Kirstin Maldonado Bio
Kirstin Taylor Maldonado, born on May 16, 1992, is an American singer-songwriter best known as a vocalist in the a cappella group Pentatonix. Raised in Arlington, Texas, she began singing as a child and studied musical theatre at the University of Oklahoma before leaving to form Pentatonix with high-school friends. With the group, she has released seven studio albums, won three Grammy Awards, sold over six million albums, and amassed billions of YouTube views and millions of subscribers.
Maldonado launched a solo career with the single “Break a Little” and the EP Love in 2017, and made her Broadway debut in Kinky Boots in 2018. She continues to record and tour with Pentatonix while pursuing solo and stage projects.
Early Life and Background
Kirstin Taylor Maldonado was born in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 16, 1992. Her mother, Angelica Maldonado, is of Spanish and Italian descent, while her father, Michael Cisneros, is of Mexican descent. She was raised by her mother in Arlington, Texas. She was only five years old when she first expressed her wish to become a singer, and at eight years old she sang at her mother’s wedding reception, ultimately convincing her mother to enroll her in voice lessons.
Maldonado also got into theater and starred in several local productions. It was through the local theater community that she met Mitch Grassi, a future fellow Pentatonix member. She attended Holy Rosary Catholic School and later Martin High School, where she met Scott Hoying. The three friends created an a cappella trio and began getting attention around their school for their covers of popular songs.
She graduated from Martin High School in 2010 and attended the University of Oklahoma, where she studied musical theatre on a full-ride scholarship as a National Hispanic Scholar. During her time in college, she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma. She left before completing her degree to form Pentatonix.
Path to Music
Maldonado’s early path into music was shaped by voice lessons, local theater productions, and a high-school a cappella trio she formed with Scott Hoying and Mitch Grassi. Their covers of popular songs drew attention around Martin High School and laid the groundwork for a larger group. In 2011, Hoying contacted Maldonado about putting together a group for NBC’s a cappella competition The Sing-Off, and she agreed to join.
Together with Grassi, Avi Kaplan, and Kevin Olusola, they formed the a cappella group Pentatonix. The group entered and eventually won the third season of The Sing-Off, giving Maldonado her first major industry break. The victory opened the door to recording deals, national tours, and a career built on vocal harmony and creative arrangement.
Her decision to leave the University of Oklahoma before completing her degree marked a pivotal shift from formal musical theatre training toward a professional performance career. That choice helped her commit fully to Pentatonix as the group transitioned from a competition act to a recording and touring ensemble.
Kirstin Maldonado Career
Early Career (2011–2014)
Pentatonix’s victory on the third season of The Sing-Off in 2011 launched Maldonado’s professional career. In the years that followed, the group built a strong following through YouTube covers and original arrangements, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. Their early releases established them as a leading force in contemporary a cappella music.
During this period, Maldonado helped shape the group’s signature sound while continuing to develop as a vocalist and songwriter. The group released several EPs and independent projects, gradually expanding their audience and setting the stage for major-label success and Grammy recognition.
Breakthrough (2015–2018)
On February 8, 2015, Pentatonix won their first Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for their Daft Punk medley. On February 15, 2016, they won their second Grammy in the same category for their rendition of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” featured on their holiday album That’s Christmas to Me. On February 12, 2017, they won their third Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their cover of “Jolene” featuring Dolly Parton.
In January 2016, Maldonado performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” at the World Dog Awards. In February 2016, the a cappella group Voctave released the “Disney Love Medley” video featuring Maldonado and Jeremy Lewis. In May 2016, she appeared alongside Grassi and Hoying in an episode of Bones.
On May 19, 2017, Maldonado released her first solo single, “Break a Little,” under the name Kirstin™. Her debut EP, Love, was released on July 14, 2017, and debuted at number one on the iTunes Pop Albums Chart. In 2018, she made her Broadway debut, portraying Lauren in the musical Kinky Boots alongside singer Jake Shears and comedian Wayne Brady.
Notable Works and Milestones
Maldonado’s signature solo work includes the single “Break a Little” and the EP Love, both released in 2017, along with her Broadway debut in Kinky Boots in 2018. With Pentatonix, she has contributed to seven studio albums, three Grammy Award wins, and over six million albums sold. The group has also reached 13 million YouTube subscribers and over two billion YouTube views.
Kirstin Maldonado Award Nominations
Verified details about individual award nominations for Kirstin Maldonado as a solo artist are not available in the provided sources. Her three Grammy Awards were won as a member of Pentatonix between 2015 and 2017, and further nomination totals cannot be confirmed at this time.
Kirstin Maldonado Awards Won
Kirstin Maldonado has won three Grammy Awards as a vocalist in Pentatonix. The first came in 2015 for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella for their Daft Punk medley, followed by a second win in the same category in 2016 for “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.” The third Grammy arrived in 2017 for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for their cover of “Jolene” featuring Dolly Parton.
Kirstin Maldonado Family
Maldonado was born to Angelica Maldonado, of Spanish and Italian descent, and Michael Cisneros, of Mexican descent. She was raised by her mother in Arlington, Texas. She has been married to filmmaker Ben Hausdorff since April 21, 2024, and the couple have two children together: a daughter born on June 28, 2022, and a son born on March 2, 2025.
Personal Life
Maldonado met singer and entrepreneur Jeremy Lewis in August 2013 through The Sing-Off, and they began dating two months later. Lewis proposed to her on May 29, 2016, in Paris during the Pentatonix World Tour. The couple called off their wedding and ended their relationship in October 2017.
During Pentatonix’s 2018 tour, she began a relationship with filmmaker Ben Hausdorff. They got engaged in March 2023 in Tokyo and were married on April 21, 2024, in McKinney, Texas. Maldonado and Hausdorff have two children: a daughter born in 2022 and a son born in 2025.