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Monday Memos: 2015 iHeart Radio Music Awards
Hello people of the Internet!!! On today’s ‘Monday Memos’ we are going to recap the 2015 ‘iHeart Radio Music Awards’! This award show was full of talented winners, unforgettable performances, and a host (Jamie Fox) that definitely kept the audience’s attention. So if y’all are ready, let’s jump into the recap (in order to not keep y’all here reading for an hour, I selected just a few performances to discuss).
Winners (I didn’t include some of the winners because then this post would be A LOT longer):
Best Lyrics: Blank Space by Taylor Swift
Honestly we all saw this one coming. With an infectious beat and catchy lyrics, Taylor has had us singing along to this song for months.
Hip Hop/R&B Song of The Year: Don’t Tell ‘Em by Jeremih feat. YG
This is an example of another song that has an inescapable beat, which is exactly what landed it at the top of the charts for weeks after its’ release.
Innovator Award: Justin Timberlake
Do we really need to explain this one! With each passing year, Justin Timberlake continues to prove to us that he can release tracks that have us singing and dancing along instantly. He is also able to release music that is either completely new, and/or takes what everyone else is doing in a way that we never would have thought possible. Honestly this is the guy who made suit and ties cool again…enough said (below is a video of Justin’s speech that I found on NBC’s YouTube channel)..
Best New Artist: Sam Smith
With hits like Stay With Me and I’m Not The Only One, we have all been jamming to Sam Smith this past year. You gotta love a guy that can constantly make us cry and still fall more in love with him every time we hear his songs.
Best Collaboration: Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj
You heard this song EVERYWHERE last year, and we’re still all singing along. But, when you get three superstars like Jessie J, Ariana Grande, & Nicki Minaj together honestly you can expect no less. We will definitely be dancing to this one throughout 2015.
Best Dance Song: Summer by Calvin Harris
This was the song that made us all wish that summer was a year around thing. Calvin Harris always seems to find a way of releasing songs that we just have to put on repeat. This should definitely be on your upcoming 2015 summer playlist.
Song of The Year: Shake It Off by Taylor Swift
Ok, again this was a song that we could not (and would not) stop playing because, well it’s just so awesome! This song has a fun beat, unforgettable lyrics, and even an awesome message about, well, shaking all the negative stuff off. Gotta love how Taylor knows exactly what we need to hear.
Artist of The Year: Taylor Swift
I think we covered why Taylor was so successful in 2014. Now the only question on our minds is how will she top it in 2015? We all know whatever she does, it will be awesome!
Performances (for this section I decided to pick 6 acts to talk to y’all about, because honestly if we try to talk about them all, we’ll be here all day):
Iggy Azalea & Jennifer Hudson:
Iggy Azalea & Jennifer Hudson performed their new song Trouble. The number was very elaborate, and began with Iggy and Jennifer emerging on to the stage, dressed like a prisoner (Iggy) & a cop (Jennifer). Iggy danced around the stage with her background dancers, until they eventually moved to another set that had pink prison phones, another set that looked like a public bathroom, and a final set that had a giant cage. It was a very fun performance, that was a great way to kick off the show.
Meghan Trainor:
Meghan Trainor performed her song Dear Future Husband later in the show, and really showed us just how captivating of a performer she is. This cool number began with Meghan on stage dressed in a black long pencil skirt, a coral blouse, and a white and black polka dot sailor hat. The nautical meets 1950s theme continued with Meghan’s large brass band (that played in the background throughout her performance), standing on a leveled band stands, which had neon wave decoration on the front of them. Her backup dancers finished off the fun theme with their black pants, suspenders, and straw hats. The performance was so much fun to watch from beginning to end, and proved just why Meghan’s natural star power has given her such a big year (below is a video of Meghan’s performance that I found on NBC’s YouTube channel).
Sam Smith
Later on we had a breathtakingly beautiful performance from Best New Artist winner Sam Smith. Sam performed his song Lay Me Down. After all of the previous performances that got us up and dancing, this performance definitely slowed things down without losing our attention. The number had numerous candles all around the stage, and the lighting very dim, which added an intimate, acoustic feel to the performance. Of course Sam blew us away with his hauntingly beautiful voice, and once again proved that he is here to stay.
Jason Aldean:
Country Song of The Year winner Jason Aldean performed his award winning song Burnin’ It Down. This was another really fun performance that definitely brought the energy back up, after Sam Smith’s performance. The staging included A LOT of fire pits, which added to the whole country meets rock vibe the song has (below is a video of Jason’s performance that I found on NBC’s YouTube channel).
Madonna & Taylor Swift:
Next up we had a very cool performance from Madonna & Taylor Swift, who performed Madonna’s song Ghosttown. The song began with Madonna singing the song accompanied by a guitarist, while the dim lighting on stage “hid” her guitarist’s identity. The guitarist was later revealed to be Taylor. This was a really interesting number, that was very different than anything else we saw on the show that night. Both artists did a fantastic job (which isn’t surprising), and this was definitely a performance everyone on the Internet will continue to talk about for a while.
Jamie Foxx & Chris Brown:
Of course we couldn’t end this recap without talking about the last number of the night (which was performed by the host of the show Jamie Foxx). The two performed Jamie’s new single ‘You Changed Me’, which began with Jamie performing the song on the piano with dim stage lighting, before the beat picked up, and the stage lit up. The song was very well choreographed, and showed off both artists’ performance skills. This high energy performance was the perfect way to end the night, and definitely got the audience excited for Jamie’s upcoming album, which drops later this year (below is a video of Jamie & Chris’ performance that I found on NBC’s YouTube channel).
- All credit goes to iHeart Radio Awards, iHeart Radio, NBC, Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records, Republic Records, Max Martin, Shellbacks, Jeremih, YG, Def Jam Records, MIchael Munzing, Luca Anzilotti, Thea Austin, Jeremih Felton, Mick Schultz, Benito Benitez, Keenon Jackson, Dijon McFarlane, JIve Records, Zomba Group of Companies, RCA Records, Capitol Records, Jason Aldean, Broken Bow Records, Rodney Clawson, Chris Tompkins, Tyler Hubbard, Brian Kelley, Michael Knox, DJ Mustard, 5 Seconds of SUmmer, Capitol Records, Jessie J, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Lava Records, Savan Kotecha, Rickard Goransson, Onika Maraj, llya, School Boy Records, Young Money Records, Cash Money Records, Average Joes Entertainment, The Valory Co., Calvin Harris, Deconstruction Records, Fly Eye Records, Columbia Records, Hozier, Rubyworks Records, Universal-Island Records, Andrew Hozier-Byrne, Rob Kirwan, Iggy Azalea, Def Jam Records, Grand Hustle Records, Mercury Records, Virgin EMI Records, Arista Records, J Records, RCA Records, Epic Records, Kevin Kadish, Sire Records, Warner Bros., Records, Maverick Records, Live Nation Entertainment, Interscope Records, Jason Evigan, Sean Douglas, thatgrapejuice.net, Evan Bogart, 20th Century Fox Records, all companies, individuals, corporations, managers, record labels, writers, producers, and/or businesses that should receive credit for anything mentioned in this blog post and/or are mentioned in any of the videos mentioned in this blog post, and all original owners. I do not own anything in this blog. If any people, corporations, businesses, companies, etc, were not previously given credit for their work, they are given credit now and their previous absence was unintentional. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I wrote this blog for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
Monday Memos: 2014 VMA Recap!!!
Hello people of the internet!!! On today’s ‘Monday Memos’ we are going to discuss all of the memorable moments from last night’s 2014 VMAs. The show was jam packed with breathtaking performances, awards presented to amazing acts, and other memorable and tear-jerking moments. So if y’all are ready, let’s not waste any more time and dive right in!
VMA Pre-Show & Memorable Moments:
The VMA pre-show was full of so much fun, it felt like a show within itself. The show was co-hosted by ‘Pretty Little Liars’ star/Country music singer/songwriter Lucy Hale, and MTV correspondents Sway & Christina Garibaldi. The trio interviewed a lot of amazing stars during the pre-show, and even got to speak to ‘Teen Wolf’ star Dylan O’Brien, regarding his highly anticipated film ‘The Maze Runner’. Pop singer/songwriter/rapper Becky G and beauty/fashion/lifestyle YouTube guru Ingrid Nilsen (aka Missglamorazzi, you can find a blog post about her here: YouTube Wednesday: Missglamorazzi…the beauty/fashion/health guru who likes her glamour with a side of fun! | celindareyesblog) served as the Covergirl ‘InstaGLAM’ correspondents for the pre-show, and helped us keep track of some of the fun fashions of the night. A moment during the pre-show that definitely had our heads spinning with nostalgia, was when Katy Perry and rapper Riff Raff wore all denim outfits inspired by Britney Spears’ and Justin Timberlake’s famous 2001 American Music Awards outfits (even though Britney and Justin are no longer one of Pop music’s most beloved couples). Another moment that I want to mention right now (even though it happened during the actual show) was Miley Cyrus’ ‘Video of the Year’ win, where she allowed a homeless young man named Jesse accept the award on behalf of all of the homeless young people in the LA area. Jesse also told the audience where they could go and learn more about the issue of homeless and runaway youths. There was also a short tribute to the late actor Robin Williams during the actual VMA show, which displayed a picture of the actor while a beautiful song played in the background. Last but surely not least, let’s talk about the pre-show performances!
Fifth Harmony:
The girl group/former ‘X-Factor’ contestants went on to win the ‘Artist to Watch’ award later in the show, but before that, they gave a crowd pleasing rendition of their latest hit single ‘BO$$’. The girls wore different combinations of dressy skirts, pants, and tops, and were aided in their performance by dancers who wore all white outfits. Some of their dancers also carried red trumpets, which added an overall cool vibe to the performance. With the deafening sound of Fifth Harmony’s fans (aka Harmonizers), it was no surprise that the group took home their first VMA award last night.
Charli XCX:
The singer/songwriter behind the infectious song ‘Boom Clap’ (which was featured on both the film and the trailer for one of the summer’s most anticipated films ‘The Fault in Our Stars’), took the stage after Fifth Harmony, and definitely had the aid of the energetic crowd on her side. Charli wore a light colored dress with a feathered coat, and in the middle of her performance left the first stage, walked on a runway that went through the crowd, and walked onto a smaller second stage. As Charli walked, her steps coordinated with the beating of her drummers, which gave off a very cool effect that just hyped up the crowd even more. At the end of her performance, Charli presented a random fan with a ticket to the VMAs, and the crowd went even wilder.
Winners (these were awards that were presented during the actual award show or during the pre-show, for a full list of the winners please go here 2014 Video Music Awards Winners And Results | VMAs | MTV):
Best Lyric Video: ‘Don’t Stop’ by 5 Seconds of Summer
With the success of their 2014 summer smash ‘She Looks So Perfect’, and follow up hits such as ‘Don’t Stop’ and ‘Amnesia’, it is obvious that this band was definitely a contender for both of the awards that they were nominated for last night. Although they didn’t win the ‘Artist to Watch’ award, the fact that the band did win ‘Best Lyric’ video, proved just how dedicated 5 Seconds of Summer’s fans are. Also, the ‘Don’t Stop’ video was definitely very interesting and intricate, (I mean the entire video was a giant comic book, how cool is that!?!).
Best Female Video: ‘Dark Horse’ by Katy Perry feat. Juicy J
Ever since this song was released as Katy Perry’s 3rd single off of her latest album ‘Prism’, the song has become an instant hit for Katy. The song has peaked within the top 10 in A LOT of countries, and has gone double, triple, and even sextuple (which means 6 times) platinum. The video also currently has 545,027,017 views, and it’s only been up for 6 months, so that’s REALLY impressive.
Best Male Video: ‘Sing’ by Ed Sheeran
Ok, let’s just take a moment to discuss ‘Sing’. After Ed stole our hearts with his emotional tracks ‘A Team’ and ‘Lego House’ we taught we knew what Ed was about, but then he surprised us with this song off of his latest album ‘X’. ‘Sing’ is a really fun, upbeat pop/jazzy/hip-hop song that definitely showed a new side to the singer/songwriter. With Pharrell Williams (who has had an enviable career that has spanned since the early 90s), serving as a producer and backup vocalist on this song, it was a guaranteed smash from the start. Now as if the song alone wasn’t enough, Ed added the extra touch of him in puppet form…seriously who can dislike a puppet!?! So needless to say, Ed certainly had a great shot at taking home this particular award.
Best Pop Video: ‘Problem’ by Ariana Grande feat. Iggy Azalea
Now it was enviable that Ariana wasn’t going to walk away last night empty handed. She has arguably become the fastest rising young star in the music industry this year, and it seems that she is only on her way up. With hits such as: ‘The Way’ (which was actually released in 2013), ‘Break Free’, her newest soon to be hit single ‘Bang Bang’, and of course ‘Problem’ (which arguably is one of the biggest hits of the summer of 2014), it is easy to see that Ariana was going to be a tough act to beat. The video is also very cool, and uses a meticulously put together 70’s vibe that gives it an interesting flair. I have to say that this was definitely a standout video this year, so it definitely deserved this award.
Best Hip-Hop Video: ‘Hold On, (We’re Going Home)’ by Drake feat. Majid Jordan
With big names such as: Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, and others, Drake was definitely in for a fight for this award. However, there is no denying that Drake has become a HUGE name in Hip-Hop over the past few years, and the success of ‘Hold On’ has definitely aided him in this. The song has also gone Gold and Platinum in numerous countries (double Platinum in the U.S.). Honestly if you wanted a definition of “cool” then this would be the perfect example, because this video just screams cool. The simplicity of the video is what I really like about it, and this definitely makes this video unique.
Best Rock Video: ‘Royals’ by Lorde
It still amazes me just how much of a whirlwind career Lorde has already had. At just 17 this young star has a resume that many seasoned musicians would envy. Her debut single ‘Royals’ definitely made a powerful and lasting impact for the singer/songwriter, and has already been certified platinum (many, many times over) in numerous countries. I found that the music video for ‘Royals’ was exceptional, because the concept is very simple, which perfectly matches the vibe and lyrical content of the song. I think that the fact that the video is not overly flashy only adds to the song’s power.
Artist to Watch: Fifth Harmony ‘Miss Movin On’
Ever since music mogul Simon Cowell put this INCREDIBLE girl group together Fifth Harmony has acculturated a fiercely loyal fan base. Although they did not win their season of the ‘X Factor’, the girl group was signed to Syco Records, and has had great success with all of their projects. In fact, their song ‘Miss Movin On’ has been charted in numerous countries, and has made the group arguably one of the most successful acts to come off of the ‘X Factor’ franchise. I personally love their video for the song, because it’s fun, and full of sassy attitude, which perfectly matches the tone of the song.
Video of the Year: ‘Wrecking Ball’ by Miley Cyrus
Needless to say, this song was a hit for Miley, but the video is what really seemed to capture people’s attention. Before dropping her latest album ‘Bangerz’, Miley was best known for her hit Disney Channel show ‘Hannah Montana’. Miley’s lead single ‘We Can’t Stop’ quickly showed that she was headed in a new direction with her music and her sophomore hit ‘Wrecking Ball’ left no doubt that Miley had left Hannah behind for good. The greatest evidence of this change was definitely ’Wrecking Ball’ video, which had Miley showing her vulnerable side by swinging on a wrecking ball naked, crying in some frames of the videos, and destroying her setting in other frames. The video certainly left an intense and lasting impact that definitely warrants the title of ‘Video of the Year’.
Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award: Beyoncé
I mean what can really be said about Beyoncé’s career? With a resume that spans nearly 2 decades, Beyoncé has certainly made a lasting impact on Pop music. She first won the hearts of fans as a part of the highly successful girl group ‘Destiny’s Child’(which have left the legacy of being one of the world best selling girl groups of all time), and then went on to form a very fruitful solo career. In her entire career, Beyoncé has managed to win 479 awards, which include: 17 Grammys, 18 Billboard Music Awards, 18 MTV VMA Awards, and numerous others. Needless to say, it’s a good time to be Beyoncé right now!
Performances:
Ariana Grande:
The powerhouse vocalist that has been dominating 2014 thus far definitely showed everyone last night that she is a powerful, long lasting presence, with her unforgettable performance of her latest single ‘Break Free’ (which features EDM superstar DJ Zedd). Ariana’s performance had a futuristic/outer space setting, where she came out of a spaceship, in a frilly pink dress and boots, and dances with her dancers (who also had space themed outfits.
Nicki Minaj:
Hip-Hop rapper/singer/songwriter Nicki Minaj was up next, with a crowd pleasing performance of her latest hit ‘Anaconda’. Nicki wore a green one piece suit, and had a lot of cool acrobatic dancers performing tricks above the stage. Nicki and her dancers then kept up the VMA tradition that was set by Miley Cyrus last year, and participated in a lot of twerking. This definitely got the audience very hyped up, and the energy continued to rise.
Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, and Jessie J:
Next up, singer/songwriter Jessie J came on stage and began singing one of Ariana’s newest tracks ‘Bang Bang’ (which features Jessie and Nicki). Ariana and Nicki finally remerged, and began performing their parts of the song. Even though Nicki had a slight wardrobe malfunction during the performance, she still handled it like a pro. The audience certainly loved the world premiere of the song, and it is obvious that this will likely be another song that all three artists will receive a lot of acclaim for.
Taylor Swift:
The next performance was given by Taylor Swift, who performed her newest (and first purely pop hit) ‘Shake It Off’. Taylor wore a cool sparkly two piece (a matching skirt and top), that resembled a very modern flapper look. She also had backup singers that wore black colored dresses of the same style, and male dancers in tuxedos. Taylor also had a funny moment in her performance, in which she “refused” to jump of a large sign that read 1989 (the name of her next album), and climbed to the bottom of the sign in order to finish the number.
Sam Smith:
Sam Smith was the next performer, and he definitely proved just how hard he can pull at our heartstrings (which is one of the many reasons why we love him). He wore all black, and had a very simple setting, with just one pianist, and a single spotlight on both him and the pianist. This performance definitely played up the song’s deep emotional content, and instantly captivated the audience from beginning to end.
Usher:
Usher performed his newest song ‘She Came To Give It To You’ (which featured Nicki Minaj) next. The performance started with Usher dressed in white dancing for a few seconds. The stage then lit up, and Usher’s entire band materialized (also dressed in white). Usher continued his performance with a golden mic and stand, which gave the whole performance a very cool vibe. During the performance Nicki Minaj came out onto the stage (also dressed in white), came out and danced with Usher and later twerked with one of his guitar players.
5 Seconds of Summer:
The next performance of the night was ‘Best Lyric Video’ winners 5 Seconds of Summer. The band played their newest hit song ‘Amnesia’, and it was easy to see that the crowd absolutely adored them. The band wore very casual outfits (jeans and t-shirts), and definitely brought back an old 90s grunge vibe to their performance.
Iggy Azalea:
Next up was multiple VMA nominee Iggy Azalea, who performed her latest hit track ‘Black Widow’ with singer/songwriter Rita Ora. Both entertainers were dressed in dresses that contained web like patterns, and the stage contained multiple ballerinas that were dressed in black and red tutus, with black mesh like fabric around their faces and bodies. The whole performance definitely had a haunted effect that made it very intriguing to watch.
Maroon 5:
Next up was rock band Maroon 5 (which is fronted by lead singer/’The Voice’ coach Adam Levine. The band performed their newest single ‘Maps’, and proved that they still have super devoted fans that go crazy merely at the sight of the band. The stage contained a giant capitalized ‘M’ (which has become the band’s signature logo), and the band dressed very casual (Adam wore a Los Angeles Lakers jersey and black jeans). The band brought a lot of energy to their performance, and also played their hit song ‘One More Night’ after the next award was presented.
Beyoncé:
The last performance of the night (and arguably the most anticipated), was Beyoncé’s performance before she accepted her ‘Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award’. Beyoncé’s performance definitely felt more like a mini-concert, and had her fans going wild. She had multiple costumes, and had her dancers do everything from hip-hop dancing, pole dancing, twerking, and various other complex routines. There was also an excellent use of various types of lighting, which added to how meticulously thought out the performance was. Beyoncé also had several moments in which she was alone on stage singing, and in these moments proved just how impactful of an entertainer she is, and why her fans love her. It would honestly take A LOT of pages to explain every single aspect of the performance, so to sum it up, the performance was certainly a once in a lifetime VMA moment that viewers will definitely not forget. Perhaps the tenderest moment of the performance was the last number, in which Beyoncé sang as photos of her daughter Blue Ivy, and her husband Jay-Z played on the back screen. When the performance was done, Jay-Z and Blue Ivy presented Beyoncé with her award, and her fans got to see ‘Beyoncé the wife and mother’, instead of just ‘Beyoncé the entertainer’. It was a truly beautiful moment.
As you can see, one of music’s biggest nights was filled with equally big moments. From Katy Perry’s throwback tribute to one of music’s most beloved couples (we miss you Britney and Justin), to Ariana, Jessie J, and Nicki Minaj’s jaw dropping opening performance, to Robin Williams emotional tribute, and Miley’s reminder that we all need to be grateful for the small things we are blessed to have, this night definitely had us on an emotional roller coaster. However, all social media sites definitely stopped when Beyoncé took the stage, and proved just why she is beloved by so many and has had such a long lasting and fruitful career. All I have to say is that I am soooo ready for the 2015 VMAs, if they are anything like the 2014 VMAs, then watch out!
- All photos and information used in this blog belong to all of the labels, managers, corporations, people, businesses, and any other person or sponsor involved in any way, shape, or form, with the following TV channels, artists, people, groups, etc.: MTV, Pretty Little liars, Lucy Hale, Sway, Christina Garibaldi, Dylan O’Brien, The maze Runner, Becky G, Ingrid Nilsen, Missglamorazzi, Covergirl, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, American Music Awards, Riff Raff, Miley Cyrus, Jesse, Fifth Harmony, The X-Factor, Charli XCX, 5 Seconds of Summer, Juicy J, Ed Sheeran, Iggy Azalea, fansided.com, mtv.com, Zedd, Pharrell Williams, Drake, Lorde, Beyoncé, Majid Jordan, Eminem, Wiz Khalifa, Nicki Minaj, Jessie J, Taylor Swift, Sam Smith, Usher, Maroon 5, Adam Levine, Jay-Z, Blue Ivy Carter, all other original owners. Any corporations, businesses, people, etc., that have not been mentioned in this blog post are given full credit for their work, and their previous absence was purely accidental. I do not own anything in this blog. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I wrote this blog for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
Monday Memos: 2014 Teen Choice Awards Recap!!!
Hello people of the internet!!! On today’s ‘Monday Memos’ we are going to recap the 2014 Teen Choice Awards, which aired Sunday night (Sunday August 10th, 2014). The show was full of exciting performances, lots of cool awards that were given to our favorite stars, and of course, two hilarious hosts who kept who made the party even more fun. So if you missed the show Sunday night, or you just want to experience the fun again, then please read on to see why this year’s show was the best one yet!!! Our two hosts for the evening were two of our favorite TV/Film stars, Tyler Posey (most well known for his role as Scott McCall in the TV version of the hit 1980s film ‘Teen Wolf’), and Sarah Hyland (who stars as Haley Dunphy on one of ABC’s most acclaimed sitcoms ‘Modern Family’). When it was announced that Tyler and Sarah were hosting, I got really excited for the show. I knew that they were going to do an awesome job, but after seeing them in action, I found that they definitely exceeded my expectations. After the show’s opening performance, Tyler and Sarah instantly showed off their comedic talents with a hilarious opening monologue where the discussed how to open the show. Tyler suggested that they sing a song (and then he started singing Demi Lovato’s hit song ‘Really Don’t Care’, and began to attempt to break dance). After a lot of debate, they decided to open the show by presenting the first award. There were numerous other funny moments, such as Tyler wearing a hula girl outfit, and Tyler reuniting with his ‘Maid in Manhattan’ costar Jennifer Lopez. I thought that Tyler and Sarah made a great duo, and were really able to play off each other’s strengths. They definitely gave an unbelievable performance that will not be forgotten. Ok, now let’s move on to the awards!!!
Awards:
Choice Summer Song: Demi Lovato ‘Really Don’t Care’
This song has definitely been a huge hit and fan favorite for Demi this year. The track peaked at #4 on the ‘US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs’, and the official music video for the track currently has 25,506,438 views, so it’s easy to see that this song is a fan favorite.
Choice Movie Actor in a Drama: Ansel Elgort ‘The Fault in Our Stars’
Ok, we all knew that this one was coming because ‘The Fault in Our Star’ was arguably the most anticipated movie of 2014. Ansel certainly shined in this film, and proved that he is “on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend”…yes I couldn’t help it, I had to use that quote. ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ has quickly catapulted Ansel onto the A-list and with the impending release of ‘Insurgent’ (the sequel to the VERY popular and successful movie ‘Divergent’), Ansel’s star is only going to rise.
Choice TV Show Drama: ‘Pretty Little Liars’
Honestly any competition that ‘Pretty Little Liars’ is in they will win, because the show is popular, well written, full of talented actors/actresses, and able to captivate an audience week after week, season after season. If you have seen the show, then you know why it won, if you haven’t seen the show, then watch it and you will know why it won.
Choice Reality Show: Keeping Up With The Kardashians
After all of these seasons, The Kardashians’ are still able to entice viewers enough to watch the ever growing family’s every move. All of the members of the family have been able to use this show to launch themselves into the career of their choosing, and in doing so have set the standard for reality stars.
Choice Movie Actor in a Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Josh Hutcherson ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’
The Hunger Games has had such a large impact on pop culture, that it’s easy to see why the franchise would be nominated. Josh Hutcherson’s portrayal of one of the main male characters has definitely been a large reason as to why this franchise has done, and continues to do so well. Josh is also a fan favorite, who has grazed numerous teen magazines, and currently has 2.6 million Twitter followers…so needless to say he is a VERY big deal.
Choice Movie Actress in an Action: Shailene Woodley ‘Divergent’
Right now Shailene Woodley is one of Hollywood’s golden stars. Literally every project that this talented actress touches becomes a box office hit, so it’s easy to see why she won this award. Along with her incredible performance in ‘Divergent’, Shailene has also grazed numerous magazine covers, and causes fan mania everywhere she goes, 2014 has truly been her year, and with ‘Insurgent’ in its way there is no stopping Shailene.
Candie’s Choice Style Icon
Zendaya
Over the past few years, actress/singer/dancer Zendaya has certainly evolved within her sense of fashion, and has also proven that she is not afraid to take risks. He enviable sense of style has even landed her the role of spokes model for pop icon Madonna and her daughter Lourdes’ clothing line ‘Material Girl’. If the original Material Girl approves of her, who are we to disagree.
Choice TV Actress in a Drama: Lucy Hale
Three words for you…Pretty Little Liars. This show has seriously been gold for ABC Family ever since it first premiered, and there is no stopping this powerhouse drama. On the show, Lucy Hale has been able to develop her character of Aria into a complex young woman who we cry with, cheer for, and basically go on an emotional roller coaster for (yes it’s exhausting but we love it), it can be hard for many actresses to pull off a character such as Aria, however Lucy does so with ease.
Choice Movie Drama: The Fault in Our Stars
Ok, I think that when you hear the words “movie” and “drama” in the same sentence, you will forever think of ‘The Fault In Our Stars’. This film had audiences laughing, crying, and then crying even more. John Green was able to take the story of two young love struck teenagers with cancer, and turn it into a movie that inspired us to love a little deeper, value our friends a little more, and to never take anything (especially) life for granted. If this doesn’t scream ‘Choice Drama’ to you, then I don’t know what will.
Choice Female Web Star: Bethany Mota (you can learn all about Bethany by clicking on the blog post I wrote about her right here: YouTube Wednesday: Bethany Mota, the beauty guru who proved that positivity is always in style | celindareyesblog).
At just 18 years old, Bethany has taken the internet by storm and in doing so has set an incredibly high standard for what can be done with passion, talent, hard work, and a camera. Bethany has been able to forge her own career that has taken her from a teenager making videos in her bedroom, to a fashion/home decor designer, Red Carpet correspondent, upcoming guest host on the hit fashion reality competition ‘Project Runway’, and all around business mogul (not bad for a teenager who started making videos because she was being bullied by her middle school classmates).
Choice Male Web Star: Tyler Oakley
Much like Bethany Mota, Tyler Oakley has stated that he didn’t originally start his YouTube channel for fame, fortune, or recognition. Initially, Tyler began his YouTube channel in order to keep in touch with his friends after he went off to college. Tyler was able to expand these videos into a YouTube channel that contains various videos that cover fun and serious topics, fun TAGs with other famous YouTubers, and advice videos. Tyler has also expanded his brand into guest columnist spots on various popular websites, red carpet correspondent work, online apparel line, and advocate for organizations such as ‘The Trevor Project’ and ‘Kids Beating Cancer’.
Ultimate Choice Award: Selena Gomez
With a professional career spanning more than half a decade (over a decade if you count her ‘Barney & Friends’ years), Selena Gomez has demonstrated her strengths as an actress, singer/songwriter, and dancer. At just 15 years old, Selena began her career as the lead character of the highly successful Disney Channel show ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’, and this set off an avalanche of numerous other film projects that Selena would take part in over the next few years. At age 16, Selena released her debut album ‘Kiss & Tell’ with her band ‘Selena Gomez & The Scene’. The album was certified Gold, and produced the Platinum single ‘Naturally’. Selena has since continued her success within the music industry with the release of three more albums with her band ‘The Scene’, and 1 solo album under the name ‘Selena Gomez’. Selena has also collaborated with numerous brands such as: Borden’s, State Farm, Sears, etc., on various projects. She has also released her own clothing line called ‘Dream Out Loud’ through K-Mart. With such a long and detailed resume at the tender age of 22, it is easy to see that Selena is a bright star that succeeds at whatever she attempts.
Olay Fresh Effects Breakout Star: Odeya Rush
With appearances in various commercials, short films, the Disney film ‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green’, and hit TV shows such as: Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Odeya is truly Hollywood’s most well kept secret…until now. In 2013 it was announced that she was cast in the upcoming Sci-Fi thriller ‘The Giver’, and since then has been cast in ‘Mary, Mother of Christ’, and a Goosebumps’ film based off of the popular R.L. Stein books. I definitely thought that Odeya deserved this award, because it is obvious that she is a star on the rise, who we will all be talking about in 2015.
Choice Music Breakout Group: 5 Seconds of Summer
With their breakout hit ‘She Looks So Perfect’, 5 Seconds of Summer exploded on to the music scene this summer, and won the hearts of music fans worldwide. The band originally obtained fame and recognition by posting cover videos of popular songs on YouTube, and touring with popular bands such as Hot Chelle Rae (in 2012), and One Direction (in 2013). However the summer of 2013 was the start of a golden era for this band, due to the success of ‘She Looks So Perfect’, and their debut self-titled album. The band is currently (in 2014) on tour with One Direction, and are also nominated for an MTV EMA (Europe Music Awards), VMA (Video Music Awards), and the We Love Pop Awards. So yes, this is the band that everyone will be fangirling/fanboying over for a while!
Choice Female Artist: Ariana Grande
2014 has certainly been the year of Ariana, with multiple #1 hit songs, a highly successful TV show on Nickelodeon (even though the show did get cancelled this year, it still had great ratings when it was on), and a highly anticipated sophomore album , Ariana is showing no signs of slowing down. The young entertainer currently has 17.3 million very loyal followers (yeah that’s A LOT), and more or less the same numbers on all of her social media accounts, so needless to say the world loves Ariana Grande.
*There were a lot of other awards that were not given out during the show that I wanted to include, but then the blog would have been A LOT longer, so to see a complete list, please check out 2014 Teen Choice Awards – News.
Performances:
Demi Lovato ‘Really Don’t Care’:
Demi kicked off the show with her rendition of her hit song ‘Really Don’t Care’. She was dressed in a black leather jacket, and fitted black pants and top. Demi gave a very energetic performance which included a stage full of fun backup dancers that helped kick the show off on a high energy, fun vibe. Cher Lloyd appeared midway through the track (she is a featured artist on the song), and added even more energy to the performance. The crowd really seemed to love every minute of the number, and this performance definitely proved why this song won Demi ‘Choice Summer Song’ this year.
Magic! ‘Rude:
If you’ve listened to the radio this summer, then you know this hit song by ‘Magic!’. Rude has gone Platinum innumerous countries, as well as topping the charts all over the world. The band’s performance gave off a very relaxed vibe that perfectly matched the feel of the song. They also dressed in very casual clothing. You could really tell just how popular this band has become, due to the fact that they didn’t have to do very much to get the crowd involved and singing along to every word.
Rixton ‘Wait On Me’ and ‘Me and My Broken Heart’:
Next up we had a performance by the YouTube cover band turned Pop/R&B hit makers Rixton (if you want to learn all about this AMAZING band, please click the link to read the blog post I wrote about them here: YouTube Wednesday: Rixton, the band you will be fangirling/fanboying about ALL YEAR!!! | celindareyesblog). Rixton performed their newest single (and title track of their upcoming album) ‘Wait On Me’. The band was able to get the crowd really excited for the new song, and definitely built anticipation for their upcoming album. They then really got the crowd excited when they dove into their hit single ‘Me and My Broken Heart’, which has been ALL OVER the radio this year.
Becky G ‘Shower’:
Although Becky G was a last minute replacement artist (after Rita Ora was not able to perform), she pulled off the number with ease. She went very 90’s retro with her look, by pairing a white crop top with high waisted jeans, gold high tops, and a long plaid kimono style shirt. She also had a backboard that showed different colored smiley faces with a gap between the two front teeth (which is a play off of the gap that Becky had between her two front teeth, that haters often make fun of online).Becky has had tremendous success with this new single, and is definitely on her way to becoming a HUGE name in Pop/Rap music. This performance of ‘Shower’ truly showed off the full range of Becky’s talents, by showcasing her singing, raping, and dancing skills. Through this performance, Becky was able to not only win over the affection of the crowd, but was able to show that she is already a very talented, hardworking performer that is able to adapt to nay situation that is thrown at her (and this is even more impressive when you consider the fact that she’s only 17 years old).
Jason Derulo ‘Wiggle’ and ‘Talk Dirty’:
Jason Derulo closed the show with an exceptionally well executed performance of his hit tracks ‘Wiggle’ and ‘Talk Dirty’. The number was action packed and full of energy that excited the crowd. Jason was accompanied with numerous backup dancers, and special effects such as a police car appearing on stage, and dancers dressed as police officers. I definitely thought that this was the perfect artist to close a show that was full of fun, nonstop action.
- All photos and information used in this blog belong to any people, businesses, corporations, sponsors, and/or any other persons associated in any way, shape, or form with The Teen Choice Awards, Modern Family, Teen Wolf, The Fault In Our Stars, Divergent, Pretty little Liars, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Candie’s, Zendaya, Shailene Woodley, Lucy Hale, ABC Family, Bethany Mota, Tyler Oakley, YouTube, Selena Gomez, Barney & Friends, Disney Channel, Wizards of Waverly Place, Kiss & Tell, Selena Gomez and The Scene, Borden’s, State Farms, Sears, Odeya Rush, Olay Fresh Effects, John Green, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, K-Mart, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Giver, Goosebumps, R.L. Stein, Mary, Mother of Christ, 5 Seconds of Summer, EMA, VMA, MTV, YouTube, Hot Chelle Rae, One Direction, We Love Pop Awards, Ariana Grande,Nickelodeon, Cher Lloyd, Magic!, Becky G, Jason Derulo, Tyler Posey, Sarah Hyland, Demi Lovato, Jennifer Lopez, Hollywood Records, Maid in Manhattan,MTV, ABC, Billboard, justjaredjr.com, Ansel Elgort, and all other original owners. I do not own anything in this blog, the absence of credit to any deserving party was not intentional, and I apologize if this occurred. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I wrote this blog for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
YouTube Wednesday: An Honest Year…the new band that you will honestly never get enough of this summer
Hello people of the internet!!! Do you love amazing bands with fun, energetic songs such as: Boys Like Girls, Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, 5 Seconds of Summer, and The Vamps, then you’ll love today’s ‘YouTube Wednesday’ featured band. This band has spent the past few years steadily playing gigs, adding AMAZING songs to their repertoire, and building a fanbase that has given them 118,000 Twitter followers, 15,422 YouTube subscribers, and 21,158 Facebook likes. So if you aren’t already a fan of An Honest Year, then you’re behind on what’s soon to be your next big musical obsession. So please read on, and learn why YOU will soon become COMPLETELY obsessed with An Honest Year (you’re welcome in advance!).
An Honest Year is a Pop/Alternative band from Philadelphia, PA. The band consists of: Matt McKay (lead vocals), Stephen Morrell (lead guitarist), Jon Pfingsten (rhythm guitarist), Jordan Mitchell (bass/vocals), and Greg Pinney (drums). The band made a powerful debut on to the music scene, with their September 2012 self-titled EP. The EP helped the band begin to earn a loyal fanbase, and thus allowed them to sell out numerous local shows. An Honest Year has also had the privilege of sharing the stage with numerous popular bands such as: twenty one pilots, Switchfoot, New Politics, MS MR, Rookie of the Year, Sandlot Heroes, Dinner and a Suit, Phone Calls From Home, and more. The band further solidified their place in the hearts of their fans with the release of their latest EP ‘Moments’ in September of 2013.
An Honest Year uploaded its’ first YouTube cover video on February 5th, 2013. In the video, they covered Coldplay’s track ‘Sparks’ (Coldplay – Sparks Cover (An Honest Year)). The members of the band (that participated in the cover, the whole band was not in the video) do an amazing job of delivering the emotional intensity that this song requires, and in doing so, prove that An Honest Year are not just phenomenal musicians, but true artists. Coldplay can often be a hard band to cover, because their songs are not only beautifully performed, but also have a haunting affect that gives the band a unique sound. An Honest Year is able to take this song and put a new spin on it that makes their rendition equally haunting and alluring, in its’ own way. I personally love it when a band/artist is able to make a song their own, while also keeping the original version’s charm intact, luckily for us, An Honest Year is able to pull off this task like true pros. The next cover that we are going to discuss is An Honest Year’s take on the Boys Like Girls hit song ‘Thunder’, which was uploaded on September 16th, 2013 (Boys Like Girls – Thunder Cover (An Honest Year) – YouTube). I really loved this version of the song, because it was even more stripped down and raw than the original version was, which made the track even more amazing. Once again, the band members in the video were able to properly deliver the emotional content of the song, but do so in a way that felt totally unique to An Honest Year’s sound. I really felt that the members of the band connected with the song, and because of this were able to make me feel as if they meant every word and note that they were performing. Honestly if I didn’t know any better I would have thought that this cover was one of the band’s original songs. I definitely hope that they cover more Boys Like Girls songs in the future (hint hint!). The last cover song that we are going to discuss in this blog post is An Honest Year’s rendition of the hit single ‘She Looks So Perfect’ by 5 Seconds of Summer (which you know has become one of the BIGGEST songs of the summer of 2014). This cover was uploaded on February 10th, 2014 (5 Seconds Of Summer – She Looks So Perfect Cover (An Honest Year) 5SOS – YouTube). When I saw that they covered this song, I was a little worried because the original version of this song is so awesome. Luckily my fears were unfounded, because An Honest Year did an INCREDIBLE job of keeping the upbeat, energetic vibe of this song alive, but also breathing a fresh feel into the track. This is honestly one of my favorite covers that An Honest Year has posted, because I feel that it really shows that this band is the total package. I definitely suggest that you all check out this cover, because you will fall in love with it.
Next, let’s move on to An Honest Year’s original material, because we all know that the mark of a truly great band is whether or not they can produce their own amazing original material. I really loved the band’s debut self-titled EP, because the sound was really different than a lot of the Pop/Alternative rock that you hear on the radio today. The whole EP felt like a trip back to the mid 2000’s, and definitely showed the influence that popular bands during that time had on An Honest Year. The EP contains themes of love, loss, and basic confusion about the world. I really loved how honest the songs felt, which resulted in a very relatable EP that I would certainly find myself listening to on repeat (trust me you will too). The band released an acoustic version of their next track ‘Your Forgiveness’, which was released on YouTube and SoundCloud on December 2nd, 2012. This track stayed with the sound that An Honest Year has cultivated, and proves that this amazing band has the passion and talent to handle an acoustic performance without losing a step. On May 12th, 2013, the band released the official music video for their song ‘Liars & a Thief’ (An Honest Year – Liar & a Thief (Official Music Video) – YouTube) off of their Moments EP. The video follows the lead singer (Matt), as he falls for a really pretty girl, who continuously uses and abuses him, and he is “powerless” to stop. At the end of the video, the band members begin to approach the girl in the video and her group of pretty friends, and the girls attack the guys. It is a really funny video, which adds to the high energy of the track, and makes it even more amazing. The Moments EP also contains a non acoustic version of ‘Your Forgiveness’, which is fun, upbeat, and honestly makes me conflicted about which version I like the best (it’s a serious problem you guys). Although I honestly love the entire EP, some tracks that I feel deserve a special shout out, include: ‘Don’t Leave Me’, (which has moments where the vibe of the song ventures into a harder alternative rock sound. A bit into the realm of the band Breaking Benjamin, definitely a change of pace for An Honest Year, but they pull it off nicely), the inspirational ‘Live Your Life’ (which I can’t stop playing on repeat), and of course the title track ‘Moments’ (which is about not letting those precious moments/important pass you by. Although I picked these particular tracks out, I would honestly suggest that you listen to the whole record, because you WILL love it). I also really loved this EP, because An Honest Year experimented with their sound a little bit, but did not lose the essence of who they are (which is really easy for an artist/band to do). Also, you can certainly see how much hard, meticulous work went into making this EP (which I appreciate because hard work equals passion, and I love to listen to artists/bands that are passionate about what they do). . These two projects, along with the band’s cover videos certainly make me excited for the next project that the An Honest Year will release.
With infectious hooks, and powerhouse instrumental and vocal skills on their side, it is easy to see that An Honest Year will very soon become a staple on all of your music playlists. I have no doubt that this band is on its’ way to having a long career in the music industry, and will certainly make a lasting legacy for themselves. It’s not very often that a band is able to make such an immediate and powerful impact on fans, so the fact that An Honest Year is on such a steady rise definitely speaks volumes about the band’s advanced level of artistry, and their future in the industry. They are truly on a roller coaster that only goes up (sorry I had to throw a little ‘The Fault In Our Stars’ reference). I am so excited to see what is next for this limitless band! So if you haven’t listened to their music yet, what are you waiting for!?! I highly suggest that you check out An Honest Year’s music, I promise that you will become completely addicted to every one of their tracks. Have I ever lied to you before people of the internet? Then go on and meet the band that you will become obsessed with for the rest of the year (and many more years to come after that).
Keep up to date with An Honest Year!!!:
YouTube: http://youtube.com/anhonestyear
Band Twitter: http://twitter.com/anhonestyear
Band Instagram: http://instagram.com/anhonestyear
Matt Twitter & Instagram: http://twitter.com/matt_mckayahy | http://instagram.com/mattcmckay
Stephen Twitter & Instagram: http://twitter.com/stephen_morrell | http://instagram.com/stephenmorrell
Jon Twitter & Instagram: http://twitter.com/jonanhonestyear | http://instagram.com/jonanhonestyear
Jordan Twitter & Instagram: http://twitter.com/jordanbmitchell | http://instagram.com/jordanbmusic
Greg Twitter & Instagram: http://twitter.com/gregpinney_ahy | http://instagram.com/greg_pinney_ahy
Website: http://anhonestyear.com/
Merch Store: http://merch.anhonestyear.com/
- All photos and information used in this blog belong to An Honest Year, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, any person/business/corporation/etc. associated with in any shape or form with An Honest Year, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, SoundCloud, anhonestyear.com, Coldplay, Boys Like Girls, Fall Out Boy, Yellowcard, 5 Seconds of Summer, The Vamps, An Honest year’s Website, The Fault In Our Stars, twenty one pilots, Switchfoot, New Politics, MS MR, Rookie of the Year, Sandlot Heroes, Dinner and a Suit, Phone Calls From Home, An Honest Year’s Merch Store and/or their website, Matt McKay, Stephen Morrell , Jon Pfingsten , Jordan Mitchell, Greg Pinney, and all other original owners. I do not own anything in this blog. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I wrote this blog for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.
Monday Memos: My exclusive interview with Cameron Walker from the rising indie rock band Animal Fiction
Hello people of the internet!!! On today’s ‘Monday Memos’, I have an exclusive interview with Cameron Walker from the PHENOMINAL indie rock band ‘Animal Fiction’. Last Monday (May 12th) I introduced y’all to the band and their newest amazing song ‘Walk In The Sunshine’. In this interview, Cameron and I spoke about how ‘Animal Fiction’ formed, the artists who have influenced the band’s sound, ‘Animal Fiction’s’ future plans, ‘Walk In The Sunshine’, and so much more. So please read on to learn even more about ‘Animal Fiction’, I promise that you won’t regret it!
Celinda: First thing I noticed about your band is that you have a really cool name. How did you come up with ‘Animal Fiction’?
Cameron: It’s kinda of an interesting story. I came up with the idea of using something with the word animal in it. I wanted the band to just be called ‘Animal’, but there was already a band called that. Then Eben our guitar player came up with the name ‘Fictional Animal’, and then I thought “wow that’s really cool”. Then I thought about all of the great stories, in particular I thought of the book ‘Where the Wild Things Are’, which is what our album art is loosely inspired by. From there somehow we arrived at the name ‘Animal Fiction’ which is what we went with, and I like the name a lot too, so thank you.
Celinda: Yeah, I found it really unique, and I love the story ‘Where the Wild Things Are’.
Cameron: Yeah that’s a great book. The movie came out a while ago, but I remember reading the book when I was a kid, and I always keep coming back to that. I think all of the ‘Animal Fiction’ art will in some way inspired by that book actually.
Celinda: How long have you guys in the band known each other?
Cameron: Well, I’ve known Julian (who plays Keyboard and Guitar), his whole life because he’s my younger brother. Eben, I’ve known, man I’ve known him for a long time. I’m 25 now, and I met Eben when I was 19, I think. So I’ve known Eben for 6 years.
Celinda: That’s great that you guys have had so long to build your band chemistry. What inspired you guys to come up with this new band? Because I know that you’ve had a few previous bands that you’ve been a part of.
Cameron: Yeah, I started out playing in a band called ‘WeatherStar’, back in the day when I was 19, 20. Then I joined a band called ‘The Ready Set’ for a while, and I did a lot of touring and it was cool because I played Bass in that band, and I got a lot of cool experiences through that. I started writing in a band called ‘1985’ with my buddy, and we still do that, but we don’t really play shows. So I think ‘Animal Fiction’ is almost a result of me getting antsy, and wanting to go back on the road, and wanted to do things that bands do. So I think it didn’t really make sense for me to continue, ’WeatherStar’ because the style of my music has evolved so much since then, so I think that this is just a natural evolution of everything I learned in ‘WeatherStar’, and ‘The Ready Set’, and ‘1985’, and kind of my new musical personality is now ‘Animal Fiction’ which is great.
Celinda: Yeah, I really like your sound, I find it really unique. Are y’all all from L.A.?
Cameron: The 3 of us are actually originally from Connecticut, but I live in L.A. now, and Eben lives in L.A. now. My brother actually lives in New York City now, which can be interesting at times because he’s flying back and forth for stuff now when we’re recording and whatnot. I see Eben regularly in L.A., so we’re a bi-costal band technically.
Celinda: So growing up in Connecticut, what or who inspired you to become a musician?
Cameron: That’s an interesting question. I remember being a kid and my mom had these old Beatles records, and it sounds kind of cliché but its true, I grew up listening to bands like ‘The Beatles’ and ‘The Beach Boys’, which I think got me into Rock n’ Roll and Pop music at an early age. Really I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t playing in some capacity, I think I started playing drums when I was 10, and I just kept doing that, and when I got into high school I got really into pop punk and punk rock bands, and I started playing in band in high school. Really I can’t remember a time where I didn’t play music, it sounds crazy but it was definitely those early years where I got into ‘The Beatles’, ‘Elvis Presley’, ‘Elvis Costello’, and ‘The Beach Boys’, and that kind of started me on the path to rock n’ roll.
Celinda: Did you always sing?
Cameron: Yeah I always sang. I actually did a lot of theater growing up, my mom ran a children’s theater company, so I would always participate in that, and I think that might be a big reason why I enjoy singing so much now.
Celinda: So it sounds like your mom was a really big influence in you becoming involved in music and staying in it?
Cameron: Oh absolutely, she’s my #1 supporter and my #1 fan. She’s been there the whole way and she’s still supporting me today, so I’m really grateful for her.
Celinda: Yeah I love it when the parents of artists and actors are supportive of their children, because it’s a hard business and it’s hard on the parents as well.
Cameron: Oh absolutely yeah. I think I had my entire band in ‘WeatherStar’ living with me at one point, so she puts up with a lot and I’m eternally grateful for it.
Celinda: So you mentioned in your last answer how ‘Elvis’, ‘The Beatles’, and ‘The Beach Boys’ influenced you as a child. Are there any other bands that you’ve picked up along the way that you feel have influenced your sound?
Cameron: Oh absolutely. Those were kind of my early introduction to Pop music and Rock n’ Roll, but I think as I grew up, I was really into bands like ‘Blink-182’, and I still love that band. I’m really into this band called ‘The Exploding Hearts’, which you should totally check out. ‘Animal Fiction’ is definitely influenced by ‘The Exploding Hearts’.
Celinda: What bands or artists’ have influenced you that would surprise your fans?
Cameron: That’s a tough one. I don’t know if this will be that big of a surprise but there was kind of a surge of pop-punk boy bands in England. I was really into this band called ‘McFly’, and they’re still a band today, and at the same time there was a band called ‘Busted’, they’re both pretty much boy bands from the U.K. but they’re kinda pop-punk influenced so I don’t know if it would be that surprising, but yeah I’ve listened to some boy bands. I love the new ‘5 Seconds of Summer’ track, I think it’s awesome. I wouldn’t call it a guilty pleasure, but I love my Pop music for sure.
Celinda: So how do you prepare for a performance?
Cameron: It depends. I think there’s a certain pressure that comes with being a primary singer in a band. So like in ‘The Ready Set’ I sang quite a lot, so I wasn’t a concerned about vocal warm-ups and my voice as much, because I knew that I could handle it, I was really playing Bass and having fun. In ‘WeatherStar’ and ‘1985’, I was really conscious of my voice and drinking a lot of tea and water. Because if you don’t warm up, you’re going to sound bad, and you can also kind of hurt your voice like that too. I also do some jumping jacks, because it keeps your adrenalin up and it gets rid of the jitters.
Celinda: Do you listen to any type of music before you go on, or do you like it quiet?
Cameron: I don’t know. I guess if there’s music playing it doesn’t bother me, but I guess I prefer just a very chill, low-key atmosphere, but I’m not super picky about that stuff.
Celinda: I noticed on the band’s Facebook page, that your song ’Walk In The Sunshine’ [here’s a link to ‘Walk In The Sunshine’ Walk In The Sunshine] just got featured in a ‘Red Lobster ‘ commercial and on NBC’s ‘About A Boy’, so that’s really cool.
Cameron: Yeah it’s funny because those features happened a couple of weeks ago, I think the ‘Red Lobster’ commercial was a month ago, and that happened before we even put our record out. I didn’t really want to say what the song was for, and I really didn’t want to announce it anywhere, but once the song actually came out, I felt like it was ok to post about it, and we were really excited about it. We’re always open to getting our music out there in any way, whether it’s in a television commercial, or anywhere. We always welcome it, and we really appreciate.
Celinda: How were you approached to have your song on ‘About a Boy’, because you’ve written for NBC haven’t you?
Cameron: Yeah, to tell you the truth that stuff just kind of goes through our publisher. I actually wrote that song with a guy named Blake Healy, he was the Keyboard player for ‘Metro Station’, and we write stuff together on a regular basis now. I think ‘Walk In The Sunshine’ was placed on that show through his publisher. So to be honest I wasn’t even in communication with them.
Celinda: So did it take you by surprise?
Cameron: Yeah, that stuff always takes me by surprise. We did a lot of television commercials and stuff with ‘1985’ too, and sometimes someone at the publishing company will let you know, but other times you just turn on the TV and hear your song. It’s always a great feeling, but it’s really funny when you don’t even know about it. It’s almost better when you don’t know about it and you’re just like “oh wow!”.
Celinda: I know that you said that you hadn’t planned to have the song out yet when it was on the commercial and on the show, but was it still exciting?
Cameron: Absolutely! It was definitely really exciting, and it’s honestly a total blessing to have your music presented in that kind of way, and it always is. It’s very flattering, and it’s a good feeling to hear your music in a way that other people can hear it too.
Celinda: So you told me that you wrote ‘Walk In The Sunshine’ with Blake Healy, what’s the story behind that song?
Cameron: I think we were just trying to write a really fun, upbeat song about having a great day and rocking out. I don’t think that it’s one of those songs where there’s a really epic story behind it. I think it’s more like we were trying to create a vibe that we felt good about, and hopefully it would make other people feel good too when they heard it.
Celinda: So do you have release date yet for the music video?
Cameron: Well there’s a video for our song ’Everyday is New’ [here is the link to the ‘Everyday is New’ video Everyday is New] , which is out now. It’s up on YouTube, and I think a website called ‘Baeblemusic.com’ premiered it too. I think we’re going to shoot another video in the next couple of months but I’m not sure which song it’s for, but we’re excited. What’s cool about this project is that we can really do whatever we want, there’s no label or anything, it’s totally independent. So obviously we don’t have an enormous budget that comes with being on a major label, but what’s cool is that we can put music out whenever we feel like it. We can do a music video with our friends, and put that out. So it’s just kind of cool to have a really loose, flexible schedule, and too work around everyone’s schedule and do whatever we want, and make cool art. That’s really the goal of the project.
Celinda: So all of the songs that I’ve heard off of you EP and ‘Walk In The Sunshine’ are all really upbeat and fun. How do you stay so positive?
Cameron: I feel like I’ve always been a pretty positive person, I’m a firm believer that if you try to have a positive mindset even through the worst of times, then that positivity is going to be all around you. I think positive music is rare. I think lots of people feel that they have to write about heartbreak, and I’ve absolutely written my fair share of music like that, but there’s something to be said about making music for the sole purpose of making people happy. That’s definitely a driving force behind the band, just trying to send a positive message. If I can make people happy with music, even if I can make one person happy, then I feel like it’s a success.
Celinda: This next one is going to be a bit of a tough question but I think you can handle it. What’s your favorite song to perform?
Cameron: Off of the EP, I really like playing ‘London, London’. That song actually is cool, because it does have a story behind it. It’s about being with the person that you love, and just wanting to run away, and just keep moving.
Celinda: So where do you see ‘Animal Fiction’ in the next few years?
Cameron: I don’t know, I hope that we’ll have some touring under our belt, I hope that we put out another EP really soon, and maybe a full record. I hope that our sound continues to change too, because I like when bands change with every album.
Celinda: Yeah, I really love the sound you have now. I feel that it’s really unique, and is a sound that’s missing on today’s radio circulation. I would definitely like to hear ‘Animal Fiction’ on the radio someday.
Cameron: Absolutely, that would be a dream come true. But ultimately even if we can just have a few people playing our songs, we’ll be happy.
Celinda: Yeah, and right now is really the time of the “unique bands”, because you have ‘Foster the People’ from a few years ago, who I know you’ve been compared too.
Cameron: Yeah somebody compared us to ‘Foster the People’ and ‘Vampire Weekend’, which is cool because I love both of those bands, so whoever started that comparison thank you. It’s crazy right now because there is so much different music on the radio. A couple of years ago, it was really dominated by dance music and urban music, and now some Rock n’ Roll is creeping back in there, and a lot of great folk bands. I think that it’s a really exciting time to be a band right now, and I’m grateful for that
Celinda: So is there anything else you’d like to add?
Cameron: The biggest thing right now is our video. You can find it on YouTube, just search ‘Animal Fiction Everyday Is New’ and it will probably be the first thing to pop up. Please check that out, and thank you so much for reading and listening, and we’re going to make a lot more music so please keep an ear out.
Celinda: Thank you, it was really nice speaking to you.
Cameron: It was really nice speaking to you too, thanks a lot for writing about us.
Here are some links so you can keep in touch with ‘Animal Fiction’:
Animal Fiction’s Facebook: AnimalFictionOfficial
Cameron Walker’s Facebook: CameronWalkerOfficial
Cameron Walker’s Twitter: cameronwalker
Julian Walker Twitter: https://twitter.com/julian_walker
Julian Walker Instagram: julianwalker on Instagram
Eben Wares Twitter: https://twitter.com/ebenwares
Eben Wares Instagram: ebenwares on Instagram
- All photos and information used in this blog belong to Animal Fiction, Cameron Walker, Julian Walker, Eben Wares, Foster The People, baeblemusic.com, Where The Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak, Red Lobster, NBC, About A Boy, Blake Healy, Metro Station, Vampire Weekend, Twitter, Facebook, The Ready Set, 1985, heyalex.buzznet.com, ITunes, Ben Watson, and all other original owners. I do not own anything in this blog. All opinions expressed in this blog are my own. I wrote this blog for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended.