NEW YORK — The Wanted happen to be one of the biggest boy bands in the world at the moment. On Tuesday (April 24), the British fivesome released their self-titled U.S. EP with the kind of fanfare only a boy band could pull off as they took over the island of Manhattan for a whirlwind release-day press tour.
MTV News was on hand for every minute of it, from sunrise to sunset, capturing the excitement as the boys made their way across the Big Apple to promote the album. We first met up with the guys at 5 a.m. at their hotel to make our way over to "Today." But, we weren't the only ones who greeted the guys there: Fans had waited all night outside the hotel to catch a glimpse of the Wanted.
Despite the early hour, the guys obliged, signing autographs and smiling for photos with their devotees. Then they hopped into their car and made their way across town to "Today."
So, how do they manage to keep their spirits up at the top of a long day like that? "We prepared for this show this morning by having cups of tea and Cheerios, good for the heart," Siva Kaneswaran told me before they took the stage to perform. "Basically, just psych each other, gaze into each other's eyes and get excited, and that's what gets us through the day."
From there, it was all about greeting even more fans, who had followed the guys from the studio back to their hotel, where the guys regrouped for a bit before more press and appearances. It's the fans though who make the grueling press tour worth all the work, even if they find sneaky ways to show the guys their love.
Recalling a mid-day fan encounter during their downtime, Tom Parker said some fans must have sneaked into the hotel, probably through the front door. "They were following us around. Some girl came up and said, 'Is it too early to buy you a drink yet?' " The answer was "yes" — they did have a full day of press ahead of them!
After their very short break, we were back in the car heading to the Empire State Building, where the guys got their photos taken and did several more interviews to hype up their release.
Their final stop today will be their "MTV First," during which they will premiere their video for "Chasing the Sun," sit down with Sway Calloway to chat about their album and the video, and answer fans' questions.
Well, Sway, I warmed them up for you. I just hope I didn't tire them out.
The Wanted are taking over the Big Apple! Stick with MTV News for updates and exclusive behind-the-scenes photos all day. We'll tag along with the guys on stops like the "Today" show and the Empire State Building before "MTV First: The Wanted" kicks off at 7:53 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com. Be sure to tune in for the premiere of the "Chasing the Sun" video and a 30-minute interview with the band!
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