It’s that time of year again! iHeartRadio’s famous Jingle Ball has come and gone with nothing but amazing reviews as usual. This years line-up consisted of fresh faced stars such as Alessia Cara, Daya, and Shawn Mendes, all the way to former One Direction member Niall Horan, Ariana Grande, DNCE which includes former Jonas Brother pop star Joe Jonas, Tove Lo, Ellie Goulding, and even Diplo who got the crowd really dancing by the end of the night.

Fortunately, I had the wonderful opportunity to get a behind the scenes look on the show with Dirty Water Media and even talk with a few of the performers. Although we did not get a chance to talk with Diplo, Ariana, Ellie, or Niall, we heard from Alessia, Daya, Shawn, and DNCE. Personally, I got to speak with Daya, where she told me that opening Boston’s 2016 Jingle Ball was one of the best openings she's had because she couldn’t see an empty seat in the crowd. Also, I got to speak with DNCE where they decided that Cole is the best dressed member of the band. My best friend talked with Tove Lo again this year who is always an amazing person to hear from. She gave us a little insight on her style and was super nice and down to Earth. In addition, we heard from Alessia Cara who is almost a replica of a young Alicia Keys with her no makeup, natural and fresh face. Alessia is a young upcoming star who is a great role model for kids because her passion for human acceptance and self-motivation was crystal clear.

Observing the stars backstage and the other interviews being conducted others around us proved just how normal celebrities are. At the end of the day, these celebrities feel no more or less human than you or me and that is one of the most important points to remember in the communications field. From this experience, I’ve learned that treating celebrities just as you would your friend is the best way to conduct a successful interview.

Being a journalism major, I was able to enjoy the company of the other media outlets. In addition, this opportunity is great practice and experience because not only are we doing hands-on work but we are surrounded by other media outlets on the red carpet as well, the Suffolk Voice included. Being backstage with these other outlets gave us access to see first hand not just what reporters and journalists do, but what photographers, filmers, and radio hosts do as well. It’s very interesting to immerse yourself in the work that not just you but your co-workers plan to do as well. Learning all trades of the field or at least having an appreciation for them will also enhance your understanding of your job.

Anyways!

As everyone backstage was patiently waiting for the next star to come backstage, we (the media) were all secretly not patient at all and counting down the minutes until the next star was coming through. We were watching the show from the backstage TV. As we were watching the performances happen live on TV, we could here the band from where we were which was super cool. However, no matter how much fun you are having, we were still “working” and had to keep a professional act most of the time.