Drop a Beat has some “ Nu” gossip, for you!
Pull quote: “We want to be Unpredictable!”
Today I’m joined by the biggest boy band of this year, otherwise known as Nu Direction. For anyone who doesn’t know who these boys are, which seems very unlikely! We have Garin Jones (16), Tom Harris (16), Alex Webb (16), Stephan Lane (17) and Sam Price (19) for their first ever exclusive interview there was only one magazine that they wanted to talk to: Drop a Beat.
We met up with the boys last week in the Drop a Beat studios, you could tell from the moment they walked through the door that they were close friends from the way they were joking and messing around with each other, it was also clear that no matter how famous they were their still just regular teenage boys having fun, who are extremely down to earth dressed in jeans and hoodies and trainers.
And here’s what happened…Just for you!
We find out what they’ve been doing since the X factor and how they are handling their new found fame, we also talk about their new single “Up all Night,” which will be released next week and can be found on their upcoming album, released next month!
Q: Hey boys, so how has this past year been like for you?
Garin: It’s gone so fast, we’ve been so busy that we haven’t been able to relax and reflect on how good this past year has been, but I’m loving everything, it’s like a dream that I never thought would’ve happened, but has! So I’m just enjoying it.
Alex: It’s been surreal. I can’t believe that this is actually our life now, it’s crazy.
Sam: I know that I speak for the rest of the boys when I say that without a doubt, this has been the best year of our life, and we are so grateful to have this amazing opportunity.
Q: Whose idea was it to call the band Nu Direction?
Stephan: I think that we all had a say in what the band should be called, but I think that Tom was the one that put forward the name “Nu Direction”.
Tom: Well I hate to be the one to take all the credit, but if you insist then I guess I will.
Q: Ok, this is probably a silly question but with all this craziness, do you ever wish you could go back to the days before you were famous?
Garin: Never, I love everything about my life at the moment. The only let down is that we don’t get to see our friends and family as much as we would like to, but then when we do, we get to make it extra special.
Tom: I love all the craziness so I would never go back, it’s still hard to get used to the fact that all the fans are screaming for us, and want to see us, but I would like to see my family more.
Alex: I wouldn’t go back even with all the craziness, it’s still a great opportunity we’ve been given and the best thing that I have ever done and I’m thankful for it all.
Q: What is the craziest thing a fan has ever done to get close to you?
Sam: I remember once a fan dropped her phone into my pocket, so that she would have to come back tomorrow to get the phone from me, but it didn’t really go to plan because the security took it off me and gave it back to her. It was still a pretty good attempt.
Garin: We were in London the other day going to the studios, but when we got there we weren’t able to get out of the car as the fans had surrounded it so we were trapped. It was pretty scary when they started banging on the windows and rocking the car, which was crazy but funny. It’s just mad the extremes that some fans go to.
Q: That does sound pretty crazy, what’s it like working and living together?
Alex: It’s great-non –stop fun. And it’s never quiet, that’s for sure.
Garin: I absolutely love living with boys, I mean at the beginning it was weird to leave home and start looking after yourselves, it’s only then that you realise how much your mum actually does for you! But I’m 16, what boy wouldn’t love living on his own with four of his best friends.
Q: Are there any annoying habits?
Tom: Yeah, Sam’s got a very bad habit of being clean. Well, probably not a bad habit- it’s a good habit really, but he just always wants to be clean- it’s so annoying!
Sam: That’s true-I’m the cleanest in the house!
Q: Well what sort of music can we look forward to from the band?
Garin: We’re trying to make our own sound really, and just to be ourselves, but I guess if we did have to label our sound, I would say we were a mix between pop and R&B. Whatever we bring out though, we hope the fans will love it as much as we do!
Stephan: I think we’ll all have to just wait and see how it goes.
Alex: We want to be unpredictable, so you can expect something unexpected.
Q: I’ll look forward to that then, what is your debut single “Up all night” about?
Tom: It’s basically about five boys having a good time and partying all night.
Sam: Yeah it’s about that and also it’s about finding that one special girl that you want to stay up all night with.
Q: Aww that’s sweet, what would you be doing if you weren’t in a band?
Stephan: I would be in sixth-form studying to be an English teacher.
Tom: I would also be in sixth-form studying Law, Business and English.
Sam: I would be in university studying to be a drama teacher.
Alex: I would be doing something to do with sound-engineering.
Q: Wow. Who knew you were all so smart? Now this is the question that I think every teen girl wants to know, what are you looking for in a girl?
Garin: Someone who can make me laugh and has a nice smile. I just want someone who understands that I have a busy schedule and can’t always be there, but when I am free will be there for me, I would like someone who would always be able to cheer me up after a hard days work.
Stephan: I like girls who are cute and also have a good personality.
Alex: I like a girl who has nice eyes and knows how to have a good time.
Q: There we go girls. Finally, what would you like to have achieved in ten years?
Tom: I would like to have had a number one album in another country; I think that would be cool.
Sam: I want to be able to say that we have sold out a world tour and still have the support from our amazing fans.
Garin: All I want is to still be doing what we’re doing right now as a band and having as much fun as we are, that would be enough, but I would be thankful for anything else that happens.
Well it was lovely to talk to you all, I can see that you are lovely, grounded boys who are enjoying every second of being famous, you’ve got a long and great career in front of you, Thank you! And to all the Nu Direction fans out there, don’t forget that their single “Up all Night” is released next week, shortly followed by their album “living the life” next month, which you will be able to pre-order on iTunes NOW!
