Kirstin Maldonado may have made small steps to define herself as a solo artist while still remaining a member of Pentatonix, but in 2017 she pushed the doors wide open with the release of her first-ever solo single, “Break a Little.” Not only was the single Maldonado’s declaration of independence (without actually exiting the group, of course), it also allowed her the freedom to pursue her own artistic vision. “I’m so proud of ‘Break a Little,'” she said in a press release, as reported by Billboard. “I always wanted to write a sad song that sounds happy.”
Later that same year, she followed the single with the release of her first solo EP, which she titled “Love.” “I hope everyone likes it,” she told PopCrush, revealing that the response she’d been receiving from Pentatonix fans had been positive. “The reaction has been really great from fans,” she gushed.
As Maldonado told Civilian, recording an album on her own, without the other members of Pentatonix, was a natural progression for her. It was also not something she wanted to rush into, and she waited until all the elements had dropped into place. “I think the reason it took me so long is because I finally had something to say,” she said, sharing her gratitude for the opportunity to make music with Pentatonix while also exploring her own musical creativity. “I feel, like, re-motivated and re-inspired,” she told BUILD Series.
