While on tour with Nick Carter we caught up with Chicago’s own Vi3, we talked about their debut album “…So Tight”, what it’s like touring, who inspires them, and much more.
Read along and then run out to your nearest record store and pick up their debut smash album, “So Tight”!
Why don’t we start by having each of you introduce yourselves…for those of us that don’t know.
Justin: What up Fanvasion, I’m Justin from Vi3!
Lucas: Yo, it’s Lucas!
Jackie: And, I’m Jackie!
When you guys found out you’d be opening for Nick Carter how did you feel?
Justin: Very excited!
Lucas: Yea, amazed. I mean this is really our first nationwide tour, so to be apart of Nick’s tour … Actually, the day after we signed our record deal we opened for the Backstreet Boys. So, to be apart of Nick’s tour it’s really cool for us.
Yea, we saw you guys open Thursday night also.
Justin: Oh really? Cool!
Lucas and Jackie: Awesome!
Justin: Yea, it’s cool…because we met him a couple times, done a couple shows with him before and he’s just a really cool guy. So, we were very excited to be apart of such a friendly tour ya know?
Well, then I guess that answers our next question…were you fans of his or the Backstreet Boys before?
Justin: Oh… (laughs)
Lucas: You gotta be.
Jackie: Absolutely!
Lucas: They’re one of the biggest groups to tour the nation…tour the world really. And you know to be a part of or even a fraction of the group…like I said they really gave us our first big shot opening at the Tweeter Center in Chicago. Absolutely! Who could not be a fan of the Backstreet Boys? (laughs) They really did a lot.
Justin: It’s something to shoot for…
What exactly does Vi3 mean and how did you come up with it?
Lucas: It’s just a play off of VIP, and there’s three of us in the group so…
Justin: Yup.
Lucas: It’s a really simple answer…no one ever thinks of it. (laughs)
(Our mom steps in and tells how we kept looking for and wondering what it meant, LoL!)
Justin: For real? Aww, wow! Ya know everyone always ask us the question, but once we tell them they’re like “oh yea!” (slaps forehead) that makes sense. Know what I’m saying?… easy and memorable.
Anything embarrassing or really funny happen on the tour yet?
Lucas: I don’t think so…
(They all look around at each other)
b I think being stuck in a hotel for three days with 18 inches of snow outside, that was pretty crazy. The first four dates of the tour…
Oh you were here?
Lucas: Yea, we were in Pennsylvania.
Jackie: We were stuck in Wilkes-Barre.
Justin: Yea, our first 3 dates got re-scheduled because of the snow. It’s like you wait all your life to go on tour…our first national tour, then all of a sudden you gotta wait four more days because the blizzard of the east coast decides to hit. (all laugh) On THAT day, but we’re hear now…so it’s all good!
Do you guys have any pre-show rituals music or chants you do before you go out on to perform?
Lucas: Yea, we always get in…first we always do prayer. Definitely, always have a prayer…then we all get in and do our little 1… 2… 3… Vi3, and then it’s show time ya know?
So we understand that…The Chicago Music Awards are a big deal. How did it make you guys feel to take home all the awards you were nominated for? Especially you Justin, with winning ‘Songwriter of the Year’?
Justin: Haha! Ya know, it’s a dream come true because that’s our home town. So, it was cool to be recognized by and respected by your peers in that city ya know? It’s good to have that city behind your back…and now obviously…Chicago is great. But, we’re launching out throughout the entire country and a bunch of the world. So, it was just a great momentum starter for us. And to be ‘Pop Entertainer of the Year’…this is our second year in a row doing that and being that. That was just amazing… ‘Best Band/Group’ we won..and then I won ‘Songwriter of the Year’. That’s a childhood dream of mine, is to even be in the category…with ya know R. Kelly and Donnell Jones…but to actually win it was a dream come true.
Da Brat co-wrote and even appears on your song “Turn It Up”… how did it feel to work with her?
Jackie: We actually didn’t work with her… (all laugh) we recorded our part and then we sent it to where she was in Atlanta. Then she wrote and recorded in the studio there and the engineers and stuff put it together, so it’s actually kinda cool how it sounds like we’re all on the same microphone, but we all recorded at different times.
Lucas: But we did get to see her like a week after that…when Mariah was doing her release party for ‘Charm Bracelet’. She came into Chicago and we got to hang out with her and give her the props that she very much so deserved for being on our album. And she was very cool with us, and she was very cool with being apart of this album…and apart of this group. Definitely representing Chi-Town, ya know?
Justin: Whoop whoop! (shows us the ‘Chicago’ on his jacket) Always!
Jackie, what was it like for you to come into a group that had already been formed and working together for awhile?
Jackie: To be honest with you it was tough…definitely tough at first. I um… I kinda had a burden on me. Like I needed to fill these shoes that were in there, and I had to make a good impression. But, after a couple weeks or even a month or so… rehearsing with the guys for a month and putting all my heart and soul into it trying to prove to them that I could do it…they saw what I saw. That is, as our success is coming more and more this is the way we’re suppose to be.
Justin, you’ve written just about the whole album…how long have you been writing music?
Justin: I’ve been writing my whole life, and to be honest the single “Eyes Closed So Tight” I wrote like years and years ago. So, it’s funny ya know?…a lot of the feedback we’re getting is “Oh it’s a fresh sounding ballad” and it is because the production is so tight. But, I mean the song was written like 5 years ago, if not more about my first real girlfriend that just kinda broke my heart. So, it’s cool to have ya know…songs from back then that still appeal to people today. Because everyone goes through it, and it shows that a broken heart is never dated. It always last, it was always be current a good topic. But, it feels good…it’s one thing to be in this group and as an artist and stuff. Growing up it was also another dream of mine to write songs and stuff and to get an opportunity to do that, I couldn’t ask for anything better.
Well, you’re just answering all our question together. Because are next one was…Do you take any personal experiences and work them into the songs that you write?
Justin: (all laugh) Oh yeah! Well actually, the whole album…I mean I can run them down. You guys have the album or no?
(We talk about not being able to find it…being sold out…downloads…where to pick it up) Anyways, every song is basically from a personal experience. Ya know, “Get Yo Boogie On” was written about a Spring Break I went on… “Oh No!”,
“Hottie Wit A Body”, and “Backstage Girl” were all kinda… you just touch on a subject and you expand it and exaggerated it a little to make it a good song. And “Eyes Closed So Tight”, the single right now, is definitely a personal experience that I went through a few years ago. Basically, everything on the album has a personal touch to it one way or another. But, you gotta get the album…I mean come on it’s got great picture inside too, and lyrics…gotta have the lyrics.
Lucas, what/who made you get into singing and dancing?
Lucas: I definitely live by the quote “God opens a door, closes a window”. I spent a lot of my childhood in theatre, plays, musicals…just music in general.
When I went to high school there was no chorus, no choir, no theatre classes…I went to a really small high school. So, I became a jock, I was a three sport jock… and I went to college on a football scholarship. I got hurt on the second day of football practice, the doctors told me I’d never play football again. So, I kind of explored my options and I went to Rockford and started working at a teen club. All of a sudden this music is just thrown in my face, and I started singing along to Usher, Brian McKnight…the Backstreet Boys had just come out. I’m singing along to these songs and people were like “ya know you should really do something with music, you have an awesome voice just go do something with it”. It kind of just opened my mind to another door I should walk through. Thank God I did, cause when I moved into Chicago…met this kid (points to Justin)…we were both kind of just doing separate things, but it worked out the same way. Like Jackie said, faith had it’s mind set up for me…weather it was gonna close it’s door, and I had to crawl through another window to get to my destiny.
Which artist would you say inspires you individually or as a group?
Jackie: Umm, I definitely have to say growing up I was such a fan of Michael Jackson, and Frank Sinatra was definitely big in my family.. Dean Owen and the RatPack were big influences on my family. I was also was crazy about the New Kids when I was younger, cause I was like six or seven years old. I would watch them on TV and my mother and father would buy me tapes, and then I’d try to mimic the moves. I would be like “I wanna do that! Look how much fun they’re having…and all the girls are going crazy. Like I wanna be the next heartthrob when I get older”. So, I gotta say Michael, Frankie, New Kids definitely started me off.
Lucas: New Kids definitely (laughs) same with me. It’s embarrassing sometimes, but they did…they really started this whole phenomenon. And, you know that was the first concert I ever went to in 1989…I went and saw New Kids on the Block. I sat there and watched Jordan Knight like “Man that is awesome! I wanna be him!”. Brian McKnight, Usher…like I said. Now, that Timberlake is out, and all these powerful vocalist that are out, they really inspire me to work that much harder and what the standard of music is today.
Justin: Mine was definitely Michael Jackson…I wanted to be him when I was little. I use to pretend lookin’ in the mirror, dancing with the glove and everything. Prince…I was a huge Prince fan…well I still am a huge Prince fan. I wasn’t so much into New Kids on the Block…I was more into New Edition, Bobby Brown, Bel Biv Devo. Like more urban, hip-hop side of things. A lot of times people make comparisons like we’re a 2003 version of Bel Biv Devo. That’s kinda cool, cause it was who I was really influenced by growing up…with that singing, rapping, party vibe. I’d say those are probably my influences the most.
So, you guys don’t mind being called a boy band? or would you rather be called a boy group?
Jackie: We honestly don’t care.
Justin: Call it what you want. As long as you think the music is good ya know…just call it whatever you want.
Lucas: People really look at us and they’re like “Ok, another three kids trying to come out and do pop music…another boy band!”
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Yea, but some get offended by the term “boy band”.
Lucas: If I get a fraction of what the other boy bands have had then fine bring it on! Label us what you want.
Jackie: Yea, and you know I think the reason why ‘N Sync was so successful…is they came out and said “Yo, we’re a boy band so what! Get over it!”. They never said “No! We’re not a boy band” they didn’t fight the stereotype, they accepted it and they went on with their lives…and they make good music. They were huge.
So, I take it then they like the Backstreet Boys and you like ‘N Sync?
All: (laugh) No, we like them all!
(Jackie looks down the hall to see if Nick is around. LoL!)
Justin: No, they all set the standard. I mean they all went 10’s, 12 times platinum. We can only wish for that kind of success, so…
Lucas: I mean they created diamond status for these guys! What more could you ask for?
If you guys could one day cover any song in the world what would it be? Why?
Justin: Whoooo…good question. I know one of them, but that’s a secret I can’t let it out of the bag.
Jackie: I always wanted to cover “Brown Eyed Girl”…I really really like that song…Van Morrison.
Lucas: I dunno, I’d have to say me coming from the sticks…ya know way up North in Illinois. I could go through probably a million country songs I’d love to cover. I grew up going to talent contest singing Garth Brooks, and Tim McGraw. So, I’m sure…I think a lot of country songs if you just change the track up and put a little pop vocal to it…they could be unbelievable top songs.
Justin: I would like to cover a couple songs…I think Bobby Brown “Don’t Be Cruel”, one of my favorites growing up it had wrapping and singing, it was cool. Bel Biv Devo’s “Do Me” is another one I’d like to do. It’s kinda of a PG-13 song, but when I was growing up it was like huge! Also, there are a couple songs by like Journey…a song called “Faithfully” that I would love to do. Vocally it’s very challenging, but if I worked hopefully I’d be able to do it someday. Just like a Bon Jovi song, “I’ll Be There For You” or something like that.
Are any of those your secret one?
Justin: (Laughs) No, the secret one is not being told to anybody. No, I don’t ever wanna give it because if someone reads it…like some aspiring musician or something rips it out from under me…I’m gonna have to go beat someone up! Those are ones I’d like to do someday too.
Jackie, do you feel being on “Popstars 2” was valuable or an asset for you being where you are today?
Jackie: Absolutely. I know people have these stereotypes about how cheesy and fake those reality TV shows are. But, it definitely taught me so much about the “business” in general and about how hard it was. My point is…I’m glad I got to loose, before I won.
Well, that makes me feel better…I was mad when you didn’t get it.
Jackie: Oh, thank you!
Yea, I was throwing stuff at the TV.
All: (laugh)
Jackie: A lot of kids, even child actresses and actors who’ve been in the business since they were three and four. I mean it took me ’til I was eighteen, nineteen, twenty before I actually started trying out for these TV shows. I’m glad where I am though.
Lucas, what would you say is the message you want your fans to take from Vi3’s music?
Lucas: Never give up…I mean definitely if you can live by anything that I do. It’s God closes a door to open a window. He has a plan for you. No matter how hard you try or how hard you want something, if it falls apart…there’s a reason for that and it’s because you were down the wrong path. And, God just wanted you to make that left turn or that right turn to get where you really belong in life. If you live by that you’ll succeed in whatever you do.
Do you have any big exciting projects planned for after this tour that you could tell us about?
Jackie: The movie…
Justin: Um yea, our song of the album “Hottie Wit A Body” is in a movie, called ‘Boat Trip’… March 21st it comes out featuring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vivica A. Fox. It’s a huge movie, and it’s so funny…they requested this song to be in the movie. We were like “Go ahead, do it!”. Yea, and coming up they’re gonna put another version of our album out on the market too, with different pictures and different covers and stuff. So, we’ll have two albums circulating in the public, which is kinda cool.
Yea, then all the fans will run out and be like “I need both albums now!!”
Justin: Yea, it’s cool. Ya know…we just do what we’re told to do. Okay cool cool…But, we’re really excited about it.
Lucas: So, see the one that’s out right now you have to go get then it will be a collector’s edition.
Justin: Right…right! And basically our single “Eyes Closed So Tight” is the biggest thing right now. We just found out we cracked the Top 40 on the charts…so ah that’s a really big accomplishment for us…all over the country being played. We’re really trying…the label thinks we have a top 10 album, and we hope we have a number one album. We’re gonna keep working ’til we get there.
Alright, finally before we let you guys go…we gotta ask the one question everyone wants to know. Here’s the big…big…big question…
Justin: Alright, I think I know what it is…
Jackie: Just give it to us, we can take anything.
Do you have girlfriends?
Justin: No!
Jackie: Come ooooon…that was easy! [All Laugh]
We then thank the guys for the interview, and wish them luck on their show.
We even got them to sing a little bit of “Go-Get-Her” for us!
FOR MORE CHECK OUT:
· JRoman – Official Site
… So Tight
(MCA Records – November 12, 2002)
IN STORES NOW! OR buy online
