ORLANDO, Fla. – Releasing their latest music video “Special Treatment” at Planet Hollywood, Orlando’s newest heartthrobs, No Lonely Hearts, said the video premiere party is special and memorable, to say the least.
Guests ranging from the “Who’s Who” in local radio and television to legendary producers and record executives all showed up Monday night for the VIP screening.
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A&R Executive for KDS Platinum Records Tony Wilkins was thrilled at the turnout.
“It was great to see the Who’s Who of the Central Florida music scene at the video premiere of ‘Special Treatment,’” said Wilkins. “No Lonely Hearts has tremendous energy and were very personal with the guests. Planet Hollywood’s atmosphere made it a very special night to top it off and the guests really enjoyed the singing and video from NLH!”
The venue, known as the launching spot for boybands NSYNC, O-Town and Backstreet Boys, is like a rite of passage for the group.
NSYNC and Backstreet Boys soared to megastar status after their starts in the early 90s right here in the City Beautiful.
Johnny Wright, the legendary music manager and CEO of Wright Entertainment Group (WEG), says after working with the KDS Platinum Records group, Planet Hollywood felt like the perfect place to launch the new video.
“Seeing the success of prior boybands here, we wanted to start with the same kind of support and really provide unique content in this amazing space to turn this night into something really special,” he said.
After a few hours of interviews and pictures, complete with commentary livestreamed for the fans, it was time for the big reveal.
The dome ceiling of the iconic venue displayed the new video, produced, written and shot by the CEO and founder of Just Anotha Smash Ent., multiplatinum producer Dakari, to the party VIPs and Planet Hollywood patrons.
The video, available on YouTube, has little hints of nostalgia to it. Much like Elvis’ Graceland home, the theme of the music video is centered around the boys’ Orlando home, known as The Heartland.
The video tells the story of a day in the life of one lucky fan, played by leading lady Haile Cloutier, who lives out the ultimate fan dream — meeting the band at their home.
Cloutier gets “Special Treatment” with a glam makeover and special dinner, topping off the night with a special spot on centerstage, surrounded by the five dreamboats who serenade her with the song’s catchy and upbeat lyrics.
Dakari, known for his work with LFO, NSYNC, Smilez & Southstar, Aaron Carter and Jordan Knight — to name a few — has worked with the band closely, from writing the song to producing the music video. Dakari said the old and new feeling fans get from this piece was all part of the creative process.
“We were very intentional on the nostalgic feeling and sound, but with a modern twist,” he said.
Wait, was that a rap verse we heard?
“It was so fun to give the guys the opportunity to add the rap to the song,” Dakari said. “Alex and Dillon worked together on the lyrics and then Alex performed it.”
The group even had all the right moves, despite another challenge.
“They had a lot of great choreography to learn in a short period of time, but they did it and I was very proud of how they stepped up to make that happen,” Dakari said.
Even after the video stopped playing, the band kept going. The five friends continued to melt hearts with tableside serenades to guests who were celebrating birthdays.
“Boybands of the past broke out of Orlando and into superstardom with the help and support of local radio and TV stations,” said Jill Strada-Dupree, CEO of Stradagy Group LLC. “Having the group of local media representatives at the No Lonely Hearts ‘Special Treatment’ video premiere gave us all that nostalgic vibe that something really BIG is on the verge of happening here!”
Seeing all the familiar industry faces that had once played a big role in Orlando’s boyband legacy really hit home for the VIPs who mingled amongst one another with smiles on their faces, reminiscing of times past and the future of music in Orlando.
“It felt like a family reunion,” Dakari said. “Like it was 1998 again.”
“It’s my third time taking a band from Orlando, and hopefully they have that success we’ve seen in the past. I believe they have the goods and the drive to do it,” Wright said. “It’s a different music business now and social media branding is vital, but there have been a number of artists that have gone global from Orlando and sometimes people forget that we have a very rich musical history in this city, and I am thrilled to see what the future holds for this band.”
No Lonely Hearts will be performing in Orlando at XL 106.7′s Red, Hot, & Boom to celebrate the Independence Day holiday. If you would like to know where the band is currently touring or upcoming events, visit their website or social media pages.
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