But for now, she's returning to Broadway and starring in the beloved musical Six. |
| 0:56.5 | Her opening night was just last night, so we recorded this just a few days before then to |
| 1:01.0 | see how she's feeling as she gears up for an incredible moment in her career. |
| 1:05.8 | So let's see if today we can get Kirsten to say something that she has never said before. |
| 1:14.8 | Hello? see if today we can get Kirsten to say something that she has never said before. Hello, my friend. How are you today? Great. How are you doing? I am so good. I'm so happy to |
| 1:19.2 | have you here. I love when I have someone on the show who's a friend of a friend. Yes. And we have a very |
| 1:23.3 | good friend, Will Gans, who was like, you're going to have the best time ever. I've known her |
| 1:26.6 | forever. And he may have given me time ever. I've known her forever. |
| 1:44.7 | And he may have given me a few secret weapon questions to ask you. Oh, no. Yeah, he's known me since I was five, so he would know all of it. Yeah, yeah. There's some good ones that we're going to bring out. First of all, like, congratulations on everything going on in your life. You have so much happening. you've had such an incredible career as it is. |
| 1:44.7 | And just when, you know, you think you're doing, going on in your life. You have so much happening. You've had such an incredible career as it is. |
| 1:50.5 | And just when, you know, you think you're doing it all and have done it all, you're going to go do Broadway again. It's just amazing that you keep doing things that, A, fuel your soul and that keep |
| 1:57.3 | challenging yourself, right? Thank you. Yeah, yeah. I mean, I've always loved musical |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in 23 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Elvis Duran Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Elvis Duran Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.