James Maslow of Big Time Rush may have “hated” being in a kids’ choir when he was six, but the experience turned out to be the start to an amazing musical career. Find out more about James right here on Kidzworld!
- Name: James Maslow
- Age: 20
- Hometown: La Jolla, CA
- Musical Influences: John Mayer, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Jack Johnson
- Interests: Football, surfing, climbing, snowboarding
Kids’ Choir
At the urging of his mother, James got his first taste of performing in the San Diego Children’s Choir when he was just six years old. He admits he hated it in the beginning, but singing soon grew on him and became one of his life’s passions. In eighth grade, he decided to perfect his craft at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts, despite the 1.5-hour commute each day. It paid off, with roles in Grease, Les Miserables and iCarly, which marked his television debut.
James Maslow
Making it "Big Time"
Nickelodeon searched the country for four guys with major talent. They needed to be awesome at acting AND singing - no easy feat. But James was a shoe in, given that he’s been performing since he was six. James was a part of the Big Time Rush auditioning process from the start, surviving round after round, and enduring two years of the overall undertaking. “It took a while, and there were definitely times when I thought the show was not going to go, but we kept holding on, because it was a project that involved singing,” he recalls. “Even though we didn’t know exactly what it would be at that point, it was really intriguing.”
James Maslow
All-Star Advice
Fast-forward to a hit show on Nickelodeon and a debut album out on Columbia Records...what’s James’ advice to aspiring actors and musicians? “Those who have some gifts should really work to develop them,” he says. “I believe a lot of is recognizing that and working at it, especially if you have the talent to back it up.”
On Tour
Now, thanks to the success of the show, James along with his co-starsKendall Schmidt, Logan Henderson and Carlos Pena make up a real official boy band, touring the country and putting on live performances for hundreds of adoring fans! Will you see James and the band if they stop in your town?
James Says:
- “This is the most fun I’ve had in my life. I can’t believe it’s my job.”
- “I want [success] just as bad as [my character on the show], but I want it because I enjoy singing and acting. I know the show will give me the opportunity to continue to do this for the rest of my life as long as we do a good job.”
- “We’ve been able to put our own flavor into the show, about us becoming a band in real life, as well as in the episodes.”
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