Celeb News: Kendall on Steven Spielberg, BTR's fate & HD Tour

James Maslow

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Did you know that Big Time Rush lead singer and actor Kendall Schmidt is also the front-man for the band Heffron Drive? Awesome! What’s even more cool is that starting on November 23rd, Kendall and Heffron Drive are about to embark on their first-ever US tour!

Celebrity Teen Scoop recently chatted with Kendall about Heffron Drive’s upcoming tour, how “life experiences” and “falling in and out of love” inspire his songs, and what it was like growing up with two brothers who are also actors. He also discussed the future of Big Time Rush!

CTS: Tell us about your new project Heffron Drive. What inspired this project?

Kendall: “The Heffron Drive project is a big of a rehashing, because I first started making tracks for it when I had just turned 18. My buddy, Dustin, and I wrote a lot of the songs for it together and I did a lot of the production. Then Big Time Rush came up and I booked the show, because, of course, when an opportunity like that comes up, you take it. During that time, Heffron Drive sort of went to the side. Now it’s been four or five years since and I have a little bit of free time, so I’m using it to continue my music career.”

CTS: Tell us a little about the type of music you play for Heffron Drive.

Kendall: “Yes! It is going to be a good mix of electro-pop and alt. It’s kind of hard to say anything, because I’ve been writing a bunch of new songs and thinking about where I am going to put the old songs and new songs in the set list. I have to make sure all of the songs sound like they can go together, because I am continuing to come up with a lot of different kinds of songs. I think that’s also what makes it fun. I am trying to make it a fun show for the intimate setting we have at the venues.

CTS: You’re a songwriter at heart. How do you come up with material for new songs?

Kendall: “Life experiences, falling in and out of love, all of that kind of stuff. In writing, I think that it is important to write things that are actually happening to you. There are professional songwriters who are really amazing and talented at what they do, but they write songs every day. I am certain that it might be hard to draw from places of emotion every single day. I am also sure that it will be hard for me at some point, because everyone gets a little bit of writer’s block every once in a while. For me, I usually just end up writing about something that happened to me or something that I am dealing with, and the words just kind of show themselves. The music comes naturally, because I’ve always been able to convey to others my ideas in a musical melody. It usually happens pretty quickly.”

CTS: You’re, of course, also the lead singer of Big Time Rush. How do you plan to balance both bands?

Kendall: “Fortunately, I have a little bit of time. There is some talk of things coming up, but, obviously, I can’t really mention it until it is for sure happening. The fortunate thing about being in music is that there are times to do multiple things at once. I am looking forward to doing Big Time Rush if there are opportunities to be had, and I also look forward to carrying on with Heffron Drive at the same time.”

CTS: Your two brothers (Kenneth and Kevin) are both actors as well. What’s it like growing up in a family of actors? How did you get your start in acting? Do you plan to continue acting now that you will be playing in two bands?

Kendall: “I had the most normal childhood you could have while being in that situation, even though it wasn’t a very normal childhood in the sense that I was constantly running around and going to auditions and my parents were flying back and forth sharing time with us. My childhood was not ‘normal’ in that sense, but I did also play AYSO soccer and Pop Warner Football in Kansas. I grew up there and have my roots there. Growing up out here was sort of the same thing, except that I was meeting a lot of interesting people, some better than others. You grow up, work hard, and hopefully something good happens. After 14 years, something really great happened with Big Time Rush! You just have to work hard and put the time in.

My interest in acting was sparked because my older brother started acting, then my middle brother started acting, and I followed suit. It seemed like the only thing to do and it’s the best way to have fun and be creative. In regard to whether I still plan on acting while playing in two bands, I do plan to. I am twenty three years old, so I feel like I have a lot of time left to do all sorts of things.”

CTS: Tell us what’s going on with Big Time Rush. Any shows or new albums coming up?

Kendall: “There has been a lot of talk about projects going on, and it’s been an interesting time. We’ve been going balls out for like four and a half years, so I think that it is appropriate for us all to take a second to breathe and figure out what we’re going to do. Of course, the fans will be the first people to know our next plans. I think they should be happy though, because everyone is trying to achieve some dreams on their own, and I think that is important. The fans should appreciate the fact that they are going to have four times the fun stuff to look forward to! Carlos is doing a movie and everybody is doing all kinds of projects. I am excited for the future and I think Big Time Rush has a lot of potential to keep doing stuff, and I would love to be a part of it.”

CTS: What do you like to do for fun? Do you have any hobbies? Do you like to spend time with family and friends? Are you close with your brothers?

Kendall: “I love collecting equipment. I don’t know how many artists build their own rigs and stuff, but I’ve been building all my equipment that I take on tour, and I’ve also been assembling it myself. I also went and got a new recording microphone the other day, because when the thing is 30 years old it is going to be so cool it will sound so great. I love collecting vintage gear and stuff like that. In addition, I like horses, horseback riding, going to the range, and doing all the activities that come along with growing up in Kansas. I spend most of my time hanging out with family and friends. I live with my family still, so I spend a lot of time with them. I also like cars, but I don’t collect them.”

CTS: When you were 9 years old and on the set of A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), Steven Spielberg and the cast surprised you with a birthday cake decorated with Star Wars figures. What a cool memory! What was that like?

Kendall: “I don’t remember the last time I saw the video, but someone had filmed a video of it happening. A few years ago, I looked back on the video and I looked so calm and collected. I know it is because I was nine years old and didn’t understand the significance of what was happening. Fortunately, I have very vivid memories that I can look back on without having to watch the video. It was a very cool experience, and I often wonder if he still remembers me. I haven’t tried to make an effort to meet him again. He didn’t do that for everybody and it was so cool. I think he remembers it too, because that was a pretty significant thing to do for someone’s tenth birthday.”

CTS: Do you have any new and exciting projects to tell us about? Where will we see you next?

Kendall: “I am working on music all the time and I’ve been writing a lot. I am excited about having new music for me to listen to in general. I know that sounds funny, but I don’t think anyone hears my songs as much as I do, because I play them a million times to make sure they are perfect. My brother is still working on his major film and I am excited to be a part of it when that comes into fruition. I am busy, busy, busy! There are so many projects. The tour is the next thing I’m thinking about, because it entails a lot of planning in a very short period of time. my mind is pretty focused that.”

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I hope he slays with HD