Kirstin Maldonado is ready to light up the Christmas holidays…
The 26-year-old half-Mexican and part-Spanish American singer/songwriter and her Pentatonix group mates have been added to the star-studded lineup for NBC’s 86th annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting, which will take place on November 28.
In addition to Pentatonix, the a cappella group that has found great success with their holiday music, this year’s performers include Diana Ross, Tony Bennett & Diana Krall, Brett Eldredge, Darci Lynne Farmer, John Legend, Martina McBride and Kellie Pickler, with more to be announced.
Howie Mandel will also make a special guest appearance, and NBC’s Today anchors Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Craig Melvin are hosting the anticipated holiday event.
NBC first televised the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in 1951 on The Kate Smith Show, 20 years after it initially found itself a home on the plaza.
This year’s holiday tree is a 72-foot tall, 45-foot wide Norway Spruce that weighs over 12 tons and is around 75 years old. It will be wrapped in approximately five miles of wire containing over 50,000 multi-colored LEDs and topped with a 900-pound star covered in 3 million Swarovski crystals.
The tree lighting will be broadcast live on NBC November 28 at 8:00 pm ET. Select NBC stations will feature an additional special live hour of the broadcast hosted by Mario Lopez and WNBC’s Stefan Holt and Natalie Pasquarella at 7:00 pm ET.
