Maturity Level, It went wayyyy down

Okay, i don't know if anyone else noticed but me, but the group's maturity level went wayyy down when the 3 album came out.
When the first album came out, the innocense was acceptable, cause they were very young.
But when Replay came out, they emerged as young, sexy, mature young women (yeah i said young twice lol.) Their lyrics, music, style, and ESPECIALLY choregraphy showed that they were no longer little girls, and they were growing up and feeling what regular teenagers felt. It made me respect them SOO much more, being brave like that and showing that you've grown up, and being sexy and being urban isn't wrong, it's natural, it's what i liked about them back then.
But when DSTM came out, it seemed like there was a time flash and it was back to the Us Against The World Times. Their lyrics became very young and bubblegum sweet again, although still a tad more urban, but let's face it, I Don't Get Down Like That shows more maturity then a lot of songs on DSTM. Their style has become more conservative like they're ashamed of what they were wearing before or something. Their choreography has reverted back to the old ways, i mean anyone who saw the live DSTM for MAAD knows what i mean...it was cheesy, tacky, and just plain stupid and too young for their age (even with Janet.)
I mean maybe it's because they still have young fans, and their mothers don't want them exposed to that, but i mean they have to let their children grow up sometimes, i mean people were appauled with the lyrics and the video to IMNCTB. it's like "dear lord they're singing about growing up! it's satans work!" y'know? I mean some lady i talked to was like "they're too young to sing about starting to like boys and feel angsty and stuff, i eman they're only 14-16" i mean, are these people mutants? I'm betting anyone who says that is rather Amish or has the weirdest maturity scale in the world. I mean HELLO it's the peak time to feel that, it's when you're supposed to feel like that...
okay sorry i kinda rambled off...i just hope someone else understand what I mean.

I Totally Agree, I Don't Get Down Like That and Boys Lie, Was and Is Way More Sexy Then All The Songs On DSTM, I've Been Noticing That, But I Didn't Want To Be Rude. :clap:

Well this is what i think. I didn't write i just really agree with it. We were having a discussion on the other play board about this.

I Didn't Know

Yeah!! I know what you're saying... but, I love Play no matter what their style is maybe UATW style or IMNTB style. If you look at JoJo, she's 13 and she's topping the charts with;
"Leave (Get Out)" I'd wish that it was PLAY, even though I love JoJo...I want Play to be on the biggggggg radio stations too!! I'm hoping this next album makes a statement and says "we're hott stars we're ready to hit it BIG!" I wanna see them on MTV and all that stuff...But really a lot of songs on DSTM are pretty mature like...

Another Love Story
Seven
You Found me
Hand In Hand
Still I know they could go MORE mature but, I think they're doing just fine!! :)

PS- I stil <3 play!! Don't think I'm not a play fan!!

Yea Me Too.

It's not that if they have a Replay style album Rosie and Anna won't get any solos.
Anna imo does have potential to have a mature sexy voice, like watch in the PATW DVD when they're recording IMNCTB, you should get my point.
Rosie is another issue...she does have a very high-pitched childish voice, although in DSTM her voice sounds good toned in the beginning, but in all the other songs it's back to the high-pitched tones...she really is someone who is better off singing harmonies. I'm not trying to offend rosie fans, i'm just saying she is.
and if little miss jojo can get off being overly-sexed and singing about love and passion and lust at only 13, while play did have credit to sing about that stuff cause they were older, anna and rosie and janet sure as hell can too.
Anna has the potential to be a lead singer in certain songs, she did very well in the beginning of another love story and i don't get down like that...rosie...well doesn't, sorry but it's true, prime example: beginning of as long as there's christmas.
I don't think it's fair to older more mature fans to thought the girls would be singing about things that related to them more and they expect songs like that later, to only get childish songs. Songs about romance and passion are amazing when they sing it, age doesn't matter since they are at the age to want to experiment with these things (eh..jojo and janet..nother story lol) that's why it was kinda a bad idea to mix up the ages again because it would screw around with their maturity style (that wasn't a flame at janet i swear lol)
lemme put it like this...it's like they went from singing about growing up and lusting after boys to 'you can be whatever girl you wanna be!' it's like going from
"I wanna sex you up!" to "It's the hard knock life for us!" lol you get what i'm saying? :huh:

I totally agree with u!

Lmfao, even Amish aren't like that :lol:

I agree, but we can't do anything about it. I mean, the album is made and out. We can't change that, but we can wish that their next album will be more of a "Replay" sound... You know?

I want them to have another Replay styled CD. That was the best and I Must Not Chase The Boys was a great vid (I have it on DVD). It was sort of shocking to see them go back to Cinderella and Disco Hippie stuff, but I guess it's their choice. They might have thought they lost a few younger fans with Replay and I Must Npt Chase The Boys. I love everGirl, and I understand they want girl power with somngs like everGirl and Girls Can Too, and I respect that, but I think they should have kept the same type of songs they had with Replay and the same typer of clothing, videos, etc.

I think they said that they were like pointing their music to young kids.

well janet's only 13 so they prolly did all that cuz of how young janet was

Lol I was the one that wrote that out at the other board; glad you guys found it helpful :D .

But yeah, you can probably tell from reading that that I also feel the maturity level and age group that Play is targeted at has gone down from Replay to DSTM.

An interesting point for you all to consider: how mature can you even be with a group name like Play? It sounds appropriate for preteens and maybe a little older, but once all the girls are getting into their mid-late teens, it sounds either childish or kind of sexual in a way. I'm not saying I don't like the group name; I just think picking a name like a group like PYT did would have been better to suit this transition from kid-friendly music to popular music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PYT told American Girl and kid-friendly magazines that PYT stood for "Prove Yourself True" and then they also went by "Pretty Young Things/Thangs." I can't think of anything off the top of my head that PLAY could stand for.

i completely argee with ya! even since janet came in they've been acting like little kids! anais's b-day is thursday and she's turning 17! why would a 17 year old sing about being an 'evergirl' and stuff like that. play needs to grow up and relise that it's ok to talk about boys and it's really annoying listening to dstm and hearing about girl power!

Lol I was the one that wrote that out at the other board; glad you guys found it helpful :D .

But yeah, you can probably tell from reading that that I also feel the maturity level and age group that Play is targeted at has gone down from Replay to DSTM.

An interesting point for you all to consider: how mature can you even be with a group name like Play? It sounds appropriate for preteens and maybe a little older, but once all the girls are getting into their mid-late teens, it sounds either childish or kind of sexual in a way. I'm not saying I don't like the group name; I just think picking a name like a group like PYT did would have been better to suit this transition from kid-friendly music to popular music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PYT told American Girl and kid-friendly magazines that PYT stood for "Prove Yourself True" and then they also went by "Pretty Young Things/Thangs." I can't think of anything off the top of my head that PLAY could stand for.

:P it would be best if play broke up next year after their 4th album comes out. no one takes their music seriously because their name is 'play'. all 'play' means is pre-teen'! besides,why would an 18 year old{anais,august of next year} be in a group with a 14 year old{janet,oct. next year}

Lol I was the one that wrote that out at the other board; glad you guys found it helpful :D .

But yeah, you can probably tell from reading that that I also feel the maturity level and age group that Play is targeted at has gone down from Replay to DSTM.

An interesting point for you all to consider: how mature can you even be with a group name like Play? It sounds appropriate for preteens and maybe a little older, but once all the girls are getting into their mid-late teens, it sounds either childish or kind of sexual in a way. I'm not saying I don't like the group name; I just think picking a name like a group like PYT did would have been better to suit this transition from kid-friendly music to popular music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PYT told American Girl and kid-friendly magazines that PYT stood for "Prove Yourself True" and then they also went by "Pretty Young Things/Thangs." I can't think of anything off the top of my head that PLAY could stand for.

:P it would be best if play broke up next year after their 4th album comes out. no one takes their music seriously because their name is 'play'. all 'play' means is pre-teen'! besides,why would an 18 year old{anais,august of next year} be in a group with a 14 year old{janet,oct. next year}

There have been groups whose ages have been far apart - No Secrets I think had Carly who was 17-18 with Jade and Angel who were 12-13ish, but they were a preteen group who sang stuff for younger kids.

I've always suspected since Faye left that there would be more members to leave. IF it is true that Anais is leaving, or for that matter, if Anna or Rosie leave, I can see Laila and the rest bringing in other girls Janet's age so that Play is more of a preteen band than the girls who make it up.

I think this is the direction Play's headed in when they decided to replace Faye with someone a lot younger (not trying to diss Janet or anything) - they could have just found a sixteen-year-old with a good voice and put her in the group so that Play could continue making music where Replay left off. But they chose someone a lot younger and brought down the maturity of the music, and this may very well be a sign of what's to come.

Personally, as much as I love Anna, Janet, Faye, Anais, and Rosie, I would much rather that the group not break up and just bring in younger members when the older members want to move on with their lives.

-I'm New- Well, I Don't Totally, Agree, I Mean, For DSTM, They Kinda Had To Start Over With Pop Songs, Cause Of Janet Leon.

Me, Totally, Agree

I think plays an appropriate name IMO. Look at the ateens they're not teens anymore and they did pretty good in sweden. It's catchy

yup

i just hope they mature for the next album

I seriously cannot believe Janet_Leonfan thinks they should split up. ONE cd was a little less mature and suddenly you think they should split up?? I think you should wait for their next CD until you say something like that. <_<

Lol I was the one that wrote that out at the other board; glad you guys found it helpful :D .

But yeah, you can probably tell from reading that that I also feel the maturity level and age group that Play is targeted at has gone down from Replay to DSTM.

An interesting point for you all to consider: how mature can you even be with a group name like Play? It sounds appropriate for preteens and maybe a little older, but once all the girls are getting into their mid-late teens, it sounds either childish or kind of sexual in a way. I'm not saying I don't like the group name; I just think picking a name like a group like PYT did would have been better to suit this transition from kid-friendly music to popular music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PYT told American Girl and kid-friendly magazines that PYT stood for "Prove Yourself True" and then they also went by "Pretty Young Things/Thangs." I can't think of anything off the top of my head that PLAY could stand for.

:P it would be best if play broke up next year after their 4th album comes out. no one takes their music seriously because their name is 'play'. all 'play' means is pre-teen'! besides,why would an 18 year old{anais,august of next year} be in a group with a 14 year old{janet,oct. next year}

There have been groups whose ages have been far apart - No Secrets I think had Carly who was 17-18 with Jade and Angel who were 12-13ish, but they were a preteen group who sang stuff for younger kids.

I've always suspected since Faye left that there would be more members to leave. IF it is true that Anais is leaving, or for that matter, if Anna or Rosie leave, I can see Laila and the rest bringing in other girls Janet's age so that Play is more of a preteen band than the girls who make it up.

I think this is the direction Play's headed in when they decided to replace Faye with someone a lot younger (not trying to diss Janet or anything) - they could have just found a sixteen-year-old with a good voice and put her in the group so that Play could continue making music where Replay left off. But they chose someone a lot younger and brought down the maturity of the music, and this may very well be a sign of what's to come.

Personally, as much as I love Anna, Janet, Faye, Anais, and Rosie, I would much rather that the group not break up and just bring in younger members when the older members want to move on with their lives.

Big FAT ditto!!!!

ya!!!! i mean janet's 13! do u expect the to be singing like college girl stuff when janet might not even be in high school?

Lol I was the one that wrote that out at the other board; glad you guys found it helpful :D .

But yeah, you can probably tell from reading that that I also feel the maturity level and age group that Play is targeted at has gone down from Replay to DSTM.

An interesting point for you all to consider: how mature can you even be with a group name like Play? It sounds appropriate for preteens and maybe a little older, but once all the girls are getting into their mid-late teens, it sounds either childish or kind of sexual in a way. I'm not saying I don't like the group name; I just think picking a name like a group like PYT did would have been better to suit this transition from kid-friendly music to popular music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think PYT told American Girl and kid-friendly magazines that PYT stood for "Prove Yourself True" and then they also went by "Pretty Young Things/Thangs." I can't think of anything off the top of my head that PLAY could stand for.

:P it would be best if play broke up next year after their 4th album comes out. no one takes their music seriously because their name is 'play'. all 'play' means is pre-teen'! besides,why would an 18 year old{anais,august of next year} be in a group with a 14 year old{janet,oct. next year}

ok u know like *~*DoN't StOp Da MuSiC*~* said they made 1 count it ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! immature album! i mean maybe u don't take em seriously but a lot of people do! we don't want them to break up:(

See but just because one member is younger doesn't mean it should stop the other girls from showing they've grown up! They are young women now, with stronger grownup feelings, just because Janet's younger doesn't give the group the right to act like little girls anymore, it's almost an excuse or something. I mean Anais is 17 now, can you imagine when they're 18 to be singing about Cinderella and Disco Hippies and Annie songs? I didn't think so, so just because Janet's young doesn't mean she has to drag down the rest of the group to her age slot, it's 3 against 1, think about it.

I agree with you.

But, consider these points:
1. There are hundreds and hundreds of girls in Sweden who are between 15-17 years old who can sing, dance, and perform well. There are probably quite a few of those who sound like Faye who are her age give or take one year. And chances are, if Laila and Play are well-known in Sweden, that one or more of these girls has sent audition tapes to Laila. But instead, Laila and Play's other management picked Janet, who has an amazing voice and is thirteen years old, to be a member of the group.
2. The name "Play," at least to me, has a young connotation. I have no idea what Faye, Anais, Anna, and Rosie were thinking as far as how long they'd be around as a group or how well they understood English when they picked that name for themselves some four years ago. And their management accepted that, instead of insisting that they pick a name that has more flexibility.
3. Who sponsors Play? Well, there's Limited Too, a clothing store targetted at girls aged 8-14. I'm 17 like Anais and have no desire to shop there. There's also Evergirl, a clothing brand at Kohl's targetted at preteens. Again, being 17, I would not be too thrilled to be wearing a shirt with a little colorful star really big in the middle. Play is like the spokesgroup for both of these brands, which means that their music is meant to target this audience. Limited Too supported them a lot during their Play album, not that much that I know of during the Replay album, and a lot now during the DSTM album (all those meet and greets).
4. The girls made one video that made it on TRL, I Must Not Chase the Boys. Unfortunately it didn't do so well, and they didn't gain the mainstream attention they were looking for. So they went back to doing more preteen, Radio Disney videos.

And now for my predictions (please, nobody be mad, I'm just trying to state what I think will happen to Play in the future)
1. No member of Play will ever be over age 18. I do have a feeling that one or members of the original three left will be quitting the group for whatever reason, whether to pursue their own lives, solo careers, feeling the music is too young for them, etc. And Play will either then break up or welcome new members who are Janet's age.
2. Unless Play finds sponsors that are more targetted at teenagers or young adults, they will stick with Limited Too, Radio Disney, etc. and keep producing preteen music.
3. You've heard it said about other teen girl groups that, "DC is really Beyonce's group," "Dream is really Holly's group," etc. Play is none of the girls' group. It could have been Faye's because of her voice, but her personality was very laidback and shy. It's not going to be Janet's anytime soon because she's the youngest (right now). Play's never going to be really led by any one member, and so they're going to perpetually be controlled by their management and Laila for as long as they exist.

I really hope to get some Replay-type music back into the new album, but in a way I am so glad that Janet is 13-soon-to-be-14 because it will curb the way they dress and how detailed their lyrics get. I was really involved with Dream until they unofficially broke up a few months ago, and that last year of trying to make a comeback saw them singing about what they would do when they'd be alone with their guy ("Crazy") and dressed very revealingly, and at times, even looking cheap, and all due to P. Diddy, who according to a brother of one group member, took advantage of Ashley and Diana's looks and bodies. The girls in Dream and in Play are really such pretty girls that they shouldn't have to be exposed to get attention.

I wasn't saying play has to be exposing their bodies. I mean that during Replay they dressed more like teenagers do nowadays, showing off their bodies, which is not a bad thing, it's human nature to want to feel sexy and beautiful.
Nowadays it's almost like they're ashamed of what they wore last year and how they sang and danced and acted...i mean just because Janet's 13 doesn't mean that the other girls have to be toned down again, but i mean seriously, they dressed sexier during the first album then they do now.

Yeah, during Play I remember Anna and Rosie especially wearing shirts that showed their entire bellies and low-cut jeans. But then again, neither of them had much to show under their shirts when they were 13.

I really loved the way the girls dressed during the Replay era. Not too childish, not too mature, but just right. I liked the way they were able to pull off wearing a lot of dark outfits and having a very dark video but still not looking inappopriate or easy. My favorite photoshoot ever has to be the one where this pic was taken:

(Posted Image)

The DSTM clothes aren't bad, but it seems like they're covering up instead of dressing modestly but reflecting their age and figures. I remember on the Playful-Play boards someone showed the same picture of the girls, one with Janet's jacket opened at the bottom and the same pic with it edited closed. And they wear pink so much nowadays that it is getting really annoying to me.

Ashley, we seem to be of the same mind in many ways, but I doubt we'll ever get to see Play in full-Replay attire and style again. If you want to (or if anyone else wants to) comment on those predictions I made, feel free to.