My interview with Macaroni Kid North East Philly

Macaroni Kid (North East Philly)

November 22, 2011

Zack Montana of Radio Disney's NBT

Guest star for Philadelphia's 92nd Thanksgiving Day Parade

(Radio Disney)

Macaroni Kid got a chance to talk to Zack Montana from Radio Disney's "Next BIG Thing."  He will be one of the guest stars in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia.

Macaroni Kid: Hi Zack. 
Zack:  Hi, how's it going?

Macaroni Kid: Just great!  I know all your local fans here are thrilled that you are coming to Philadelphia for our 92nd Thanksgiving Day Parade
Zack: I'm really excited, too.  I've never been part of a Thanksgiving Parade so it should be amazing!
Macaroni Kid: Yah, that should be really great.

Macaroni Kid: It's going to be a little chillier here than you are used to.  Are you ready to bundle up?
Zack: Oh, yes, of course.  I love cold.  I just love it.

Macaroni Kid: Have you been to Philadelphia before?
Zack: No, I've never been in Philly.  Well, maybe once.  I traveled with my sister when she did pagents, but I don't think so.  I am excited just to really see it.

Macaroni Kid: Who will with you?
Zack: My Dad.  Dad's the traveler.

Macaroni Kid: What's your Dad's name?
Zack: My Dad's name is Billy.
Macaroni Kid: Thank you.

Macaroni Kid: Will you be able to get out of here to make it home in time for a Thanksgiving Day dinner with your family back in California?
Zack: Yes I will!  I'll be arriving at like six so I'll be eating dinner around about 7:30 PM.
Macaroni Kid: That works.  OK.

Macaroni Kid: When you are here will you be on the platform or a float?
Zack: I think a float. [NOTE: He'll be on the Radio Disney float.]
Macaroni Kid: You'll be singing “Serious” and “Shorty’s With Me” during the Parade? 
Zack: Yes.
Macaroni Kid: OK.  Did you write your songs?
Zack: I co-wrote them.  I gave the ideas for writing those songs.

Macaroni Kid: Do you have anything else in the works right now?
Zack: No.  I'm just waiting for the competition to be done then I'll be focusing on trying to get votes. After this I'll be in a recording studio and just writing music.

Macaroni Kid: I've heard your music described as Pop/R&B.  Would you agree with that?
Zack: I would agree with that.

Macaroni Kid: I've heard your sound compared to Justin Bieber.  Do you feel like you sound like Justin at all?
Zack: I'm trying not to sound like Justin.  I'm trying to get away from the beat because I don't want to go in that same path because he already took that path. So I'm trying to bring in new kind of style of art; I'm kind of like trying to bring the style of Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Elvis kind of thing back.
Macaroni Kid: That's some of my favorite people you're talking about, so that'll be great.
Zack: Oh yeah.

Macaroni Kid: I read that you have performed with your sister. 
Zack: She was in a Billy Ray Cyrus video with me called Somebody Said a Prayer.
Macaroni Kid: Have you two have been doing anything together since then?
Zack: No.  We're just doing brother and sister things together at home.
Macaroni Kid: That's pretty cool.
Zack: Yeah.

Macaroni Kid: When you are filming NBT, how long are you on the set?  All day?
Zack: I guess you could say that.  Sometimes we stay a little late, or go in before the shooting goes on, and it depends on how long it takes to shoot.  Sometimes it will be about six hours during the shooting process.
Macaroni Kid: How do work school into that?
Zack: Oh, well, I am homeschooled.  I meet a teacher once a week and she gives me different subjects to do. Then I can work around it.  If I can't come in one day of the week she'll just say come in next week and she'll give it to me next week.  It is so much easier than going to public school, because when I went to public school, I missed 30 days and I don't want to do that again.

Macaroni Kid: I understand you are interested in acting and have done some commercials.
Zack: Yeah, actually it's funny because I wasn't supposed to do the acting.  I was just going to follow my sister.  We're from Tampa, in Florida.  So I followed my sister with the acting over here, then I did a Hyundai commercial.  I did a Danimals commercial with Dylan and Cole Sprouse.  I did a Camp Rock commercial.  I did different types of commercials.  But then I followed it into music.

Macaroni Kid:  I've listened to your songs and really enjoyed them.  I know you have a lot of fans over here and should have some yelling, screaming girls along the parade route!
Zack: Awesome!

Macaroni Kid: Since you are going to be in Philly for Thanksgiving, could you just tell us what you are going to be most thankful for this year at Thanksgiving?
Zack: What I will be most thankful for this year at Thanksgiving is to be able to perform in Philadelphia.  Like always, spendimg time with my family, and getting to perform and show everybody what I can do.  It's going to be fun and I'm just so thankful to even get to be in this competition and just be in a parade because it's my first one and I'm excited!
Macaroni Kid: You sound excited.

Macaroni Kid: I wish you the very best and we'll have to get some votes in there for you.
Zack: Thank you very much, I appreciate that.
Macaroni Kid: You're welcome. 

Macaroni Kid: Thank you for interviewing with Macaroni Kid.  I'm really excited that I got to talk with you.
Zack: Oh, no problem.  Any time.

Macaroni Kid: Thank you.  Take care.
Zack: OK, you, too.  Bye.

PRESS RELEASE: Radio Disney AM 640 Philadelphia brings musical entertainment for kids and families to the parade featuring Season Four “N.B.T.” (Next BIG Thing) artist Zack Montana aboard the Radio Disney float. Zack, who is one of the three remaining artists in Radio Disney’s popular musical talent showcase, will perform his single “Serious,” which is currently being featured on Radio Disney and Disney Channel. The Radio Disney AM 640 Road Crew will also be at the Holiday Village with interactive entertainment and prizes.

Twitter, Tweets and Tips

Hey guys,
    First of all, I want to say how much I really love going on twitter and seeing the frenzy that is developing.  It is a very exciting time in my life.  I mean I started my twitter account in early June and I had like 18 followers for a month.  Then I had my good friend Maddie do a shout out for me and it boosted me to 500 followers. Once I started with Radio Disney's NBT, I have sky rocketed to almost 5,000 followers.  That is pretty cool.
     I get tweets from people all over the world telling me all kinds of things that make a kid like me feel great.  And I do!  I feel so special and I am forever grateful to all of my fans, friends and family that support me here on Twitter.
     I do however, want to address a few things, so I can help make things a lot easier for all of us.  I want you all to know.  I do not ignore anyone.  I appreciate anyone who takes the time to tweet me.  That means you are thinking of me.  If you take the time to think of me, I am going to take the time to respond to you.  It doesn't cost anything to be nice.
     I do not employ a team of people to be on my twitter all day and tweet frequently answered questions to all of you.  I answer my tweets and I am only 14.  I am known for my dancing and for being athletic. I don't sit still to well. LOL.  I also am not a big typer.  So, I do the best I can to respond as quickly as I can.
     If I am away from the computer for awhile and I get online, I try to go to the bottom of the page first and go from the oldest and answer all the way up to the newest.  A lot of the times I can not even get up to the top because I hit my limit. I hit it twice just today.
     I have a few tips, that I hope you don't mind reading, so this way, you won't be so frustrated when you do not get a reply right away.  If you want me to follow you, I will follow you if you ask me to one time.  If you ask me 15 times in 3 minutes, I won't we can try again the next day.  Please be polite, I am polite to you, please be polite to me.
     I will follow anyone who asks because when I say no, it would be like me saying no to you for an autograph.  So, I do follow.  If I do not follow you immediately, it is for these reasons.... you asked me a bunch of times in a short period of time, you were rude about it or I just plainly did not see it.  If it is because I did not see it ask me again at a later time.
     Direct messages or DM's..... I do not want to give anyone the wrong impression.  But, I hardly go on DM's for the simple reason, that I have a hard enough time trying to answer my tweets and facebook page.  I use DM's if I am going to call a fan and I ask for you to send a DM to me so I can privately get your phone # without anyone posting it publicly.
      Phone #'s Please don't ever post your phone # in a public reply.  It is dangerous and I do not want to ever feel bad about someone pranking you or harassing you, because you posted your # for the world to see.
      Phone Calls...... I few times a week, I try to make phone calls to people. I get asked all the time, who do I pick for phone calls.  I pick out someone who I see on my page frequently.  Who is nice, genuine, polite and someone who is always doing something nice.  Like tweeting on my behalf, or making a photo for me, or writing something very sweet to me.  Or someone who is just really supportive.  I notice those things and I will pick out a few people a few times a week to call.
      Who I will not pick to call.... I will not pick people who say, "Call me"  Or ask for me to call them repeatedly on my page.  I see you and I see people all the time who are patient and genuine.  I like to call as many people as I can. I really like to call people, because it connects me with you.  A lot of times, you can not come and see me at a show or see me at a meet and greet.  So it is my way of making a connection with you and letting you know I appreciate you.  I never want to get to a point where it becomes too stressful, where I have to stop calling.  And if I did call you, please let other people have their turn.
      I, also do not give out my # so please do not ask for me to text you or to call you from my personal #.  I just can not do that.  So please understand that and respect that. I would really appreciate it.  I honestly, appreciate all of you.  It really makes me feel super excited that all of you have supported me so much.  I am just like WOW!  I can't believe it sometimes.
      I promise that I will always do my best for you.  I practice hard, I perform hard and I will always be dedicated to my fans, because I know without you, I am nothing.  Just understand I am 14 years old.  I like to do the same things you like to do.  I love to hang out with my friends, go to the park, the movies. I like to shoot hoops and play my xBox.  Just try to understand I am one person who does the best he can to respond to everyone.
      I also have another way to reach me that is a little more personal and interactive.  You can join me on facebook at www.facebook.com/TheOfficialZackMontana Thank all of you so much for reading this and I look forward to tweeting with you soon! Follow your dreams

~Zack