Katerina Grahams Intervju med Starry Constellation Magazine
Q. What can you tell us about the inspiration came from for your new song "Sassy"?
A. When I was writing it, it kind of just came, it wasn't like I want to make a song about this or that. In all of my songs I want to have a message of empowerment and fun and good vibes. I did a collection of five songs in like three or four days and that was one of them and it kind of just came out. I wasn't sure about releasing it officially as the first single because it was just getting traction on the blogs and doing that thing. I really noticed that the fans started to respond to it and they loved it so much that I was like, let's make this the first single, and now I'm doing it.
Q. There is early buzz that "Sassy" is going to be the anthem of the summer, how do you feel about that?
A. I hope so! It's really up to the fans what happens with it because we're not doing huge radio promo for it just yet because I can't while I am shooting "Vampire Diaries." I can't really do much promo work because I am on set most of the time and I can't really travel and do shows. We're doing as much as we can while I am still shooting. I believe it's a summer anthem and I am glad that everyone believes it too. It's really exciting.
Q. The song is even getting some great promotion from other celebrities like Perez Hilton.
A. He's incredible, I love him, I've always loved him for years. He's got this philosophy of do what you want and live your life. He's just a really fun guy and very creative and is a great visionary. A lot of people are unaware of that and I love that about him and how supportive he's been of me. I have always been supportive of him, my first tweets ever on Twitter are of me praising him. I really think he's a fun guy and he doesn't take himself too seriously.
Q. Where can fans go to hear "Sassy," has it reached iTunes yet?
A. "Sassy" is on iTunes right now and it's really exciting because it's my first song ever on iTunes. If you just look up Kat Graham it's right there. It's really, really exciting!
Q. How can fans help promote the single and call attention to it?
A. Just keep tweeting about it and call your local radio stations and request it. Talk about it on blogs, websites, and forums and play it in your house or in your car so somebody can be like, "Who is that, oh that's Kat Graham?" Share it! What I love about "Sassy" is that it is a people's anthem, it's not just about me, it's a representation of everyone. You know me, I like to include the fans in everything, it's really about you guys. The more you share it with people the more it makes sense. I want the whole world to be like, "Yeah, we're as sassy as we want to be!" That's my dream.
Q. Can you give us some tips on how to be sassy?
A. I really, really believe in the philosophy of being yourself, being confident in who you are no matter what you look like or where you come from and just really live your life and be happy with who you are. It might sound kind of cheesy but once I really started to be myself that's when life just got so much better for me and that's where sassy comes from. It's about being yourself and just being fabulous in who you are. That's my tip on how to be sassy, just be yourself with no apologies.
Q. We heard you just finished filming the lead in the movie Honey 2, what's new with the storyline?
A. I've wanted to do a dance film for so long because I'm a dancer and it was like, "Wow, when am I going to get my chance?" I auditioned for all of the other dance movies and no one picked me and I was devastated. I finally got one and I am the lead in it which is insane because I didn't think that would come any time soon. The director Bille Woodruff really took a chance on me and he's an incredible director and we shot it in LA with six or seven weeks of just nonstop dancing. It's cool, it's this story about this girl Maria who gets out of juvy, she got caught up in the wrong crowd, and when she gets out she has to prove herself through dance. She has to change her life for her, not for anyone else, and she discovers who she really is through dance. It's really awesome, it's a great story and it's a lot edgier and a lot more dancing than the first Honey. There are crazy dance battles, we're definitely coming for blood with this one.
Q. How did you hear about the role, through auditioning or did someone seek you out?
A. You know, kind of both. One of my first dance teachers, he got me in with my dance agency and that really helped me as dancer, I saw him out in LA and he said I should audition for Honey. I had just literally gotten back from Atlanta shooting the season finale, I think I had been in LA two days. I was like what chance do I have, maybe I will audition for it. A couple of days later I went in and auditioned and there were like six other girls there to audition for it. I went to the call backs and then I got it. It was very surreal, it all happened fast, we started rehearsals like that Monday. We had rehearsals and it turned out so amazing, I am so happy with it.
Q. How emotionally draining did you find the role to be?
A. It was really hard because like I said I had never been a lead in anything this big before. I had been the lead in an independent thing before but nothing with this kind of budget or anything like that. There was a lot of pressure on me that I had never felt before but everyone was really sweet and helped me through it. I would go two days without sleep, literally no sleep because I would still be doing stuff for my music on the weekend and photo shoots in LA to promote the second season of "Vampire Diaries." There was just a lot of stuff going on and some days it really took a toll on me. I would be lying to you to tell you that it wasn't an exhausting process. It was really rewarding in the end because we came out with the best possible product we could. I love that this character has had to fight through so much and in the end she wins in her own way. I felt that same way with myself, even during the process. Some people think, "she's on a TV show and she's in a movie," but no matter how many great things you never know what someone is going through in their lives. I use my acting and my music as a way of putting that out there because no one's life is perfect.
Q. With shooting season two of "Vampire Diaries," what can you tease us about what's going to happen with Bonnie?
A. I can't talk about the other characters because I don't want to piss anyone off but Bonnie is definitely pretty fearless in the new one. If there was a promise to anyone in the last episode, she keeps it. Let's just say that. She is not one to F with right now, if I didn't know her, I'd steer clear.
Katerina Graham pratar om hennes debut CD, Sassy, Honey 2 & The Vampire Diaries
“Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the freshest one of all” is the first line Kat Graham purrs on “Sassy,” the first official song off her upcoming debut CD and a track that promises great things from the “Vampire Diaries” actress.
Although by this time next year it’s entirely possible “TV star” will get bumped a few notches down her resume totem pole since Kat not only has that hotly fan-ticipated album due out in the first quarter of 2011, but the lead role in “Honey 2″ — a movie that has garnered more interest, pre-release, than the Jessica Alba-led original has in the seven years since its debut.
Since “Sassy” has become an iPod staple since it dropped last month, I figured it time to ring up the divine Kat. Especially since she was finally free to talk about her dance-tastic sequel and had just read the first script from “Vampire Diaries” second season!
PopWrap: I’m addicted to “Sassy,” how far along are you in the recording process?
Kat Graham: Thank you, I’m so happy people like it! We’re not quite done yet, but we wanted to put stuff out so you could get a taste so when I drop an album, you’re not like, “wait where did all this pop fabulousness come from?” I’ve been constantly recording – when I wasn’t shooting “Vampire Diaries,” I’d fly home for 16 hours and record as much as I possibly could. Then I’d come back to Atlanta & record out here. The process never really stopped for me.
PW: What made you pick “Sassy” as your official debut?
Kat: I like to see what the fans like and what they’re gravitating towards – “Sassy” was on the blogs and I was pushing it independently — I noticed it getting all this traction, so the fans decided – at least in my mind – “Sassy” would be the first single, or the first official song from me as an artist.
PW: Is that what we can expect from the full CD?
Kat: Yea, that’s really the sound of the album – old school Janet with a modern production behind it. Taking it back to the early 90’s with a melodic, playful sound. And “Sassy” has always been my sound — the way I sing, the way I rap, the way I live. Anyone who knows me knows what I’m about – how much I’m into empowerment, equal rights and everyone just loving themselves.
PW: Rocking a backwards suit on the single cover is a bold move in this post-Celine Dion world.
Kat: [laughs] I know, but you know what – I am so out there with my clothes. That’s actually my jacket. That shoot was such a rush. I just went into my closet, grabbed the jacket and just thought, “let’s’ put it on backwards.” It worked! But that is definitely a taste of what’s to come, fashion-wise.
PW: So we can expect some seriously eye-catching tour couture?
Kat: Oh yea, always. I am more vintage than I a high fashion. I love Lady GaGa, but I would never try and go into her lane. She’s brilliant. But what I do love is the image of Grace Jones, David Bowie and Janet. The sound of my music is 90’s dance pop meets future, so I want to incorporate that in my fashion.
PW: Any thoughts on the album title?
Kat: Maybe a self-titled CD. I always loved those growing up. Maybe something about a New Era, or the birth of something. I know we’re going to drop as a fun little viral thing that remake I did of “Cold Hearted Snake” by Paula Abdul. And we’ll do a cool dance video too, something like her video.
PW: So you’ll storm a dance audition and have a clothed orgy?
Kat: Absolutely [laughs]! I’m obsessed with that song & video – I’m dying to remake it. Eventually you’ll see it.
PW: What’s the song you’re most excited to get out into the public?
Kat: There’s a song called “I Want It All” – it’s a mix of Cher and Gwen Stefani. It’s an anthem song, which I’m all about, and similar to “Sassy” in that it’s really empowering. Belting the hook, very sexy and I definitely think that’ll be out before the end of the year, or as the first single towards March-ish of next year.
PW: Any chance some of your tunes will end up in “Honey 2?”
Kat: Yea, we’re discussing that right now – it would be incredible. I wasn’t expecting this movie to turn out as good as it did. When I started seeing all the stages being built and the character arcs – it just turned out so incredible, I’m so excited to see it.
PW: How does it differ from “Honey” with Jessica Alba?
Kat: I loved “Honey” – it was the first time you saw a movie follow a young woman on her dance journey. It wasn’t about one guy or a crew. But what I love about this script is it’s grimier, it’s grittier. It’s about this Puerto Rican chick from Brooklyn that is just getting out of juvie. Her dancing is tougher, her life is tougher — she has more to lose and everything to win. This girl’s fight was what drew me to the movie. I had to get that story out, I had to do that character. Our “Honey” is very different. The first one set an incredible bar, but I believe we raise it.
PW: You caused a little Twitter-storm when you wrote “Just got the new script for Vampire Diaries!!”
Kat: Oh yea! I love the fans, I love that it’s been months since it went off the air and they’re still chomping at the bit for the second season, which by the way is insane.
PW: Does the first episode pick up right where we left off with Elena walking into the kitchen?
Kat: Yep [laughs], it’s pretty insane. And I will say that Bonnie is really, really tough in the first episode back. She is not playing around. Bonnie will eff you up if you mess with her! She is also going to have to deal with Katherine. And that’s a whole new beast. Literally.
PW: In the finale she made a very ominous threat to Stefan — will season two see her sticking to that?
Kat: Yea. She really means that – she’s not going to help them any more.
PW: And I would imagine her powers will only continue to grow?
Kat: Oh yea, she’s going to become even stronger. But it’s important she stay vulnerable too. You don’t want someone to raise hell with no motivation behind it. You can never forget the loss of a loved one and I don’t think she’ll ever get over losing her grams. That was her rock to this world. She wouldn’t do anything simply out of a hate for vampires. I don’t think she could ever justify that.
Källa: PopWrap
Katerina Graham är med i Honey 2
För ett par veckor sedan twittrade Kat om att hon ska vara med i filmen, Honey 2. Hon har twittrat för fullt från kulisserna och vi får bara hoppas på att hon kommer att lägga upp några bilder! Kolla in den här artikeln från Black Voices och den fullständiga beskrivningen nedan. Lägg extra uppmärksamhet på efternamnet på hennes karaktär. 
The legacy of legendary dancer and choreographer Honey Daniels lives on in spirited 17-year-old Maria Bennett (Graham). After a brush with the law, Maria has returned to her gritty Bronx roots to rebuild her life with nothing but a talent for street dance and a burning ambition to prove herself. She finds refuge in the place that made her feel most alive as kid: the rec center where Honey’s exuberant classes ignited her passion for dance.
Keeping on the straight and narrow means living with her mom, Connie, and holding down a job just to make ends meet. But a rare night out at a local dance club gives her an opportunity to let loose with a joy and energy she had almost forgotten. Maria’s killer moves catch the eye of Brandon, a rec center volunteer who invites her to help him transform a group of gifted but undisciplined dancers called the HDs.
Maria’s skills also attract the attention of her old boyfriend, Luis, the charismatic leader of the award-winning 718 dance crew. Luis hopes to lure Maria back into the street world she is trying to escape, but seeing a chance to create a new and meaningful life, Maria pours her heart and soul into dance and begins training the HDs to compete on a TV dance competition. That means going up against the 718s and Luis. Like Honey before her, Maria rediscovers the thrill of dancing as she finds out who she truly is and where she belongs.
Kat Graham släpper ut sin första officiella låt på iTunes - Sassy
Stora gratulationer till den begåvade Katerina Graham! Hennes första officiella låt, "Sassy" släpptes ut på iTunes för några dagar sedan och Twitter översvämmar med fans som twittrar om låten! Gå till iTunes och lyssna på låten!
Katerina Graham - Sassy
Katerina Graham med i Justin Beiber musikvideo
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