WATCH: Official Trailer for SECOND ACT – Starring Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens, Milo Ventimiglia

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Hey there, movie fanatics!

I have to admit that I hadn’t heard of this movie until Milo Ventimiglia was on Jimmy Fallon earlier this week and briefly spoke about it. Naturally, I had to immediately look th[8]up the trailer and everything else I could about SECOND ACT. I’m a sucker for movies based in New York and who isn’t a fan of J. Lo and the best man/father on television these days, Jack . . . I mean, Milo Ventimiglia? It also has a ton of other fantastic actors involved (Leah Remini, Treat Williams, Vanessa Hudgens, Dan Bucatinsky, Freddie Stroma, etc.), and the poster is absolutely gorgeous!

If I’m being honest, it reminds me just a little bit of one of my favorite television shows right now, Younger. Anyone else kind of get that vibe? I mean, the stories are slightly different, but the premise is that the main character gets a job that is based on a lie. Either way, I will definitely be checking this one out in the theater!

SYNOPSIS: Jennifer Lopez stars as Maya, a 40-year-old woman struggling with frustrations from unfulfilled dreams. Until, that is, she gets the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts, and that it is never too late for a Second Act.

Interview: New Boy Band 4TH AVE – Initiation EP Drops Today!

IMG_1642Hello there!

I had the chance to speak with up-and-coming boy band 4TH AVE about their new EP, Initiation, which is out today! We talk ABC’s Boy Band, how the band was formed, their musical influences, and more.

4TH AVE is made up of Camry Jackson, Jaden Gray, Marcus Pendleton and Mikey Jimenez

If you weren’t already aware, I featured 4TH AVE as one of my ‘Artist to Watch’ posts back when they were first introduced. Their sound is so organic and soulful and fun. Not to even mention the level of maturity and talent these young men possess. You can check out that original post HERE. Now, I’m not trying to say, “I told you so,” but . . . (I told you so).

  • Can you introduce yourselves to those who might not be familiar with you from Boy Band?

    We are 4 individuals who came from the show Boy Band on ABC. The judges were Timbaland, Nick Carter, and Emma Bunton. On the show every week we competed against each other in different groups throughout the season. Unfortunately we didn’t make it to the final band, but we were blessed enough to make our own, titled 4th Ave!

  • How did the decision to form 4th Ave come about? Was this something that was discussed prior to the show ending? I also want to high five you all for your maturity throughout the process of Boy Band and the unveiling of the final five.

    Thank you! After the finale, Timbaland came up to all of us on stage and said he felt that we should be a group. He knew that each of us had something special, and together we’d be unstoppable! We are so very humbled that he input his opinion into our hearts. It was the best choice we could’ve ever made!

  • What has the song writing/recording process been like so far?

    Before the show, each of us had some type of familiarity of singing in the studio, song writing, and singing front of big crowds. So when that process began to come our way it was a breeze due to the fact that we had been doing it for some time.

  • Did you get a say on which songs were going to be chosen for your first EP, Initiation? How many songs have you recorded so far?

    Yes, we had a major say as to which songs were able to be on the first EP! Of course with the help of our manager Jared Rosenberg, and Musical Director Adam Blackstone, we were able to make the eight choices as to which should be on it. In addition to that, we have recorded at least 19-21 songs!

  • What do you hope fans take away from the EP?

    From this EP, we hope that fans take away the raw emotion and passion we put into it! We want them to experience the life of the songs, just as we did when we were singing/writing them! This EP is an emotional roller coaster!

  • Since the formation of 4th Ave, you’ve performed back up for Charlie Puth on national television and you took part in a performance at the March for Our Lives event in Washington, D.C. How excited are you to finally be going out on tour with your own music and your own fans that have been patiently waiting for this for the past year?

    What an honor it was to be able to perform behind Charlie Puth on the Voice, and Vic Mensa on March For Our Lives! It’s quite unreal being that we’ve only been a band for 7-8 months, and we are so humbled. Now that we are going on our own tour, with our own music, the only thing that goes through our mind is wow this is really happening this early. We never would’ve thought the ball would get rolling this early!

  • You’ve had incredible fan interactions since your formation. How important is that to you?

    Fan interaction is our main focus. In fact we don’t even call them fans, we call them our supporters! They are so important because they keep us going, and they support us no matter what. If there is a meet and greet, they are there, if an EP comes out, they buy it, and if there is a concert, they are there, etc. So we love them with all of our heart!

  • Who are your musical influences? Who would you like to work with in the future?

    Individually we have many, but as a group they would have to be:Boys To Men, Michael Jackson, Usher, Chris Brown, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, and Justin Bieber just to name a few.

  • Can you let your fans know of any upcoming projects to look out for?

    As of right now continue to share our new EP! Lookout for our first Tour, and after tour we may have quite a few surprises for you as well!

  • Where can people find you online?

    4th Ave Music on all social platforms!
    Website | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

 

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TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE Special Screening in Los Angeles [Photos]

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There was nothing but love in the air at the special screening of To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before in Los Angeles on August 16, 2018 at the Arc Light Culver City. Images from the red carpet and after party can be seen below:

SYNOPSIS: Lara Jean Song Covey’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control when the love letters for every boy she’s ever loved — five in all — are mysteriously mailed out.

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Jenny Han, the film adaption of the popular YA novel stars Lana Condor (Alita: Battle Angel, X-Men: Apocalypse), Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars) and Noah Centineo (Sierra Burgess Is A Loser, The Fosters). Directed by Susan Johnson.

 

TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE launches globally on Netflix TODAY.

 

 

Visit: netflix.com/toalltheboysivelovedbefore

Interview: Alternative/Pop Rock Band, SHALLOW POOLS

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Photo Credit: shallow pools

Good morning, music lovers!

I recently had the chance to speak with SHALLOW POOLS about their band and their music. Shallow Pools is an alternative/pop rock band made up of three amazingly talented female musicians out of Massachusetts and they’re definitely a band to keep your eye on! Check out the interview and their social media links below:

  • Can you introduce yourselves and describe your roles in the band?

    Jess plays guitar, Ali plays drums and Glynnis sings and plays bass!

  • How would you describe your sound?

    We’re definitely a mix of pop rock and alternative!

  • What made you decide to transition from playing acoustic covers to playing originals?

    We started out playing acoustic covers for fun. Once we started getting more serious and playing in front of small crowds, we realized that we wanted to be playing our own music. We just had to learn to play together first before we could start writing together!

  • What was the songwriting process like?

    Jess usually comes up with guitar parts first, and then the drums and bass come after. We almost always work on melodies and lyrics last after we have a solid instrumental! We do rearrange things in the studio, but we like to have a good demo before we record.

  • How important is it for you to draw inspiration from your own experiences in your music?

    It’s definitely important! We feel more connected to these songs than any of our old songs because the lyrics are much more personal. Hopefully other people can relate to these songs and connect with them too!

  • I love seeing a band made up of strong, talented women. How gratifying has it been to see the support for shallow pools so far, and to break that stigma that alternative bands are mostly comprised of men?

    It’s amazing! We’ve had a lot of people approach us after our shows and they seem really excited about our music. Seeing young girls especially getting excited and asking for photos and autographs is the most gratifying feeling. We’re glad that we get to play a small part in breaking the stigma. There are SO MANY talented women playing alternative music and we’ve been lucky enough to meet a lot of them through playing shows.

  • What would you like listeners to take away from your music and from you as a band?

    We hope that listeners can relate to our songs and find comfort in knowing that other people go through similar experiences. We also want people to know that we really want our shows to be inclusive and welcoming spaces.

  • Do you have any upcoming projects or plans for shallow pools that fans should be on the lookout for?

    Our next single “Sinking” is coming out 8/24 and hopefully an EP in the fall! We have a bunch of shows booked over the next few months and all of the dates can be found on our social media!

  • Where can fans find you online?

    A lot of places!!

    iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify
    Instagram: @shallowpoolsMA
    Twitter: @shallowpoolsMA
    Facebook : shallow pools
    YouTube: shallow pools
    shallowpools.com