Big Time Rush is back together and embracing a whole new chapter of music as the band drops its first single in nearly eight years. Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Logan Henderson and Carlos PenaVega got real with PopCulture.com about their reunion and next steps as a band before dropping “Call It Like I See It” on Dec. 13.
Preparing for their performance at the iHeart Jingle Ball on Dec. 13, as well as sold-out shows in Chicago and New York City, Maslow told PopCulture the guys are “psyched” to be putting together a brand new show with the perfect combination of new music and moves as well as old classics fans fell in love with. “I mean, every aspect of it has been so much fun,” he said. “I know that we all keep having these moments – we’re looking around during a run-through being like, ‘Oh, my lord. We’re doing this.’ It’s so exciting being back at it.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
Getting everyone back together has been a process that’s taken years, PenaVega shared. “We started the conversations I’d say a little over two years ago,” he recalled. “I don’t think each one of us was ready at the same time. It was one and three, or two and two, or three and one.” He continued that it was important for everyone to have “gone off and [do] what they wanted to do” before coming back together as a band.
“I think we knew that we wanted to do Big Time Rush again at some point,” PenaVega added. “We just didn’t know exactly when.” Over the past two years, Schmidt, Maslow, Henderson and PenaVega have been “evolving” as musicians as well, figuring out who they are and what their sound is, both individually and together.
“Well, I mean, what is the new Big Time Rush? The new Big Time Rush is… I mean, I just think we’ve got more experience,” Schmidt considered. “Obviously our music tastes have evolved over time.” With a lot of “soul-searching” and time growing up from the young men they were on the original Nickelodeon show, Schmidt said it felt like everyone was in the “right place in their life” when they decided to reunite.
“And then the other thing was we had to figure out how to do it because it’s complicated, the whole thing is complicated,” he continued, with PenaVega chiming in playfully, “Who’s going to pay for it?” In addition to the business side of the band’s comeback, PenaVega said a major part of Big Time Rush’s new chapter was making sure the music was “genuinely, 100% coming from us four.”
“That’s what this round is,” he continued. “It is us writing, creating everything from the music to choreography, to the teams we bring on.” Everyone in Big Time Rush also wanted to make sure the reunion wasn’t an obligation to revisit the past, but as “Let’s just go and have fun.” PenaVega explained, “Because of that perspective and mindset, we’re having the best time ever. And I think the music and the show and everything is better because of that.”
Henderson chimed in, “And we’re in our prime. This is the spot. This is the chance to really give it to them.” With new music written by all four bandmates, Schmidt said Big Time Rush is ready to create a new part of the band’s legacy. “I don’t think we would work this hard just to play old songs and milk the nostalgia,” he said. “We are 100% committed to reinserting ourselves into the modern zeitgeist.”
PenaVega added, “I just think Big Time Rush, we were always in the very beginning the underdog, and we kind of had to kind of claw our way up and just make it happen. And I’m excited to see us fit into this new music world eight years later because I think it’s going to be something new, fresh. And I’m hoping that we can get some people jumping in their seats.” Listen to “Call It Like I See It” and get tour details here.
