By now, U.S. audiences should be familiar with Deke Sharon and his work with the "Pitch Perfect" movies and NBC's "The Sing-Off." However, that may not be the case for the renowned musical director's latest project, "Pitch Battle," which just wrapped up its first season on BBC 1 with a live finale on Sunday night.

While the British vocal competition aired only in the UK, FloVoice caught up with Sharon -- who was also a judge on the show -- to find out what made "Pitch Battle" a new challenge compared to his previous experience on TV.

Kelis Announces Pitch Battle Winner: Leeds Contemporary Singers

"The biggest difference is that the show isn't a cappella," Sharon told FloVoice.

"Honestly, 'The Sing-Off' was the first show of its kind and we had to figure out how to do everything from scratch: mic a cappella groups in a competitive format, deal with so many mics in the opening number, figure out how to create the right tone backstage, keep people healthy and sane. Everything. It was a whirlwind that we loved, but a whirlwind nonetheless."

8th Opening Performance - The Sing Off Season 3

"'Pitch Battle' was designed differently. First of all, we had six new groups each episode, unlike 'The Sing-Off' which introduced all groups then whittled down from there, necessitating all to live in the hotel. Each new round had to be designed and learned after the previous was finished, meaning we had about six days between shows.

For Pitch Battle, we had an amazing sextet of UK based arranger/coaches:

Clare Wheeler (Swingles)
Mark DeLisser (The Voice)
Nick Girard (House Jacks)
Richard Beadle (Music Director of Hamilton in the UK)
Jack Blume (Gobsmacked)
James Rose (Accent)

"They went to work with the groups in their home towns (from Dublin to Glasgow), and then each show had only three days on set: a music rehearsal day, a camera day, and show day. Also a whirlwind, but a different kind.

"'The Sing-Off' opening numbers were usually a single song split up between many groups, sometimes a medley of three songs, whereas the 'Pitch Battle' opening numbers featured 6-7 songs, with each group singing their own song on a theme, and then they weave together/overlap/interlace/interpolate at the end. Sure, call it a mashup; it sometimes was.

"Of all the new groups per episode, only one was a cappella, the other five were all sorts of vocal harmony groups ranging in style (community choir, show choir, gospel group, etc.) perform with the show's live band.

Pitch Battle's Final Opening Number

"After an opening number featuring the six new groups, the groups are paired off, each performing their 'showstopper', followed by a back-and-forth 'Pitch Perfect'-inspired riff-off on a specific theme, after which one of the two groups is eliminated.

Riff Off Battle

"The remaining three groups then perform a song featuring a soloist, after which the judges eliminate one more group, then the final two sing a song made famous by the guest judge, back and forth, during which the guest judge grabs a mic and starts singing with the winning group to signal their victory.

Champions Leeds Contemporary Singers f/ Will Young

This finale is particularly powerful and never been done before.

"The live finale brought back the five winning groups (plus a wild card) to sing with the celebrity who chose them. Instead of a solo round, all three groups had to sing a cappella. We had 400 million records sold between our celebs that night!

"Another difference: I was on camera! I sat by the amazing live band for the first five shows breaking down the riffoffs and bantering with the incredibly witty host Mel Giedroyc.

"I was the third judge for the live finale.  




"The six arrangers/coaches appeared in rehearsal packages sometimes as well.  In this sense the show didn't pretend, as 'The Sing-Off' did, that the groups and arrangements just magically prepared themselves."

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