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I thought Devin was a pretty boy who couldn't sing well and his stage moves were so cheesy they were almost a parody - I was impressed that Nick called him out on the cheese.  I thought both Andrews had good voices with the right songs, but neither had a boy-band type stage presence, and I think neither's *appearance* really fit a boy band "type" either.  

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Michael Conor's video.

The guys got asked some pretty dull questions in these way-too-short videos (favorite meal of the day, favorite color).  At least let them explain why they like certain classes or how they deal with having so many siblings.  Let them talk longer about topics they're passionate about (What are Drew's favorite comics?  What's Michael's process for writing raps?  Aside from necessity, what attracted Chance to EMT training?  What plays has Brady been in, and which one did he enjoy the most?  Does Sergio miss playing soccer?)  I swear, their PR team is doing the least.

 

7 hours ago, soamused said:

I thought both Andrews had good voices with the right songs, but neither had a boy-band type stage presence, and I think neither's *appearance* really fit a boy band "type" either.  

Yeah, I agree that neither Andrew would have been a good fit for IRL (can you imagine either of them singing "Eyes Closed"?  :/  ).  I just thought that, based on vocals and stage presence, Andrew Bloom deserved to go a little further in the competition, at least further than Devin or Mikey.

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26 minutes ago, alrightokay said:

I swear, their PR team is doing the least.

At this point, I'm not even convinced they *have* a PR team.  Michael's meet-and-greet was just him and his family at a clothing store, and his signing copies of his homemade cd with his 3 rap songs and prints of one of his PR pics.  Nothing to do with the band or the single.

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7 hours ago, soamused said:

At this point, I'm not even convinced they *have* a PR team.  Michael's meet-and-greet was just him and his family at a clothing store, and his signing copies of his homemade cd with his 3 rap songs and prints of one of his PR pics.  Nothing to do with the band or the single.

I am surprised their label or management is allowing them to "release" music of their own, unrelated to the band or their contract. I thought that's a no-no, based from what I have read/heard from other artists... That doesn't bode well for the band that they are already doing their own things, LOL.

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Well, it was a cd of songs that he had been sharing before the show, so maybe his contract permits him to continue to distribute his pre-show material.

I wonder if the band has actual management, or if it's just a bit of initial promo that their label provided.  

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Chance, Brady, and Sergio tweeted/posted on IG that they'll be reuniting soon in NYC--so maybe promo's starting up again?  Will they be talking to radio stations?  Performing on talk shows?  Premiering their music video?  Jumping on Drew's trampoline?  (OMG, that'd be hilarious to get all five of them on there to recreate the "Eyes Closed" cover.)

Edited by alrightokay
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Z100 is great news - hopefully this means the label is sending the single for adds?

The music video teaser is funny.  The individual shots of Chance and Sergio are almost unrecognizable to me.

Edited by soamused
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Screenshots from the video teaser (swipe/click through to see all the pics).  I'm still not a fan of their styling--while there's more color for once, the mix of camouflage and plaid just feels busy to me. (And the poor guys had to wear all those layers in 100+ degree heat on the day they were filming.)  

19 hours ago, soamused said:

The music video teaser is funny.  The individual shots of Chance and Sergio are almost unrecognizable to me.

I think it's because Sergio is being filmed from a weird angle--I agree he looks like a different person.  (Oh, Sergio; first we can't hear you on the single, now there's an Imposter!Sergio in the music video.  Let's hope that at least you aren't wearing camouflage-plaid capris in the vid.)

Edited by alrightokay
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From my teen, re the Z100 clip:  "This is the most fried thing ever."  (I am going to translate that as not a tremendous compliment.)  We both think the song is a bop - catchy and fun in its 1D-ness.  But I am so not the demo for a band of *boys* so neither clip is doing anything for me.  The kid, re the music video preview:  "It's very flash-y."   I think meaning short flashes of the boys so a little trigger-y.  Thanks for the links!  I hope the video release does something.  Am curious if Z100 will start playing the song.

Edited by soamused
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15 minutes ago, soamused said:

From my teen, re the Z100 clip:  "This is the most fried thing ever."  (I am going to translate that as not a tremendous compliment.)  We both think the song is a bop - catchy and fun in its 1D-ness.  But I am so not the demo for a band of *boys* so neither clip is doing anything for me.  The kid, re the music video preview:  "It's very flash-y."   I think meaning short flashes of the boys so a little trigger-y.  Thanks for the links!  I hope the video release does something.  Am curious if Z100 will start playing the song.

LOL, thanks so much for translating "most fried thing ever."  I'm rooting for these guys, but I have to say that their choreography in the live performance looked pretty funny--maybe it's because they were so crowded on that tiny stage.  Hopefully it'll look smoother in the video, when they do it on a big "rooftop" (which they keep talking about but we have yet to see in the previews). 

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The choreography is tragic to me. Choreography is supposed to make the performance cooler but this just makes it cheesier and didn't go well with the vibe of the song. What's with all the bouncing? How are they gonna be taken seriously this way? Lol. Surprise surprise but Brady did the best with the dance.

Hope the MTV is better and not just shots of them singing at the camera.

Edited by waving feather
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Yeah, I was cringing a bit watching the Z100 clip.  The kid asked me why I was wincing, and then I sent her the link and she told me it was "fried".

I think that tweens may love the choreography - they're too young to recognize cheese.  My 17-yo, not so much.  Well, to give them the benefit of the doubt - they didn't have much space, and they haven't had much time together to rehearse.  I'm not sure if it's "cool" to be dancing when performing at a radio station anyway - shouldn't they be just coolly perched casually on stools or something while singing?

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52 minutes ago, soamused said:

Well, to give them the benefit of the doubt - they didn't have much space, and they haven't had much time together to rehearse.  I'm not sure if it's "cool" to be dancing when performing at a radio station anyway - shouldn't they be just coolly perched casually on stools or something while singing?

They don't have the no time to rehearse together excuse anymore IMO. Immediately after the finale, sure but they have had weeks since then to rehearse to present a polished performance for the public. And you are exactly right, it should have been a stool and acoustic guitar type of performance at the radio station. They need to pick up their game because I used to be a fan of the now disbanded UK boy band "The Wanted" and their performances where they were goofing off are still 10x more polished than what IRL is serving up now. At the end of the day, it may just come down to overall vocal talent (or lack thereof) of the band.

Edited by waving feather
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4 hours ago, waving feather said:

They don't have the no time to rehearse together excuse anymore IMO. Immediately after the finale, sure but they have had weeks since then to rehearse to present a polished performance for the public. 

You're right, I should have written that they didn't *make* the time to rehearse together - they've spent the last week or 2 at home instead of together prepping for their promo performances.  

 

4 hours ago, alrightokay said:

Okay, look at this screenshot--WHAT did they make poor Drew wear in the music video?  What are those pants?  What is that big flap of black material hanging off the side?  Why all the clashing patterns on top?  WHYYYY?

Yeah, that outfit reeks of "trying too hard":  mixing different styles which are wildly different types of vaguely edgy does not create an overall hyper-edgy look - it just creates a sense of hyper-confusion.  Drew is my favorite voice in the band, so I'm sorry the stylist did this to him.  I would have found it more amusing if it had been Brady instead.  It may be unfair, but because Brady has been a professional child actor for a while and comes from a family of acting siblings, he always looks to me like he is trying a bit too hard, so this outfit would have fit my perception of him although admittedly, it would have looked even more ludicrous on him.  Drew and Chance are probably the two who can best carry off those pants.

Edited by soamused
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On September 15, 2017 at 2:53 AM, soamused said:

Yeah, that outfit reeks of "trying too hard":  mixing different styles which are wildly different types of vaguely edgy does not create an overall hyper-edgy look - it just creates a sense of hyper-confusion.  Drew is my favorite voice in the band, so I'm sorry the stylist did this to him.  I would have found it more amusing if it had been Brady instead.  It may be unfair, but because Brady has been a professional child actor for a while and comes from a family of acting siblings, he always looks to me like he is trying a bit too hard, so this outfit would have fit my perception of him although admittedly, it would have looked even more ludicrous on him.  Drew and Chance are probably the two who can best carry off those pants.

You put it exactly into the right words why this outfit looks so jarring on Drew.  I suppose it's a compliment to him that the stylist thinks he can pull it off, in that maybe he's the band member who's most willing to experiment and try new things.  (And I guess I'm glad he didn't have to wear that huge camo trench coat that Chance had on.)

Imagining Brady in Drew's outfit made me cackle!

BTW, Simon Cowell isn't playing--PrettyMuch also dropped their music video for "Would You Mind" today.  It's got way less dancing than I would have expected, given how much the band's showcased their moves on Youtube.  It'll be interesting to see which band/video gets more attention.  (FYI, there might be an ad in the beginning.)

Edited by alrightokay
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I think the video isn't supposed to premiere until 5 pm Eastern time, when the guys do their performance at Planet Hollywood.  In the meantime, from their IG, it looks like they're at the VEVO offices for promo; yesterday, they were at I Heart Radio/Media.  

ETA: Word online now is that the video won't come out until the end of the event at Planet Hollywood, so more like 7 p.m. Eastern time.  Confirmation from the boys.

The guys also got interviewed by People Magazine today, so that's a good sign that promo's picking up!  In addition, they're doing another M&G tomorrow.

Edited by alrightokay
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Here's the music video

ETA: 

Poor Sergio really didn't have a solo in the song.

A lot of Chance throughout the video, though he did look good, so I see why the director used so much of his footage.

Um, they had made such a big deal out of being on a roof, but that part barely registered....

Finally, Stylists, STOP making Drew swim in layers and layers of clothing.  What was that white shawl-abomination he had to wear at the end?!!!  

Edited by alrightokay
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Thanks for the heads up!

Comparing IRL and PrettyMuch:  IRL has the better song, and PrettyMuch has the better video.  I think the PM video does a better job of showing the boys' personalities - they look like they're having fun and they're dressed in clothes that look "normal" and like they might reflect who the boys are.  The IRL boys are dressed in almost costumes - each with some piece of clothing that matches something in the others' outfits - and no convincing case for showing individual personalities.  The matchy-matchy is kind of lame, especially when it requires Chance wearing a camo .... trench? duster? and Drew with his long camo vest.  Really?

Chance, Drew, and Sergio look like they're having some fun, but Michael and Brady look like they're concentrating on their choreo and just trying to get the job done.  Also, a few too many sensitive musing/brooding looks from Chance for me....

I wish someone would tell the boys or their publicist that the dramatic brooding poses are not a good match for their poppy bouncy positive single.  Or if things don't go well, I hope that Drew does something solo (and with a saner stylist!) because I am really enjoying his voice.

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That video looks good but is forgettable with no distinct features. I much prefer the PrettyMuch video even though I don't like that song.

52 minutes ago, soamused said:

Or if things don't go well, I hope that Drew does something solo (and with a saner stylist!) because I am really enjoying his voice.

I am just waiting for this, actually. 

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A print interview with IRL.  Michael's wryness comes through even when you can't see him.

I agree that the EC video is underwhelming--it's just the guys singing to the camera and taking everything too seriously (enough with the "Bambi"-eyes, Chance!).  PM's video isn't very creative, either, but it's definitely more vibrant and fun.  I'm not sure this video is enough to help IRL make new fans outside of the Boy Band faithful....  

4 hours ago, soamused said:

I hope that Drew does something solo (and with a saner stylist!) because I am really enjoying his voice.

Yes, please!

Edited by alrightokay
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13 hours ago, alrightokay said:

A print interview with IRL.  Michael's wryness comes through even when you can't see him.

From the interview:

Quote

Brady: This boy band is really cool because going into the competition, we had a huge variety of people. The band we wound up with has a huge variety of people. We have a Spanish speaker, we have a rapper, Chance has this crazy high range, Drew’s got the craziest voice I’ve ever heard. So we all kind of bring a different thing to the table, and I think our music is going to sound a lot different than what you think of when you think of boy bands.

Brady is way too kind because when I read that, the only thing I remember is Chance screeching his high notes in "Without You" because he couldn't hit them. That's called "a lack of range", sweet Brady.

Edited by waving feather
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The purpose of this thread has been fulfilled: IRL actually made Tiger Beat.  (Their answers are so repetitive here--come on, guys, I know it's hard to think in the moment, but mix it up.  I would have LOL'd if someone had said they loved the "She's the homie" lyric.)

ETA: The boys are on another short break right now but will get back together in Vegas later this week.  Besides reuniting with JHype, could they be attending the IHeartRadio Music Festival?  Even if IRL don't perform, they could do promo there and make lots of connections.  I wonder if any of the 1D guys who will be there (Harry, Niall, Louis) will give them the time of day (Sergio would be so thrilled).  

Edited by alrightokay
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My guess is their PR people gave them those responses, figuring Tiger Beat readers are too young/dumb to actually listen to the words and that is the one message they hope kids get from the song.  Not for altruistic reasons but because they think it'll sell more music, I imagine.

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I'm just too old to enjoy watching them perform - I want them to do well but I don't have any noteworthy, positive comments to share about their live performances so....  I'll just mention that they are closing in on 1 million views for their music video on youtube, which doesn't qualify as viral but for what it's worth, is more than double the views for the PM video.  

Have not heard IRL on the radio here yet, and we're the hometown for one of the boys.  Cannot find the song on any Billboard charts yet.  They are going to the iHeart festival but not listed anywhere on the site, so I guess they are there for PR and to network.  Are there performances from lesser artists on a side stage that are not listed?  This song has at most two months to take off, before holiday music takes over.  Maybe the Christmas single will get some radio play - may that will be where the promo pays off.

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7 minutes ago, soamused said:

I'm just too old to enjoy watching them perform - I want them to do well but I don't have any noteworthy, positive comments to share about their live performances so....

ITA...and I enjoyed some the performances they did on Boy Band, so it's not that these kids are incapable of good performances but this song and this choreography is just not working for me. I don't even think it's an age thing, just a quality thing.

Edited by waving feather
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I don't usually follow new groups like this, so I have no idea if these type of performances are par for the course.  None of their promo appearances are visible enough for them to reach new fans.  They need some real performances, which no one is going to give them without some significant streaming/radio play/sales or hard core promo, and round it goes.  Maybe they're going to need to break out on radio disney and try to cross over to regular pop.  Disney needs to put their song in one of their movies or tv shows to help.

The target demo is probably tweens and younger teens.  My youngest is 17, and she is only streaming IRL occasionally out of support for a classmate.  Her favorite artist right now is Post Malone - who I don't hear on the radio but I see is at the top of streaming charts.  He looks unwashed - to me, he's totally rocking the troll-living-beneath-a-bridge look, and yet my kid and her friends spent their hard earned money to be packed in general admission in a dingy club for hours before a 1-hour performance, and came out of it raving about the experience.  I don't see how IRL can possibly appeal to my kid's set.  

I just checked the streaming charts - cannot find IRL anywhere on them.  Can't find PM anywhere either.  IRL tweeted on Sep 17 that the single had reached 1M streams (so during the course of over 3 weeks)- and I see that Post Malone has >6M streams per *day*.  The #200 song has almost 0.5M streams each day.  So ... is a slow burn to success possible?  Maybe I'm just too impatient!

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On September 22, 2017 at 10:21 AM, soamused said:

I don't usually follow new groups like this, so I have no idea if these type of performances are par for the course.  None of their promo appearances are visible enough for them to reach new fans.  They need some real performances, which no one is going to give them without some significant streaming/radio play/sales or hard core promo, and round it goes.  Maybe they're going to need to break out on radio disney and try to cross over to regular pop.  Disney needs to put their song in one of their movies or tv shows to help.

I just checked the streaming charts - cannot find IRL anywhere on them.  Can't find PM anywhere either.  IRL tweeted on Sep 17 that the single had reached 1M streams (so during the course of over 3 weeks)- and I see that Post Malone has >6M streams per *day*.  The #200 song has almost 0.5M streams each day.  So ... is a slow burn to success possible?  Maybe I'm just too impatient!

I agree that they aren't stirring up much buzz; maybe the People Magazine interview, since that's the biggest mainstream outlet they've spoken to, will bring them some attention (I have no idea how extensive that article/video will be; watch it just be a short blurb!).  And while I know they have to promote EC, it'd be great if IRL added some new covers to their performance "arsenal," to show their versatility.  So far, outside from the occasional funny moment from Brady, the boys have been sweet but pretty scripted/overly earnest in their interviews and media appearances.  At tonight's M&G, though, there was a moment of much-needed wackiness: IRL do their EC dance, and Sergio and then Michael start clowning around, and it's a great moment where the boys don't take themselves too seriously and just have fun (you can hear JHype cheering in support near the end).  I'm not saying they need to goof off all the time, but they do need to inject more of that energy/liveliness/spark into their interviews and performances.

(Edited because I originally linked to a vid of the dance, but then that post got deleted, so not available anymore.)

ETA: The vid is back up.  Maybe JHype's presence loosened them up or made them want to be silly for a bit, but it was nice to see them just be spontaneous kids for a moment.

ETA 2: The boys play "Famous 4Heads."

ETA 3: They didn't get to perform, but IRL did get to make an announcement on the IHeartRadio stage.

Edited by alrightokay
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2 minutes ago, VMepicgrl said:

You beat me to posting it. I was waiting for a commercial during my show to watch the video announcement you posted and make sure that wasn't the news before I posted. :P

Aww, sorry about that (*insert pic of Chance making "Bambi-eyes" so you'll forgive me).  I'm about to go away on a trip for a week, so I won't be posting for awhile--you all keep the thread going! :)

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Someone needs to tell Michael not to arrange his hair when he's on camera.  Either cut his hair so there isn't so much of it to deal with, or use some industrial strength product so that it stays up on its own without additional intervention, or have someone twist his arm behind his back so he won't use his hair as a security blanket.

Okay, I'm back to having some faint hope that something might happen for these boys.

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4 hours ago, soamused said:

Someone needs to tell Michael not to arrange his hair when he's on camera.  Either cut his hair so there isn't so much of it to deal with, or use some industrial strength product so that it stays up on its own without additional intervention, or have someone twist his arm behind his back so he won't use his hair as a security blanket.

I think his hair can stay up in a storm with so much product they put in it, so it's just a nervous habit. He mentioned before that he can't go 5 minutes without touching his hair. Maybe the other boys need to call out whenever he is touching his hair so he s aware how often he is doing it.

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Yeah, Michael needs to fix that.  I think he's aiming to be the "edgy rapper" or some such, and all the hair touching is making him look like a primping dandy instead.  Which I don't think he is, but it's not a good first impression to make.

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@soamused "Primping dandy" hahaha. Thanks for making me laugh. I think all 5 boys are primping dandies. Since they are in the industry that cares much about looks, it's a good thing for them. But perhaps I am too old to understand the high up in the sky up-dos that Michael, Chance and Sergio are sporting. It's too high up there that they look like those dolls.

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Yes, I imagine all pop artists are primping dandies (online is my only chance to use words like this!), but if they want to look cool, they should do their active primping off camera.  Patting and shaping his pompadour with his hands during an interview makes him look the opposite of edgy - are rappers even supposed to have pompadours?  Yes, "pompadour" - I went there!

I found these nicknames and graphic on survivorsucks a few months ago - Michael's hair-inspired nickname made me laugh aloud:

BOYBAND_copy.png

Edited by soamused
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This game goes off the rails so quickly, but it's the funniest thing I've seen IRL do in a while.  I've never made it a secret that I love Drew, but this completely seals it for me; poor guy (Sergio made it so hard for him)!

 

ETA: Upcoming performances, which the boys have been rehearsing for:

Family Day at the Grove in LA this Saturday.

Texas State Fair in Dallas on Monday (you have to scroll down to see them listed for Oct. 9).

ETA2: Also, Cleveland radio station performance next Thursday, Oct. 12.

Edited by alrightokay
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