RED CARPET INTERVIEWS: Music & Charity Collide At Salvation Army's "Rock The Red Kettle" Concert In Los Angeles
/Headliner-Becky G performing at Salvation Army's "Rock The Red Kettle" Concert in Los Angeles on December 6th, 2014 (Paul DeBaun/Roman's Rap-Up).
On December 6th at L.A. Live, The Salvation Army hosted a concert event to raise money and awareness for homeless families. Up-and-coming acts like Becky G, Shawn Mendes, R5, and Bea Miller headlined the show with openers Exist Elsewhere and Josh Levi. On the red carpet, we were able to speak with Bea Miller, R5, and Becky G to catch up with them about new projects and and their reasons for giving back.
R5 performing at Salvation Army's "Rock The Red Kettle" Concert in Los Angeles on December 6th, 2014 (Paul DeBaun/Roman's Rap-Up).
The first major performance of the night was the family band R5. Their performance electrified the crowd with their raw energy and enthusiasm, especially when they closed their set with their new hit “Smile.” When asked about their new single “Smile” on the red carpet, Riker and Ross Lynch replied that this was their favorite song they have recorded so far. They love the song’s message, and it was a blast to record. Additionally, they talked about how honored they were to be performing for such as noble cause and spoke about the importance of giving back to their community.
Next up was the 15 year old former X-Factor contestant Bea Miller. Miller rocked the house with her powerful voice, performing hits like “Young Blood” and “Enemy Fire.” When asked about her upcoming debut album—set to be released in 2015—Bea eagerly expressed her pride over one of her new songs off the new album, “Paper Doll.” She spoke about how the song’s message is to not let other people control your decisions and to be your own person.
Shawn Mendes performing at Salvation Army's "Rock The Red Kettle" Concert in Los Angeles on December 6th, 2014 (Paul DeBaun/Roman's Rap-Up).
After Bea Miller, Shawn Mendes was warmly greeted with a multitude of screaming fans armed with many colorful of posters. Mendes’ performance was different than the other acts in the sense that he performed an acoustic set: just him and his guitar. Mendes performed new songs such as “Strings Attached” from his upcoming album, mash ups of different songs that made him famous on Vine, and his hit singles “Life of the Party” and “Something Big.” With just the power of his crystal-clear voice and guitar, Mendes seemed to hypnotize the audience. So much so that he was even able to ask the audience to become completely silent so that he could he heard without a microphone; they happily obliged.
After Shawn Mendes’ compelling performance, Becky G hit the stage to end this concert with a bang. Performing hits like “Shower” and “Built For This,” Becky G wowed the crowd with her awesome dance moves and effortless stage presence. When asked about her song “Built For This” being included on the new version of Just Dance, Becky G replied how surreal it was and how she looked forward to actually playing the game. Additionally, Rock the Red Kettle was a special performance for this young singer. When asked what her Red Kettle Reason was she remarked about her humble upbringing and the importance of organizations like The Salvation Army in the lives of the homeless.
Rock the Red Kettle was truly a unique event. Not only was it an exciting concert, but a powerful call to do good this holiday season. The Salvation Army channeled the power of these new, talented performers into encouraging young people to give back to their communities and help those in need. Undeniably, this event illustrates the huge capacity music has to inspire people to help one another.
Check out our interviews with R5, Bea Miller & Becky G from the red carpet below:
