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Interview with inTENsity


When inTENsity got the boot from The X Factor, it was a tough night all around. Their mentor Paula Abdul was forced to vote against them after their performance in the bottom two against Stereo Hogzz and the teen supergroup had to leave the competition and their chance at a $4 million recording contract.

The group was an interesting one considering the ten members didn't start as a group, but were rather brought together by the judges. The ten young talents range in age from 12 to 17 and were determined to be a force to be reckoned with in the competition.

After their elimination, PCM's Kristyn had the opportunity to sit on a conference call with the entire group (Ma'at Bingham Shango, Nick Dean, Francesca Duncan, John Lindahl, Emily Michalak, Austin Percario, Arin Ray, Ellona Santiago, Emily Wilson and Lauren Ashley) where they talked about their time in the competition, the judges and much more! Check out all they had to share below!

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You guys really did a bang up job. I was sorry to see you leave, but I'm wondering, are you guys looking to stay together? Are you looking to continue on as a group?

Austin Percario: Hopefully we can continue as a group. We just want to try and be positive. And even though right now it might seem like the world is kind of ending, we're just going to try and wait to see what kind of opportunities we get from this.

What did you guys think about working with Paula? What did you think that she brought to you that maybe some of the other judges wouldn't have?

Ma'at Bingham Shango: I think Paula is one of the most amazing mentors because she was one of the only judges who was there every day, after rehearsals, studio, and she would always help us. She would actually be our choreographer. We didn't' have anybody else. She would always make it up, and it was just so amazing having her as a mentor.

Do you think that the groups were at a disadvantage over the solo performers?

John Lindahl: It's definitely a lot easier to connect with a solo artist on screen because if you're only focusing on them with their talent and music you're basically learning things about them. But with a group, let alone a ten-person group, you can't really focus on every single person in the group, as you only get a limited amount of time with them. So I feel like America didn't really get to connect with us a lot. And we hope that eventually they will.

Can you talk about how it was different for you guys in rehearsals since you had so many more singers than the others?

Nick Dean: Rehearsals were really fun but also extremely intense. We would spend long hours tightening up on choreography, because working with ten people, the look and feel of our performance is supposed to be like extremely tight and everything. So we really focused on choreography, and like the voices, we would always spend hours in one of our rooms and like spend hours perfecting the blend since that's what we were looking for.

Now how much do you think song choice played a part this week?

Francesca Duncan: Song choice definitely played a big role this week. We were really kind of nervous with our first two song choices. We were originally going to sing "Kids in America" and "We Got the Beat," and we just didn't really want to put off like a kind of childish or teenybopper kind of vibe. We wanted to be more pop and edgy so we actually chose the other song, "Party Rock Anthem," ourselves. I think it mixed really well, and I think we performed really well.

Simon is notorious for being kind of ruthless on the show, but he voted for you guys last night. What was your experience working with him and the rest of the judges?

Emily Wilson: I think it was really great to have Simon on our side, because he's really big in the recording industry and everything like that, and to know that he really believed in us after making us was really special. And we know that even though Paula chose The Stereo Hogzz over us, we know she still had a lot of faith inus. And we understand how difficult it was to have to choose one from her own category.


Did you guys notice if there was a lot of drama between the judges?

John Lindahl: I don't think we really saw. We couldn't think of anything. We just listened to what they had to say. We weren't really processing any-I couldn't see or hear anything except for their answer. It was really kind of like a blur for me. I still can't really remember the moment.

The Stereo Hogzz had gotten some pretty incredible praise from the judges on Tuesday night. So what was your reaction when you found out you were in the bottom two with them? Did you think you were pretty much done at that point or did you think the judges were more likely to send The Stereo Hogzz home instead of you guys?

Arin Ray: I really felt we had a chance. Everybody is equal in this competition so everybody has an equal chance of getting through to the next round. It's just on how you perform and whoever's better. So I thought that we could, and we thought that we could get through, but I guess the judges felt differently.

John Lindahl: Just the fact that not even going up against them-the fact that we had to be in the bottom two with them, I think for us, the last thing we wanted was to be in the bottom two with another group, one that we worked really closely with and have hung out with a lot. It was just really sad that one of us was going to leave.

Emily Wilson: I think it was really tough because both us and The Stereo Hogzz on Wednesday night, we didn't get any negative feedback at all from the judges, while some other people, whether it was on their wardrobe or their style, most people got at least a little something. And so we knew it was a fair game then and that it was all about the "Save Me Song," about background and experience with us in the past. So we were all trying to think positive and really hope that we could just nail the "Save Me Song" and stay in, but we didn't.

I actually want to bring up something you mentioned earlier. Get back to that GLEE comparison. You mentioned that you definitely didn't want to be like a corny teenybopper group, but what did you actually think of Simon's comment that you kind of could be another GLEE, like a GLEE 2.0 in the market? Was that something you were okay channeling? And do you think it actually might've backfired given that GLEE itself has kind of lost some momentum over the last year?

Francesca Duncan: Honestly, we were so honored to get that compliment from Simon and the other judges that we could be like GLEE Like we're different from GLEE. We're not exactly like them, but they're so successful and we just want to be as successful, if not even like better than them. I take that as a really big compliment. So hopefully one day, we could be as successful as them, if we stay as a group and if we get noticed, because we really became a family.

And you know similar to to people in GLEE, like we do have, you know, we do have some negative things about us. We got kicked out of the competition and brought back and we know what it feels like. We're the underdogs, and we definitely know what it feels like. I feel like that's really similar to the people on GLEE because there are a lot of underdogs there. And I feel like in the beginning a lot of people didn't believe in us because we had ten people. They didn't think we'd work out, and we actually ended up really working out.

Now both groups that were in the bottom two were from Paula's group. Do you think you would've had a better chance if you'd worked with a different mentor?

Austin Percario: Absolutely not. We couldn't have gotten a better mentor. She always put in extra effort and she was always making sure that we performed our best. And when it came down to it, Paula had to say bye to one of her groups, which must have been really emotional for her. So I mean we're not mad at Paula or anything. We respect her decision. So yes, that's just how it had to be. It is what it is.


Yes, and I mean obviously there were a lot of tears and shock last night. So how hard was it to have Paula vote against you? Were you guys really shocked?

Emily Wilson: It was really tough. We had all gone through an elimination before, and it was just heartbreaking to have to go through what we went through at boot camp again. Just waiting for your name to be called and it's not and you're in the bottom two. I felt like, "No, there has to be some other chance, like I can't leave this competition for real. We can't like possibly be out."

But it was just devastating because the difference between us going home and Stereo Hogzz going home is that when we go home we're all over the country and we have to hope that there'll be someone who will notice us and want to sign us or something so that we can still be together. But if Stereo Hogzz went home they would all be from the same town and all in the same place. It wouldn't be hard for them to stay as a group. But for us it's a little more of a challenge.

So I know that you talked a lot about how there was a challenge with the groups where you didn't have the chance to get the individual personalities across, especially when you had other younger contestants like Astro and Rachel Crow, who probably appealed to the same people. Not to be difficult, did you guys have any plans in place? Did you have a strategy to try and make a better connection or to stand out as individuals as well as group? I know different people sang, but was there anything else you guys thought about maybe helping that group challenge?

Austin Percario: I think that what was important about our group is that we brought a lot of energy and fun to the show. That's all we ever really wanted to do is just have a good time, make sure the audience is having a good time alongside of us, and hopefully America saw that. Yes we're disappointed now, but hopefully this will be a bunch of opportunities in the future for us.

I just wondered if you think Stereo Hogzz still has a chance to go on and win the competition after being in the bottom two yesterday. Do you feel they can still go far?

Ma'at Bingham Shango: Definitely. Stereo Hogzz, they're a great group. They put on a great performance every week. So yes, most definitely they have the potential to win this competition. It's just a matter if America will continue to vote and keep them through these rounds. They're a very great group. They're fantastic. I wouldn't have wanted to go from anyone else, but Stereo Hogzz, they're our great friends and they're amazing. I would love to watch them and I'm going to root them on.

Emily Wilson: I think, if anything, they have a better chance now because once they were in the bottom two all of their fans are going to want to vote for them this week so that they're not in the bottom two again. So that really gives them a big advantage. And Paula's an amazing mentor. So all of us were just so lucky to have her, and with Paula still on their side, they're set. They're fine.

Ma'at Bingham Shango: They're going to come back hard next week. I know they are.

Emily Watson: Yes.

I'm just interested in how difficult it was for you, as ten people who were very diverse in form, how difficult was it for you to "gel?" Is there any possibility, and you're probably not going to give me too much information, that some of you might go off on like a sub group?

Francesca Duncan: Honestly, I'm surprised at how easily and quickly this group gelled together. The ten of us are from different places, and it's crazy how close we've become over such a short period of time. It's going to be so hard separating, going to our little homes in different parts of the country and not being able to see each other every day.

And we honestly don't know what's in store for us in the future. We really want to stick together as a group, all ten of us. And we really have high hopes for our group. Our name is inTENsity. There are ten of us. If one of us leaves it's not the same anymore. We really hope to stick together and you know, do things in the future hopefully to get like signed or you know just be successful.


We're talking a lot about your challenges about being in the show, but what was the most fun part for you guys about being on the show? What did you guys enjoy the most?

Nick Dean: My personal favorite is probably the judges' houses. It was extremely fun getting to know, having the time to get to know everyone in the group and everyone's personalities. It was just extremely fun, and just teaching ourselves how to blend with each other. It was just extremely fun going to Paula's house.

Austin Percario: I think the coolest part of being on the show which is different from other shows is that this show literally makes you feel like a star and it really turns you into one as well, like the makeup, and wardrobe and hair, and it's incredibly cool. And it's a big performance. It's not like any other show where it's just stand on the stage and they sing. We have lighting and all of these cool sets, and it was just an amazing experience overall.

Emily Wilson: I think my favorite part about this was when they put us into our group, because this is like my family now and it's really sad that we have to all go home. But it's just a break. We're just on pause. We're not done. But this has just been like spending every day with these guys; I can't imagine nine better people to spend this with. And it's just been an amazing journey, and I think we're all ready for what's going to come next for us and what's in store for us.

Ellona Santiago: For me personally, the best part of being in this competition is getting to share the stage and to be able to perform in front of millions of people with people who you love, with nine other people in this inTENsity group, and it's just been really amazing. It's sad that it ends now. But hopefully someone out there could see our potential and actually take us in and sign us and work it out.

Well I thought you guys gave an amazing performance. And Paula, obviously you said was fun to have you mentor you and she did a good job. What advice did she give you when she was mentoring you guys?

Emily Michalak: Paula gave us a really great phrase to say every time before we go on stage or whenever we get nervous. And quoted by Paula Abdul, "Break the rules. Stand apart. ... your head and follow your heart." And that's something that we always keep in mind when we're about to go on stage or if anyone's nervous or upset about a performance.

 


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