Singer and songwriter Avi Kaplan is from the United States. He is an expert in “a cappella” music, which is vocal music performed without the use of an instrument. He became well-known as a bass singer thanks to his rich voice. As a bass singer for the three-time “Grammy Award-winning American “a cappella” group “Pentatonix,” he had great success. In 2017, he left the organization. He is a skilled choir vocalist as well. He studies choral music and classical music. He feels that his passion is American folk music. In addition to paying homage to the “Sequoia National Park” close to his hometown—which he frequently lists as one of his greatest musical inspirations—his most recent endeavor, “Avriel & the Sequoias,” is an expression of this enthusiasm.
Childhood & Formative Years
On April 17, 1989, Avi was born in Visalia, California, to Michael and Shelly Kaplan. He has an Esther sister and a Joshua brother.
He was brought up in a typical Jewish setting and comes from a Jewish family. Because of his Jewish heritage, he was bullied as a child. He began showing signs of a musical interest at a young age, and his parents supported this passion.
He had a passion for singing and began learning classical music at a young age. At the encouragement of his friend Anjelica Chavez and Miss Manes, the school choir teacher, he joined the choir of the chapel of the “Divisadero Middle School” in his hometown of Visalia.
Later on, he enrolled in his town’s “Mt. Whitney High School.” He was one of the few freshmen accepted into the choir there.
He taught himself how to play the guitar when he was fifteen years old. He quickly began giving performances at local coffee shops. He enrolled in “Mt. San Antonio College” in Walnut, California, US, in 2007 when he was eighteen years old.
Career of Avi Kaplan
He penned “Collision,” his debut song when he was sixteen. He composed the song as a tribute to his parents’ six-car collision, which left his mother needing back surgery.
He received classical music training as a youngster and also became interested in American folk music. He would frequently travel to the “Sequoia National Park” in the vicinity of his birthplace in order to obtain musical inspiration.
He joined the choir and became interested in “a cappella” music while attending “Mt. San Antonio College.” He began performing with his college’s “a cappella” group, “Fermata Nowhere,” in 2008. The esteemed “International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella” (ICCA) was won by the ensemble.
He also received the individual-category award for “Best Rhythm Section” at the “ICCA.” The prize was formerly known as the “Best Vocal Percussionist” award. Due to his outstanding accomplishments during the competition, he was awarded the honor.
He joined “Sincopation,” an award-winning jazz trio that had won the “Monterey Jazz Festival Competition,” during his third year at “Mt. San Antonio College.” With this trio, he visited numerous countries and gave performances at esteemed locations including Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City.
Despite his ongoing struggles to make a name for himself in the music industry, he was able to gain some recognition as a self-employed “a capella” performer.
He submitted an application in 2011 for the open bass singer post with the “a cappella” group “Pentatonix.” The band desired to participate in “The Sing-Off,” a reality TV program. They were hoping to expand the scope of their performance by adding a beatboxer and a bass singer.
A day before the reality TV show “The Sing-Off” auditions, he was chosen to be the bass vocalist for the band “Pentatonix.” The band was chosen to play in the show after they performed well in the tryouts the next day.
Avi participated in “The Sing-Off” as a member of “Pentatonix,” where he occasionally sang lead vocals in addition to bass. The group emerged victorious in the third season of the reality show in 2011. The group’s prize for winning the competition was a contract with “Sony Music Entertainment.” Esther, his sister, took over as the group’s tour manager.
One of “Pentatonix’s” most well-known members, Avi, helped the band take the music world by storm. Everyone enjoyed Avi’s rich voice and his gentle, kind, and seemingly carefree demeanor. With Avi as a member of the group, “Pentatonix” released five studio albums, five EPs, fifteen singles, and forty-two music videos between 2011 and 2017.
He was a part of “Pentatonix,” and he received three “Grammy Awards.” The first of these appeared in the 2015 Daft Punk song category under the title of “Best Arrangement, Instrumental or a cappella.” In the same category, the song “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” won the second Grammy in 2016. With their song “Jolene,” which featured Dolly Parton, the band earned their third Grammy in 2017 in the “Best Country Duo/Group Performance” category.
He launched “Avril & the Sequoias,” his solo project, in April 2017. “Fields and Pier,” his debut single as a solo artist, was released on April 29, 2017. He declared in May 2017 that he was leaving “Pentatonix” for personal reasons.
He released his debut EP, “Sage and Stone,” on June 29, 2017. The date of his final show with “Pentatonix” was September 3, 2017.
Honors and Accomplishments
He is a part of “Pentatonix,” and he has three Grammy Awards. The group has also received nominations for two Billboard Music Awards and one Daytime Emmy Award, in addition to winning prizes at the YouTube Music Awards and the Shorty Awards.
Personal Life of Avi Kaplan
There were speculations that he was dating Kirstin “Kirstie” Maldonado, a fellow member of “Pentatonix,” however they were later disproven. He keeps his personal interactions private.
Facts of Avi Kaplan
In 2013, his childhood friend Anjelica Chavez, who persuaded him to join the school choir, passed away from sickness. During her funeral, he performed the hymn “Ave Maria.”
In addition, he owns other eateries in Washington. Plus, he owns a football team. Additionally, he has introduced his own line of perfume and vodka.
The net worth of Avi Kaplan
The estimated net worth of Avi Kaplan is about $1 million.