Mitchell Coby Michael "Mitch" Grassi (born July 24, 1992) is an American singer-songwriter and YouTuber. He is one of the lead singers of the A Cappella vocal band Pentatonix and the chart-topping pop duo with Scott Hoying called SUPERFRUIT. The YouTube channel for Pentatonix (PTXofficial) has over 18 million subscribers and 2 billion views, and it continues to rise. He also has a YouTube channel together with longtime friend and bandmate, Scott Hoying called Superfruit, which has surpassed 2 million subscribers, and continues to grow.
Bio[]
Grassi was born in Arlington, Texas, to Nel (née Fenton) and Michael “Mike” Grassi. He has a mix of Italian and Scottish, Irish, and Welsh roots. His parents moved to the Dallas–Fort Worth area in the mid-'80s for Mike's job with the airlines. Grassi has an older sister, Jessa, and they would often have fun doing sing-alongs and putting on homemade variety shows. His uncle Tony was also "a high tenor” and “had an incredible range.”
He met Scott Hoying, co-founder of Pentatonix and his Superfruit partner, when they were kids, and he crossed paths with Kirstin Maldonado in musical theater around the age of nine or ten. Grassi and Hoying became pals through theater in Arlington after being cast in Annie and reconnected while performing in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Grassi played Mike Tevee, while Hoying played Charlie). They both felt this cool vibe through their shared love of musical theater. By fourteen, Grassi was all about Rent and realized he wanted to do music: "I want to enrich others' lives with the music I make because that's what music has done for me all my life."
When he turned seventeen, Grassi was inspired by Lady Gaga coming out and really admired her self-expression: "That was something I'd always yearned to do because I had always been the weird kid—I always had something, I always wanted to make a point, and I always wanted to be an individual." Grassi, who is a veteran of many vocal and talent competitions, took first place at the Teen Talent Follies for his rendition of Scott Alan’s “Kiss the Air.” Grassi briefly dated Hoying in their "arts-oriented" Martin High School; both are now openly gay and good friends.
Pentatonix started as a trio, working together in their high school choir. Grassi and Maldonado also did community theater together. They made an a cappella cover of Lady Gaga's "Telephone" for a local contest to meet some Glee cast members, which got them some attention, even though they didn’t win.
Hoying discovered The Sing-Off, a competition for a cappella groups, while in college. They all really embraced a cappella and added bass vocalist Avi Kaplan and singer/beatboxer Kevin Olusola to the group since the show needed five members. Grassi even skipped his high school graduation to audition for the competition. After winning, they moved to Los Angeles to chase their recording careers. They set out to become the first mainstream a cappella group, a goal they achieved.
Career[]
With Pentatonix[]
Pentatonix is an acclaimed a cappella quintet known for engaging cover songs and successful international tours. Their fame began in 2011 after winning NBC' s The Sing- Off. Initially dropped by their label due to niche audience challenges affecting sales, they leveraged this setback for success. In late 2012, they started posting on YouTube, quickly amassing an international fan base. They released their debut EP, PTX, Volume 1, in June 2012, followed by a Christmas EP, PTXmas, in November.
The group' s repertoire includes covers like Gotye' s "Somebody That I Used to Know" (2011) and Psy' s "Gangnam Style" (2012). Their medley of Daft Punk songs released in November 2013 garnered ten million views in its first week, reaching over 320 million by January 2020. By March 2015, their YouTube channel had 7. 7.6 million subscribers, growing to 18. 9 million by December 2020, with over three billion total views.
As of February 2020, they reported over 4. 4 billion views, two million Instagram followers, and 3. 6 million Facebook fans. Their videos frequently exceed a million views. They have toured in over 40 countries by December 2016 and appeared in shows like "Bones" and "Pitch Perfect 2" (2015), and hosted "A Pentatonix Christmas Special" (2016).
By June 2021, Pentatonix had released eleven albums, ten reaching the Billboard 200 Top Ten, selling a total of ten million albums, including two number one and five Christmas albums. They had four Billboard Hot 100 entries and won three Grammy Awards for their tributes, including a "Daft Punk" medley (2015), their version of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" (2016) and their collaboration with Dolly Parton on "Jolene" (2017). Besides regular tours, they offer holiday- themed music during Christmas tours, with their album That' s Christmas to Me (2014) being the highest- charting Christmas album by a group since 1962.
The members draw inspiration from contemporary and classic hits, frequently collaborating with their friend and producer Ben Bram. Although known primarily for their covers, they debuted their original album, Pentatonix, in October 2015, topping the Billboard 200. Their sold- out North American tour was documented in On My Way Home. Members Grassi and Hoying, openly gay, enjoy strong support from a diverse fan base, including many Midwestern Christians who appreciate their positive influence on LGBTQ acceptance.
With SUPERFRUIT (also stylized as Sup3rfruit)[]
Hoying and Grassi, longtime friends, developed a strong following on YouTube with their engaging vlogs, which feature skits, comedy, and musical duets. Their viral successes include a "Frozen" medley that they did with fellow bandmate, Kirstin Maldonado, which garnered over 13 million views by April 2016, an "Evolution of Miley Cyrus" video with 12.8 million views, and a Beyoncé album medley attracting over 12 million views. The idea for their YouTube channel came about while they were having a meal at IHOP. Hoying pitched the idea, and Grassi came up with the name “Superfruit.” Hoying shared their initial vibe: "Our main rule with starting Superfruit was: This is for fun... We want the freedom to do whatever we like. So, let's tell the stories we want, make videos we enjoy, and steer clear of limiting ourselves... not stressing too much about metrics that could lead to more success... I think that's why fans connect with us so well." Their first Superfruit video premiered on August 13, 2013 on YouTube.
To balance their commitments with Pentatonix and their own projects, they made sure to prioritize the group's overall agenda. In 2016, they started adding original music to their content. Their first EP, "Future Friends, Part One," dropped in June 2017, followed by Part Two in September and a full-length album. This EP dives into the ups and downs of friendship versus romantic relationships and has collaborations with some incredible songwriters and producers like Robopop and Justin Tranter, along with music videos for each song. The album did pretty well, reaching ninth on the Billboard 200 chart. Their first official video for "Future Friends," called "Imaginary Parties," got a shout-out from InStyle Magazine for its excellent fashion choices put together by stylist Candice McAndrews, who used pieces from brands like Gucci and Balenciaga, inspired by high fashion and pop art. McAndrews said that styling for Superfruit usually needs seven to nine racks of clothes per member, featuring designs from labels like Alexander Wang, Loewe, Vetements, Haider Ackermann, Raf Simons, and Maison Margiela.
Music with Superfruit[]
On June 30, 2017, the duo released their debut album, Future Friends - Part One.
Track list
- "Imaginary Parties"
- "Bad 4 Us"
- "Worth It (Perfect)"
- "Vacation"
- "Sexy Ladies"
- "Heartthrob"
- "Future Friends"
On September 15, 2017, they released Future Friends - Part Two.
Track list
- "How You Feeling?"
- "Hurry Up!"
- "Deny U"
- "Goodbye From Lonely"
- "GUY.exe"
- "Fantasy" (feat. Amber Liu)"
- "Keep Me Coming"
On the same date, they released the two EPs as a compilation album, which feature all 14 tracks, plus 2 bonus tracks: "Everything" feat. Inara George, and "Future Friends" remix made by Brian Robert Jones Choir.
Solo career as Messer[]
In April 2020, Paper announced that Grassi would be debuting his solo project, Messer, at a Club Quarantine Zoom event during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. This initial online outing of Messer was a DJ set of "dark, techno tunes" but Grassi would later release solo music under the same moniker. The following year, Messer was featured on "READY2DIE," the twelfth track on Jimmy Edgar's Cheetah Bend album. Pitchfork praised the "exhilarating, euphoric counterweight" lent to the track by Messer's vocal performance. Messer is reportedly a collaborative project between Grassi and his creative director and close friend, Austin Macedo.
On August 27, 2021, Grassi released his first solo EP, Roses. Self-released under the label-name Schwingungen, Roses features 5 songs, including the singles "Machine" and "Angels Pray". Four of the tracks were cowritten and coproduced with alexmaax (Max Hershenow) while the title track was co-written and produced with Naomi MacPherson of MUNA. A remix by Planningtorock of "Boy in the Pictures" (the third track on Roses) was released on October 15, 2021 along with the B-side, "Love Supply," a Messer original co-written with Xander Rushie. The 2022 single, "Leather," again co-written with Rushie along with Austin Macedo, was highlighted by Frontview Magazine as a departure from Messer's previous releases moving towards " a more sensual and r&b-inspired sound."
On January 14, 2023, Messer had his debut live show at the Moroccan Lounge in LA. This concert was originally scheduled for October 2022 but was postponed due to his contracting the COVID-19 virus.
On June 20, 2025, Messer released his new single, "Not Yet", in almost two years. His sophomore album, Cuts, was released on July 18, 2025. This album is said to be inspired by Grassi's relationship with his partner of two years. To promote the album, Messer performed two shows in two places he considers home, one in L.A, California (July 16, 2025) and one in Berlin, Germany (July 30, 2025).
Roses EP[]
Track list
- Angels Pray
- Machine
- Boy in the Pictures
- Gasoline Tears
- Roses
Boy In The Pictures (Remix) - Single[]
Track list
- Boy in the Pictures - Planningtorock's 'Planningtosurrender' Version
- Love Supply
Non-album singles[]
- Leather (June 10, 2022)
- Obilvion (July 14, 2023)
- Velvet (August 11, 2023)
- Agony (September 8, 2023)
- Halfway (October 6, 2023)
Cuts EP[]
Track list
- Not Yet
- Human
- Railway Car
- When I'm Awake
- Break Open
- Light On
- Clean (For W)
Spotify[]
Artistry []
Mitch Grassi's voice spans 6 octaves and 1 tone, from A1 to B7. Dubbed by Shawn Stockman from Boyz II Men as "the prettiest voice I've ever heard in my life,". He is an unusual very high tenor. His voice is feminine sounding in high registers, considered by many people as a countertenor.
Influences:[]
Grassi's music tastes skew highly towards underground club and electronic music. He is also honing his skills in music production and DJ-ing, and has described himself as a "total music nerd."
Personal life[]
Grassi, who is openly gay, was voted the second-most eligible gay bachelor by Out readers in 2017, coming just behind Adam Lambert. In May 2023, he met his partner, German native Wilhelm Will, during the European leg of the Pentatonix: The World Tour. Shortly after, the two reportedly started a long-distance relationship before Grassi decided to move temporarily to Berlin, Germany. The track "Not Yet" from his sophomore solo album, Cuts, is described by Grassi as reflecting his and Will's relationship during their long-distance phase. In an article written on Broadwayworld.com, Grassi noted that the song captures the agonizing anticipation of waiting to reunite with his partner, who once lived on the other side of the world, forcing them to pause the progression of their relationship every time they had to part ways. Now, he and Will share a home together. Although Grassi primarily resides in Berlin, he frequently travels to the U.S. for work commitments.
On October 14, 2025, Grassi shared an intimate moment with his followers by posting a photo on his Instagram story. The image featured both his and his partner's hands, each adorned with rings on their left ring fingers. Above their hands, the infinity (∞) symbol was displayed, prompting widespread speculation among fans about a possible engagement announcement.
Three days after the initial post, Grassi confirmed the rumors by publicly announcing his engagement on Instagram. He revealed that his fiancé is Wilhelm Will, a native of Germany. The engagement announcement was accompanied by the caption "M ∞ W" and included two ring emojis, symbolizing their commitment. At the time of the announcement, the newly engaged couple appeared to be in Lanzarote, Las Palmas. Lanzarote is known as the easternmost island of the Canary Islands, adding a picturesque backdrop to their special occasion.
Social media[]
Instagram: @mitchgrassi
YouTube: Superfruit (with Scott Hoying)
Mitch doesn't have a fan page on Facebook.
Mitch's Gallery[]
