It's quite an
adventure to catch a pop sensation early on the ride to stardom.
This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to speak with the members
of Emblem3 at their album signing for Nothing to Lose, which
was just released on July 30.
However, for a band
who had just released their debut album the day before, the word on
Emblem3 was already out. Brothers Keaton and Wesley Stromberg and best
friend (and honorary brother) Drew Chadwick first turned heads on the TV
series X-Factor. They were signed up to super-producer Simon
Cowell's record label. Now their single "Chloe (You're the One I Want)"
is climbing the charts and getting played on iPods and radios all over.
So at the Best Buy in
Fairless Hills, PA (the suburbs of Philadelphia), I walked past hundreds
of committed fans who had been waiting in line for hours to get the new
album signed. These same fans had to come the day before to get a
wristband just to be able to wait in that long line. If that doesn't
prove that these fans are dedicated to the boys, I don't know what
does!
Oh, I know! A fan
sending the boys a puppy on their doorstep. It was a Westie Terrier that
the band actually kept and named Sampson Stromberg. He even has his own
Instagram and Twitter. Check it out! The perks of stardom.
I had the chance to listen to the whole CD
soon before getting to talk to the guys. I was really impressed. The
tunes have a way of making me want to hear more and more as the next
song starts to play. All the songs are so catchy, they get stuck in your
head. (In a good way!)
There’s
a bit of reggae, a bit of rap. It's all very contemporary, with many of
the songs having an island beat shining through. The guys say that was
influenced by their lifestyle back in California. This makes sense,
because in Cali you can’t get enough of the chill lifestyle, summer
breeze, beach waves and bright sunshine.
For the record, their
favorite beach is Huntington Beach. (I'll wait a bit while all the
girls book
their trips.)
It seems Emblem3 still
think they are back in California just chillin’, living life like they
did before their journey
with X-Factor began. It is all because of how unassuming they
are. The whirlwind of new stardom doesn't seem to have gone to their
heads at all.
Drew Chadwick told me
one girl had started to cry when he had tried to be incognito (with his
hood up) as he walked through all the screaming fans to reach the
bathroom. He didn't know why. I laughed and told him its most likely
because she was so happy to see him.
He did not seem to
think so when he said, "I feel like my fans build up an image in their
head and get disappointed when they see us."
So do these guys know
what it was like to be star struck? Not according to them. They said
that they wouldn't be dazzled if they met a hero or even just someone
they looked up to. Clearly the guys don't know what is going through all
the minds of these screaming fans, who are mostly girls.
Then again, maybe
they do. After all, lots of their songs are about girls. Are they about
certain particular girls?
“'Jaden' is,"
Chadwick confessed. "'Jaden' is completely about a girl named Jaden.”
She must know the song is about her, with a name so unique.
Keaton Stromberg
continued, “I am sure you are asking about Chloe. That’s what everyone
wants to know.”
Well I wasn't
necessarily asking about “Chloe”; just all of them in general. Chadwick
said that the songs aren't always all about a certain girl,
necessarily. Some of them are just a “mental idea. Kind of like a
story.”
What makes the guy so
likable to their fans? Their down-to-earth personalities? To gain an
insight, we played the "Coke or Pepsi" game, a game where I say two
words and they have to quickly choose between them.
And
now for the lightning round!
Coke or Pepsi?
Drew Chadwick:
Pepsi.
Keaton
Stromberg: I don't know! Both!
Wesley
Stromberg: Pepsi.
iPhone or Android?
Drew Chadwick:
iPhone.
Keaton
Stromberg: iPhone.
Wesley
Stromberg: iPhone.
Blonde or
brunette?
Drew Chadwick:
Depends on the personality.
Keaton
Stromberg: (laughs) Ehh, both! I don't know.
Wesley
Stromberg: Blonde.
Sweet or sour?
Drew Chadwick:
Sweet is better than sour. Sour usually isn't a pleasant sensation.
Keaton
Stromberg: Sweet.
Wesley
Stromberg: Sweet.
Facebook
or Twitter?
Drew Chadwick:
Twitter.
Keaton
Stromberg: Twitter.
Wesley
Stromberg: Twitter.
Blue or brown
eyes?
Drew Chadwick:
Depends on the soul inside. I've seen beautiful eyes with a sad
personality.
Keaton
Stromberg: Brown.
Wesley
Stromberg: It's different, if something else shines through. I’d say
brown.
Day or night?
Drew Chadwick:
Night.
Keaton
Stromberg: Day.
Wesley
Stromberg: Night.
Boxers or briefs?
Drew Chadwick:
Briefs.
Keaton
Stromberg: Briefs.
Wesley
Stromberg: Briefs.
Cat
or dog?
Drew Chadwick:
Dog.
Keaton
Stromberg: Cat.
Wesley
Stromberg: Dog.
Summer or winter?
Drew Chadwick:
Winter.
Keaton
Stromberg: Winter.
Wesley
Stromberg: Summer.
Romantic or
adventurous?
Drew Chadwick:
Adventurous. Why cant it be both? You can be romantic and adventurous.
Keaton
Stromberg: Adventurous.
Wesley
Stromberg: Both!
See? I asked "blue or
brown eyes?" and Chadwick quickly said "Depends on the soul inside. I have
seen beautiful eyes with a sad personality.” You don't expect an answer
as sincere as that from the average pop star. Was he being diplomatic,
or is this why everyone loves him?
When I asked the boys
"brunette or blonde?" Chadwick confessed that it’s different with everyone
and it depends on the personality. It seems like he really is
genuine. They make themselves so likable and open to everyone. That may
be a key to their success. Then there is their talent....
The
boys enjoy being clever in deciding on the names of their songs. They
named their song "Spaghetti" because they knew that it would “stir the
pot of curiosity for people to ask questions.” Keaton Stromberg laughed
and continued to share, "Spaghetti is also pretty awesome."
The food and the
tune. "Spaghetti" is a terrific song and it really has nothing to do
with pasta if you listen.
Emblem3 lived in
Washington state before they moved to California. This dramatic move is
what their song "3,000 Miles Away" explores.
Keaton Stromberg
said, "For me it's about missing my home of Washington state."
Chadwick agreed it’s
about “not being home until you feel love.”
Wesley Stromberg
further explained, "It could be anything for anyone. It’s just for
missing home. It works for everyone: the people going to college, or to
a new job."
Before Chadwick and
the Stromberg brothers perform on stage, they perform a little ritual.
The guys do a type of group handshake. They called it "Flower Power,"
and it's the one they do in Power Puff Girls. Who knew that the
show was still around until the boys informed me that it still plays on
Cartoon Network?
On the rare occasion
there is some down time on tour, the guys like to chill. Keaton
Stromberg likes to play video games; just what every regular boy wants
to do to relax. Wesley Stromberg likes to go on long runs. Drew Chadwick
enjoys going on adventures.
So, when the boys are
on a long run or an adventure, do they like to be noticed or do they
keep a low profile? They mostly agreed they like to keep a low profile.
This is their relaxation time. They get the whole celebrity thing while
performing. But then Drew smirked and said, "Well, it depends on the
type of adventure."
What
about the type of adventures where they collaborate with other
musicians? Who would be awesome for Emblem3 to work with? Not
surprisingly, the guys don't take the idea all that seriously. First
Chadwick laughed said he wanted to do work with Keaton Stromberg. Same
with Wesley Stromberg, who wanted to do music with "Drewzy" (aka Drew
Chadwick).
Hmm, aren't there any
people outside of the band they'd like to work with?
“I want to collab
with Barney,” Keaton Stromberg told me as he laughed. “He has a pretty cool song.
Massive hit!" Now that would hit #1 on the charts.
Okay, fellow band
members and purple dinosaurs. Anyone else? They say The Teletubbies are
another group they would like to jam with. Well, no one can say these guys
don’t have a sense of humor. They seem to be a bit more than
mischievous.
Which may have
contributed to all of their success on X-Factor. Did anyone try
to discourage them from auditioning?
"No not really,"
Chadwick
said. "More than anyone, [it was] just ourselves. We didn't think we
needed it. We wanted to take the harder way and perform in clubs and
restaurants. But then we thought that would be stupid [not to take
advantage of the exposure]."
Yes, breaking their
backs on the club circuit or getting millions of fans on TV. Doesn't
seem like a tough choice.
Did they know it
would all turn out like this in the beginning? Could they see the huge
following from the show, the hit single, the CD release, the screaming
girls?
"Only the future can
tell," Keaton Stromberg said. "We just wanted to make it round by round.
We were focused on the now."
They still are. The
future is now. And if the Best Buy full of hysterical fans is any
indication, the future is looking awfully bright for Emblem3.
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT
EMBLEM3 HAD TO SAY TO US IN 2014!
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT
EMBLEM3 HAD TO SAY TO US IN 2016!
CHECK OUT
THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR EMBLEM3'S "CHLOE (YOU'RE THE ONE I
WANT)!" |
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