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Play is: Anais Lameche, Anna Sundstrand, Rosie Munter,
and Janet Leon, four teenaged girls who are creating fresh sounds for today's youth. Though the group is based in Stockholm,
the capital of Sweden, the appeal of Play's music is universal.
With the release of Don't Stop The Music, Play comes
into its own as a musical force to be reckoned with. The successor to 2003's Replay and the first Play album to feature new
member Janet Leon, Don't Stop The Music combines Play's trademark lush vocal harmonies with infectious R&B-influenced
grooves, multi-layered production magic, and new levels of musical confidence and sophistication.
Don't Stop The Music
opens with "everGirl" (which will be available as a commercial CD single). An irresistible pop R&B anthem of self-esteem
and self-discovery, "everGirl" serves as the official theme song for Nickelodeon's lifestyle brand of the same name--providing
Play fans the world over a series of musical hooks to hang their dreams on:
"everDreams, everTrue, everCool, everYou,
everPower, everProud, Just say it everLoud...." "everGirl"
The album's first radio track is "Every Little Step," featuring
guest artist Aaron Carter. Play first worked with Aaron on the successful multi-act tour "TEENick Presents: Aaron's Party"
during the summer of 2001.
The tracks for Don't Stop The Music were produced by: Bill Padley and Jem Godfrey (who
worked on "Whole Again" and "The Tide Is High," both international smash hits for Atomic Kitten) for Wise Buddah Music London
("Girls Can Too" and "Hand In Hand"); Hitvision for Murlyn Music ("everGirl," "Hard Knock Life," and "Ain't No Mountain High
Enough"); Peter Kvint for Jailhouse Productions ("Don't Stop The Music," "Every Little Step" featuring Aaron Carter, and "Seven");
Ric Wake (Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey), Richie Jones (Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Anastacia), Billy Mann (writer/producer
for Pink's "God Is A DJ" and cowriter of Jessica Simpson's smash, "With You") and Supa'flyas ("You Found Me") and Ric Wake
and Richie Jones for W%26R Group ("Another Love Story").
Play is co-managed by Mathew Knowles--the founder of Music
World Entertainment, President of Music World Entertainment/Sanctuary Urban Holding Company, and guiding light behind Play's
labelmates in Destiny's Child--and Laila Bagge, the woman who discovered the members of Play in Sweden.
Play came
together under the auspices of Laila and her husband, the songwriter/producer Anders "BAG" Bagge, who'd been responsible for
hits by Jessica Simpson ("Irresistible" with Arnthor Birgisson), 98', Jennifer Lopez, Samantha Mumba, and the teenage Swedish
singing sensation Amanda. It turned out Amanda's sister Anais--who speaks French, Swedish, Spanish and English--had her own
highly-developed vocal abilities. Laila had a vision for a new girl group, a fresh young sound for the 21st century, and next
recruited Anna--a relative of the legendary Swedish actress Greta Garbo--from the more than 1,000 students in a dance school
run by Laila. With Anais and Anna in place, it was time to round out the sound of Play.
Auditions for Play drew more
than 700 applicants, among them Rosie--who had already achieved Scandinavian stardom for her lead role in the film "Eve and
Adam." The auditions consisted of singing, dancing, and interviews. And when the four girls of Play sang together, the chemistry
was right, the sound was magical.
Play received an RIAA gold certification for the group's self-titled mini-album
in June 2002. That disc hit #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers new album chart and became the #1 selling item at Limited Too
shops chainwide for six weeks that summer. The group's first single, the spirited pop anthem, "Us Against The World," topped
Nickelodeon's online fan-based program "Nick Picks" several times. Play scored an additional hit on Radio Disney with "I'm
Gonna Make You Love Me," a gorgeous remake of the Motown classic featuring Chris Trousdale of Dream Street. The group also
dueted with Lil Fizz of the group B2K for "M.A.S.T.E.R., Part 2" a single from the soundtrack of The Master Of Disguise -
Music From the Motion Picture. A Play home video, Playin' Around The World, was released on DVD and VHS in the first quarter
of 2003.
In addition to a European tour opening for Destiny's Child, Play have logged many miles across North America.
Stateside audiences first got a peek at Play in the summer of 2001 on the "TEENick Presents: Aaron's Party," a multi-act tour
featuring Aaron Carter. Next, Play shared the bill with rising star Solange and Devin on the Young Pop Power Tour sponsored
by L.E.I. Jeans/Davidoff Cool Water in March 2002. The summer of 2002 was also spent on tour: Play headlined Limited Too's
Passion for Fashion show and then hit the road with the A-Teens and Baha Men. Play capped 2002 by performing "I'm Gonna Make
You Love Me" at New York's Herald Square during the 76th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The teens cruised the 2 *
mile parade route on a float sponsored by Build-A-Bear Workshop.
Although the young women of Play blend their voices
seamlessly, their personalities are quite distinct. Anna is "the cute one," who, prior to joining Play, appeared in the musical
Annie. This petite teenager is famous for her upbeat, enthusiastic personality. She respects the music of Michael Jackson
and Justin Timberlake and enjoys swimming, horseback riding and surfing the Internet in her free time.
Anais is "the
wild one" who isn't afraid of expressing her opinion. She comes from a musical family and cites her mother and sister as her
biggest musical influences. Prior to joining Play, she performed the role of Rizzo in the musical Grease. "I really wanted
to have a singing career rather than a theater career," she says. "All four of us feel the same way." Yet despite all her
ambition and success, Anais remains a typical teenager who admits that she's never far from her cell phone.
There's
Rosie, the teen christened "the funny one" by her fellow members of Play. Musically, she enjoys the rock licks of The Strokes
and The Hives, who are also a Swedish import. Like Anais, Rosie is very attached to her cell phone.
In late 2003,
Play welcomed new member Janet Leon to the group and began work on Don't Stop The Music.
Janet, a native of Goteborg,
Sweden, was both a longtime friend of the group and a dedicated fan of Play's music. An extremely talented vocalist and performer
in her own right, Janet had submitted a demo to Play founder/co-manager Laila Bagge a couple of years ago. When original Play
member Faye Hamlin decided to leave the group in order to return to school, the remaining members--Anais Lameche, Anna Sundstrand,
and Rosie Munter--felt that Janet Leon would be an ideal choice for the group's new line-up.
Each of the members of
Play has her own feelings about the songs on Don't Stop The Music. "I have a really strong feeling for 'Hand In Hand,'" says
Play's Anna. "It's all about trusting each other, which I think is really important." Anais finds her groove on "Girls Can
Too," admitting that "I love the fact that it's so catchy and jumpy. Every time Rosie and I hear that song, we can't help
ourselves! We're totally on the floor and dancing like maniacs!" New member Janet really likes "You Found Me" "...because
it has a little touch of R&B and a nice beat. I think it's a cool song." Meanwhile, Rosie's favorite song on the album
is, appropriately enough, "Don't Stop The Music." "I love what it stands for," she offers. "I always get so happy by listening
to it."
And when Play's fans hear Don't Stop The Music, they'll feel the same way. They have also came out with 2 more cds called Play Around The Christmas Tree which came out November
23,2004, and Girls Mind which was a greatest hits cd.
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Full Name: Anaïs
Helena Lameche(17)
Birthday: August
19th, 1987
Sibs: One older
sister Amanda & 3 younger half sisters
Pets: 1 Chihuahua,
Maddox
Hair color:
Champagne blonde
Eyes: Green
Favorite Color: Pink
(!)
Favorite artist:
gosh soo many...
Favorite food:
Seafood, Sushi
Favorite ice cream:
Peanut butter cup
Favorite word or phrase:
"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"
What time does your alarm
clock go off?: 7am
Favorite subject in school:
Nothing in particular..
What do you do when you're
bored?: I cuddle with my dog
Favorite clothes:
Shoes and purses..does it count?
What's your biggest fear:
World war..
Crush: Private
Favorite Song:
Splender - I think God Can Explain
Favorite Movie:
Zoolander
Favorite Book:
The Da Vinci Code
TV Show: Amish
in the City
Favorite Sport:
Tennis
Favorite Clothing Accessory:
Watches..
Favorite Make-up Accessory/color:
Bronzer blush
Hobbies: (exept
for singing) Design
Favorite Cause/Important
Issue: Kids in Africa...
Biggest Influence in
life: Mother and Sister
This information is as of January
'05. Thank you Anais and play-mania.com for the updated answers!
How compatible are you with Anais? Find your
sign below!
Sign: Leo
Most Compatible With: Sagittarius
and Aries
Somewhat Compatible With: Virgo, Libra, Gemini, and Cancer
Least Compatible With: Scorpio, Aquarius, and Taurus
Neutral
With: Pisces and Capricorn
Anna Maria Carolina Sundstrand(16)
Birthday: February 22 1989
Sibs: 1 big brother
Hair color: Dirty blonde/blonde
Eyes: Blue
Favorite Color: Blue
Pets: Don't have any!
Favorite Artist: Janet Jackson
Favorite food: Chinese Food
Favorite ice cream: Sorbet
Favorite word or phrase: "Everything's gonna
be ok!"
What time does your alarm clock go off?:
8am
Favorite subject in school: Swedish
What do you do when you're bored: Play on
the computer
Favorite clothes: Printed tops and pants.
I love colors!
What's your biggest fear?: War and not being
with my family
If you could be any animal, what kind of
animal would you be?: A Dolphin
Pet/Favorite animal: Horse
Crush: Justin Timberlake
Favorite Song: Survivor
Favorite Movie: Charlie's Angels
Favorite book: The First Prince
Favorite TV Show: Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Favorite Clothing Accessory: Glasses, Rings
Favorite Make-up Accessory/color: Natural
look, pink lipgloss
Hobbies: Dance/Ride Horses
Favorite Cause/Important Issue: Homeless
Children
Biggest Influence in Life: Mother
Embarrassing moment: "One time I was in a
toystore, and by accident I knocked the shelf down with all the toys. I just wanted to disappear."
Thanks to radiodisney.com
for facts :)
How compatible are you with Anna? Find your
sign below.
Sign: Pisces
Most Compatible With: Scorpio and Cancer
Somewhat Compatible With: Capricorn, Aquarius,
Aries, and Taurus
Least Compatible With: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius
Neutral With: Leo and Libra
Name: Janet Ava Leon
Age: 14
Birthday:
October 19th 1990
From: Gothenburg, Sweden
Siblings: Only child
Favorite Subject: Math
Favorite
Color: Baby blue
Was officially a member of Play: October 2003
Interests:
Singing & dancing, music, theatre and soccer
Age she started performing: 7 years old
Known
PLAY through: Anaïs
Fun Facts: Janet is Iranian. She's also a Christian. Her parents are both
from Iran and lived in Sweden for 20 years and they lived in the US for 2 years.. Janet lived in Sweden all her life.
Started playing the violin when she was 4
years old.. but stopped when she was 8, cuz she got tired of it and didn't think it was fun anymore!
When Janet was 12 she was in a band called
Walking Spanish .. it was 2 girls and 2 boys, and they played at festivals and restaurants. You can see a pic of Janet in
Walking Spanish, HERE !!! (Thx Meike who found it)
She started dancing when she was 6. She did
samba, hip-hop, ballet, cha-cha, belly dancing and some more!!
Janet HATES tomatoes and pickles!
These are questions that I got off from play-mania.com
that Lisa asked janet.
Whats your fave movie?
Meet the parents
Whats your fave book to read? The art of happiness by Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler
Whats
your fave food? Tacos
Whats your fave ice cream flavor? Vanilla Haägen Daaz
Do you
have a fave song off the old PLAY CDs? 11 out of 10, I love that song.
Whats your fave type of music?
I dont really hve a favorit type, I listen to everything:)
Fave song on the radio right now? D12's new
song, My band.
Do you have a personal quote? There can be miracles when you believe.
Can you
tell us a song you performed w/ your old band 'Walking Spanish'? We mostly did our own songs, but one of the song
we did was done by Janis Joplin, called Move over.
Rosie Bella Victoria Eriksdotter Munter(17)
Birthday: September 26 1987
Hair color: Dirty blonde/blonde
Eyes: blue
Favorite Color: Pink
Pets: Don't have any!
Siblings: I have 2 half brothers
Favorite movie: Legally Blonde
Best book ever: An Unexpected Holiday
Favorite Artist: Michael Jackson
Favorite food: Thai Food
Favorite ice cream: Haagen Daz Caramel Ice
Cream
Favorite word or phrase: "Don't worry, be
happy!"
What time does your alarm clock go off: 8am
Favorite subject in school: English
What do you do when you're bored?: Sleep
Favorite clothes: Hats and skirts
What's your biggest fear?: To be all alone
with no friends and family
If you could be any animal, what kind of
animal would you be?: A monkey.That seems to be a lot of fun!
Favorite animal: Dolphin
Crush: Usher
Favorite Song: Survivor
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Sport: European Football
Favorite Clothing Accessory: Hats and Belts
Favorite Make-up Accessory/color: Natural,
pink lipgloss
Hobbies: dancing and singing
Favorite Cause/Important Issue: starving
children
Biggest Influence in Life: Mother
Embarrassing moment: " I was walking in New
York when I noticed that everyone was staring at me. I looked in a window to see what was wrong. Then I discovered that my
top was broken and was down by my waist. So, I've been walking around with only my bra."
Thx to radiodisney.com for
facts
How compatible
are you with Rosie?
Sign: Libra
Most Compatible With: Aquarius and Gemini
Somewhat Compatible With: Scorpio, Sagittarius,
Leo, and Virgo
Least Compatible With: Aries, Capricorn, and Cancer
Neutral With: Pisces and Taurus
Faye Matilda Dagmar Hamlin (17) (former member)
Birthday: October 23 1987
Hair color: Red
Eyes: Green
Favorite Color: Red & purple
Siblings: One brother and one sister
Favorite movie: Crybaby
Best book ever: Summer Sister
Favorite Artist: Destiny's Child & Alicia Keys
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite ice cream: Licorice
Favorite word or phrase:"What goes around comes
around, so you better behave!"
What time does your alarm clock go off?: 8:30am
and then I'm really tired.
Favorite subject in school: English
What do you do when you're bored?: Watch tv and
just chill
Favorite clothes: My blue punk top
What's your biggest fear?: To be without
PLAY
If you could be any animal, what kind of animal
would you be?: A Giraffe!
Favorite animal: Giraffe
Crush: Lil Bow Wow
Favorite Song: I Will Always Love You
Favorite TV Show: Friends
Favorite Sport: European Football
Favorite Clothing Accessory: Rings
Favorite Make-up Accessory/color: Natural, soft
colors
Hobbies: Singing, dancing and being with friends
Favorite Cause/Important Issue: Children with cancer
Biggest Influence in life: Sister
How compatible are you with Faye? Find your sign
below.
Sign: Libra
Most Compatible With: Aquarius and
Gemini
Somewhat Compatible With: Scorpio, Sagittarius, Leo, and Virgo
Least Compatible With: Aries, Capricorn, and Cancer
Neutral
With: Pisces and Taurus
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