“Wow, episode number two already!

So here we are guys. I was very and surprised at the positive words from last weeks show with Ryan Ross Hernandez. Apparently we had a super strong debut showing and the ratings and all that jazz was better than predicted. So hopefully you’ll get to keep seeing my face on your TV screens for a little while longer.
So once again, I’m not gonna bore you all with a real long introduction, I know a lot of you out there just want to see me chat to these five guys so please welcome my guest for this weeks episode. Weekend!”

Welcome to the show, guys! I’ve been dreaming of this chat for quite a long time now and it’s finally happening. You boys are almost like veterans at this point, does all of this process ever get boring for you now?
Billy: Sometimes.
Oscar: Oh, Billy!
Billy: Nah, I'm just kidding! I don't really mind being interviewed and doing all of the promotional work that comes along with the job. It's great when people actually have an interest in us and the work that we do. Contrary to popular belief, we don't spend all of time on social media and thinking up new scandals. We work hard behind the scenes on the Weekend brand and we've also got our own record label. Coming onto shows like this is actually a nice release for us. It's more laid back and we can actually be ourselves and not the business guys we have to be most of the time in order to make the coins.
Oscar: Yeah, I always see the promotional work as like a day out. You know when you're a kid in school and have to do the same thing day in and day out before you finally get that "amazing" day trip out at the end of the year? That's what all of this is like for us. We work hard and coming here to relax and chat to you is our treat, Cara.

It feels like we’ve been missing some new music from Weekend recently, but rumours flying around the internet seem to indicate that a brand new single is on the way very soon, can you tell us whether those rumours are true?
Riley: Well we actually have two singles coming out in the very near future. The first one has already been announced - artwork, title and everything. That's called Sand Castle which is from the soundtrack of a TV movie that I'm appearing in called Finding Tom. It will be out very early next month. After that we will be releasing the lead single from our next album. We can't talk too much about that one though. It's all very exciting and secretive at the moment.

And how would you describe the new single?
Dustyn: I think that Sand Castle is very different to anything that we've ever done before! It's not a song that's going to be on an album of ours. Like Riley said, it's part of a soundtrack and a sort of one-off, standalone release so we thought we'd try something a little bit different. The people who are going to hear this song aren't just going to be our dedicated fan base. It's going to be played during a show which is aimed at a slightly older and wider audience and we hope that it appeals to them all the while proving that we aren't the 2012 version of Weekend which some people still seem to think that we are! The new song is pop but with a darker undertone. It's not at all rock or indie influenced like our previous work. It's...I could say...ambient? Is that a word? It's sort of like Madonna's "Frozen"...in a way.
Scott: Yeah, I'd say ambient. I'd also call it dream pop and slightly electropop in a way. There's a lot of harmonies going on in the track and there's this big build up which I love. It starts off sounding very mysterious and fragile and then explodes towards the end. All the harmonies were worked out by our Mr Riley Hamilton over here and he also co-produced the song!

Is it difficult for you to keep coming up with fresh new songs after covering so much ground already?
Oscar: I feel like the most difficult thing is actually all agreeing on how we want the albums to sound. Not just in terms of the production and overall sound but also the lyricism that we use throughout. There are many ways to write a pop song and a seemingly endless amount of words to play around with. We all come from different backgrounds. We all have very different lives and I'm sure you're well aware, we all have very colourful lives too! Writing new songs and drawing from all different things going on in life is rather easy for us. We can all go off and write a couple of songs each over the course of a week and that's basically an album and then some created for us. It's just figuring out the tone and how we wish to present ourselves with each era. We want to step it up each time but we also want to keep our Weekend sound intact and not isolate too many fans with each transition.

And does this mean that a brand new album could be on the way?
Billy: It definitely is on the way and should be with you all by the summer or possibly late spring. We just need to see when the perfect window is. It's great to be able to say that we've made it to album four now...well it's technically our third studio album but the re-release of the first record basically had a whole album's worth of new material attached so that felt like a separate release for me. In October, it will mark five years since we first formed and it's been a lengthy struggle but we feel like the majority of people out there do actually see us as a serious group and not just a manufactured, flash in the pan, tween oriented act. All of that is great but we're also a little nervous about it all. The last album did so well both critically and commercially. It reached number one and all the singles from it also topped the charts. We've always had great sales since day one but "About Time", our latest album, received attention from more than just our amazing fans. It went down well with many critics who hated our first release and now there are more eyes on us for our next album because of the success we had in 2014 and 2015 with that era.

As a fan, I always wonder about possible collaborations that I think could be really cool. Can we expect to hear any songs from Weekend featuring other superstars soon? Who would be your dream collaboration?
Scott: We actually don't have any collaborations on the new album as of right now and we doubt that there will be any on the final cut either. We like our albums to represent us as a band and show off what the five of us can do. However, you will see a few surprise features on some tracks that we did for fun. We'll be creating a Soundcloud page and posting a few free gifts on there. Some of the people we collaborated with out of fun are really unexpected. As far as dream collaborations go...I'd say Chantal Hayes. She can make a great pop song.
Dustyn: I would really like to do a big song with other groups. Maybe get SYNCO, CMBD, The Dolls, LUSH and The Stat Nerds involved...possibly GirlSpice but they're all busy doing their own thing now. I just love pop groups, hence why I'm sat here as a member of one. I'd really like to do something big and spectacular with other groups. It doesn't even have to be like a recording. I'd be happy with a one-off live performance somewhere. It'd definitely bring a lot of the fans together and seems like it would be a lot of fun!
Oscar: For me...well, a lot of my favourite acts right now aren't really that well known and I don't think they'd really work well with our sound as a band. Thinking of someone who could possibly work...I'd say...Billy's man, Jerry. I know he's not a solo act but I think he'd work really well with us. Hayden too. I'm a really big fan of his and it would be wonderful to be able to work with him.
Riley: Like Oscar, I'm not sure if some of my dream collaborations would work well with Weekend...man, that was a lot of w's. I really love the work of Valentina Hart. I think that she's a brilliant artist and has already carved out her own lane in the industry. To be able to work with her would be absolutely amazing. I also really enjoy Alec Cole. I think he would be fun to collaborate with.
Billy: Payton, obviously. Nah, I'd actually want people to listen. Um...I would love to be able to work on a track with Cassie Valentine, Drew Westbrook, Kidd Amaze...you can tell that I'm a big fan of R&B and rap. Rum & Coke would be amazing too. They're great girls. Also, and I know this may not sound all that adventurous, but I'd love to work with my little brother Deneil. He's produced for us but our vocals have never been on a track together and I think that would be fucking brilliant.

The hype machine will no doubt continue to be in full effect throughout this year. Does the huge levels of attention from fans and the media ever prove too difficult for you to handle?
Riley: You know, I think we can handle it quite well now. I think we've mastered the balance between private life and public life. At first we were so inexperienced and we did let it get to us. We weren't media trained and I think that we unintentionally provided the media with even more ammo on account of the way some of us handled the pressure and attention. I remember the days where you couldn't pick up a newspaper without one of us being on the front cover. It was madness. Now we know how to handle ourselves more and we embrace the fans but we also have our boundaries set too.
Billy: Yeah, we love meeting our fans but things can get pretty intense if a big crowd is drawn. Now we know how swift to be without being rude to our lovely fans. We also know the best places to go without being spotted, the best time and dates to do things, how much security we need for certain events...we can surprisingly slip under the radar. It's so much easier. We get to enjoy the buzz of fan attention and we still encounter the paparazzi when it can't be avoided but it's not as extreme as it used to be. When it comes to online attention, a lot of the guys don't read it. I do and I get involved but I really don't mind it. I've got thick skin and if someone feels the need to point their finger at me and call me X,Y and Z then they should be able to take me breaking that finger and calling them even worse.
Scott: I think that I still struggle the most with it. Um...I'm one of those people who..uh...almost purposely seek out bad comments. I always check my Twitter and Instagram feed. I just want to know what it is that I'm doing wrong for so many people to dislike me. 100 people could say how much they love me but someone could insult me and that's the comment that would stick. I'm kinda used to negative comments so I expect them. I shouldn't let them get to me but...I...I do. I wish I could be like Riley. He sees a mean comment and goes; "Oops, looks like someone is Mr Grumpy today!" and then just scrolls down to the next comment and that's that.
Riley: I know it's easy for me to say but you really shouldn't take those comments seriously. We love you, Scott. That's the main thing.

So let’s quickly talk about rumours, you must have heard loads of rumours about yourselves that are untrue, what is the worst thing you’ve ever heard said about yourselves?
Oscar: There was a rumour going around that I had cheated on Eilidh with some other singer. I can't remember who it was I was supposed to have hooked up with but that really hurt. One thing I cannot stand is cheaters and to be branded one really turned my stomach.
Dustyn: This still goes around and it's far from the truth but apparently I just sleep around with every willing gay, bi or curious male in the industry. I came out like 4 years ago and everyone who has came out after me, I have apparently slept with them. Just because we're gay doesn't mean we're going to sleep together. All of the straight people haven't slept together so why would we?!
Billy: I actually sued a Hungarian magazine because they had called me an ex-heroin addict. It then became a thing for a little while. I used to be a heroin addict apparently even though I've never touched the stuff...much. This was supposed to be back when I was on the streets. I couldn't afford a fucking packet of crisps but yet I had an endless supply of a Class A drug.
Riley: I've never really had any scandalous rumours circulating about me and I'm thankful for that. I do get some really weird ones which are usually created by the fans when they are bored and not everyone gets the joke so sometimes they actually do become a thing. I wouldn't call this the worst thing to have said about you but it's pretty weird and not true; apparently I farted in front of The Queen of England. A lot of gossip blogs were talking about it and posting pictures as "evidence". Like, can you really take a picture of a fart?! But no, as hilarious as that would have been, I never let one rip in front of The Queen (laughs)
Billy: Of course it wasn't true. I've known Ri for nearly half a decade and I still haven't heard him fart!
Scott: According to many people, I only got into the band because I slept with Lyrica, the woman who decided to create the group. It's definitely not true and I just want to put that out there. You may not believe it, but it was my singing that actually earned me a place in Weekend.

The five of you all grew up in humble surroundings in the UK, are you still close with the area and people that you grew up around and how does your life differ most from now compared to before you’s became just about the biggest thing in the entertainment industry?
Oscar: Ooooh, don't say that. Scott is actually Australian despite the English accent and Dustyn is Irish. Just thought I'd say it and get it out there before these two have a chance to bite your head off. (laughs)
Dustyn: Not to worry. We get called a British band all the time so I'm used to it now. (laughs)
Riley: I recently bought a place just on the outskirts of where I was raised in Leeds. We all live in London, aside from Scott who's living it up in L.A most of the time, but I decided to buy a second home just to feel closer to the place again. I still have friends there as well as my sister and grandparents. I think the biggest change is actually meeting and being starstruck by celebrities on a daily basis. Where I'm from, it's very working class and doesn't have the best statistics when it comes to schooling and income. Not many people go on to live a life outside of the town so to suddenly be at The GOLDIES, brushing shoulders with Vanity...it's mad!
Billy: I'm still very close with Hacnkey. It's an area of London and I'm still in the city, just in a nicer area now. People already know my rags to riches story. The biggest change in my life is now actually having a roof over my head. Not going to dwell on my past any more and bore you all. I wouldn't say that I am completely involved with people I knew back then. As much as I have love for them, I'm have a family and a new way of life, whereas a lot of my old friends are still living my old life. It's not really safe for the two worlds to meet, you know? But yeah, I do still feel a strong connection to the place I was brought up.
Dustyn: The biggest change for me is actually being able to be myself. Like Billy, everyone probably knows my story about being sort of shunned for who I was. I feel more at ease in the hustle and bustle and bright lights, being loud and being me than I ever did sitting in my tiny damp room in a small village in Ireland. I was more anxious back then! I do have a connection with the country as Ireland is a wonderful place and I'm proud of my Celtic connections. I can't shake this accent anyway so I'm constantly reminded of where I'm from! (laughs). As for the little village itself, no, I really don't associate with it any more.
Oscar: My parents still live in my childhood home and like Billy, I was born in London and am just a bus ride or two away from my old home. I still see a lot of my friends and family whenever I can. The biggest change in my life is that I have a lot of responsibilities and I also now know how to be responsible. I used to rely on my parents to handle things for me but being catapulted on my own into this crazy world, I had to learn how to mature real quick and helped shape me into an adult. I showed no sign of maturing throughout my teens and hadn't it been for this band and this life, I still don't think I would have.
Scott: Well, I was born in Leeton, Australia and my family moved to the UK when I was six. I still have family over there and do keep in touch with them. Even as a kid, my parents would always take me over to visit my relatives. It was always treated as home and we certainly didn't turn our backs on Australia. I don't really see much of my old friends from here, apart from maybe one or two that I do try to make an effort with but we aren't as close as we used to be. My parents moved around England a lot too so I don't really have a strong connection with any cities. I do have some fond memories of being in Manchester from when I was 9 to about 12, but I don't really have any reason to go there now. I feel like now, the biggest change is stability. My dad is a top surgeon and was always being transferred to different hospitals up and down the country. It was annoying having to move all the time but each new job brought in even more money for us. I never settled in one place too long and there were times when I felt like I didn't really know myself. I would get comfortable with one way of life before being whisked off and having to start from scratch yet again. Now I know who I am, what I'm doing in life and I have control and an idea of where I'm going next.

I’m a believer in that you stand by all of your choices and any struggle that you’re going through, you find a way to help make you stronger from that. As a group you have gone through struggle and controversy, do you have any regrets about some of the things you have done or have handled things in the past?
Riley: After I lost my parents and brother within like...18 months of one another, I fell into a depression and had to go into a rehabilitation centre for exhaustion. I even self harmed for a bit. I don't know why I took it out on myself. Obviously, feeling like I was at rock bottom after losing people I love dearly was understandable but when I had to be strong for the rest of my family, I couldn't. They were going through enough tragedy and I feel like I only made things worse. I wish I was stronger during that time, I really do.
Oscar: I'd put the camera away. Enough said. Dustyn? (laughs)
Dustyn: I feel like all of our battles and controversy have helped shape us into who we are today. I don't want to interfere with the paths we were meant to follow so I wouldn't really change anything. Obviously, in a perfect world, I wouldn'ts have thought trying a "little line" of cocaine was a good idea but I learned a lot from it, I'm still here and I'm not sure if I'd be as strong as I am if I didn't have to go through that battle.
Scott: I would have dealt with Jennifer's current pregnancy and a lot of my own issues and insecurities about it behind closed doors. I'm over the moon now and can't wait to start our own family but I did have reservations...and a LOT of fear about it. I was a little too public about it and started blocking people on Twitter if they poked fun or even mentioned the pregnancy. It only gave the trolls more ammunition. I also look like a total dick for it. I love Jen and our little baby. Those tweets and actions were just...pathetic.
Billy: Absolutely no regrets.