TWIST just hung out with Tony Oller and Malcolm Kelley of MKTO! They dished to us about how they met, their new single, and their upcoming album. Check out our exclusive convo and video below!
XOXO,
TWIST
TWIST: How did you guys come together to create MKTO?
Tony Oller: We originally met on a TeenNick show called Gigantic where we played best friends.
Malcolm Kelley: It was a lot of fun.
TO: We had a lot of down time on the show and we both had a common interest for music. We took the down time we had to write music and do covers on YouTube.
TWIST: Tell us about your single "Thank You." What does it mean to you guys?
MK: It's a fun song. We were just singing about the times we're living in now with school and the presidential election. We wanted to make it catchy but heartfelt at the same time, so I think that brought a good message across.
TWIST: What it was like making the music video?
MK: Chris Mars did a great job. We were out on Wilshire [Boulevard in LA] on top of a Range Rover, just partying and doing like graffiti on the wall type stuff. They had it set up in a day's time span and we just knocked it out. It was just so much fun. Our friends were there and our producers came through so it was a family environment.
TO: Yeah it was cool getting our friends involved.
MK: It was fun.
TWIST: Are you more focused on singing or acting right now?
MK: They go hand in hand, but we're focused on our music right now.
TO: I have a movie that I did called The Purge with Ethan Hawke that comes out at the end of May. When time gives itself we'll get back into acting but right now we're just focused on our music.
TWIST: How do music and acting compare to you guys?
TO: It's funny because they seem to be really similar.
MK: They are. The only difference is that I like being on stage. You put it all out there and it's one shot. There's so much love and energy from all of the fans. With acting you get a couple takes and you have a chance to re-do stuff. It's just about that "all right now."
TWIST: What's it like to be in a group with one of your best friends?
MK: It's fun. It's easy -- it just flows. Being up on stage, I know who's over there on the other side.
TO: It's just fun! We dreamed about this. We'd be in our dressing room looking in the mirror like, "Dude, there are people, you go over there, I'll go over here." Cut to two years later and it's just crazy what life brings you, because we're just best friends having fun.
TO: Surreal, so surreal.
TWIST: Do each of you have a favorite song that you have done?
TO: What's cool about this record is that we had the opportunity to do solo songs within the album. I wrote a song that was really close to me that was called "Wasted." It's a really nice song, a "Someone Like You" kind of ballad. It's something I was really proud of.
MK: I did one called "Nowhere." Eric Bellinger came in and wrote it with me. It's pretty dope. It's up-tempo.
TO: Our album's so diverse. It's really everything. I love it.
MK: Yeah, slow songs, pop - our writers are so dope. Eman and Evan Bogart, they definitely know how to just let us help. We also helped write the single, "Thank You," so it's just them giving us the opportunity.
TWIST: What's next for you guys?
MK: Our album's coming out later in the year. It's really dope.
TO: We're just excited because right now it's just kind of all coming over to the States. We're getting out on radio here, which is amazing because we started originally in New Zealand and Australia. In Australia we're number two or three on iTunes right now. It's doing awesome out there! We're going to Australia after this so we're really excited so we're just going wherever they tell us and we're just excited to perform.
MK: Our album's going to be dope, too. We've got Ne-Yo on there. I'm just so excited for us to be performing our whole album in front of everybody. Can't wait for everybody to hear it.
TO: It's just fun. It's so surreal. Everything we do is.
MK: Just gets better and better!
Photo: Courtesy of Danielle Pozsonyi