It is with great, great sadness that I bring you the following statement. Play was a huge part of my life and I will always look back at the group and smile. Thank you girls for another few years of music and memories. I love all of the girls and wish them all the best. And to everyone who has been loyal followers and visitors of Play Mania, I thank you with all of my heart.
As many of you know, since last summer I have worked with Play in planning the group’s return to the U.S. this year. I am very sorry to tell you that what started out with such great promise has ended unexpectedly and unhappily, for the girls had a disagreement and broke up over it. Since it does not appear they are going to make any kind of statement I feel I owe it to you, the fans, to try to put this past year in some perspective so we can all have closure from what has been an emotional ten year roller coaster ride with this group.
Before I met the girls I was a fan like you. Like most of you I hoped they might one day reunite. In late 2009 it became a reality. The problem is, with all things real there are inevitable bumps in the road. Anna was not invited to rejoin and some of you were unhappy about that decision. Then Rosie dropped out for unrelated reasons.
Still, with Anais and Faye I thought Play could conquer the world. As young women and artists they have many incredible qualities. They make an amazing team. Faye is one of the best vocalists and performers in the world as we all know, and Anais is so mature, polished, and determined. Anais walks in a room and just takes it over with her beauty, intelligence and presence, and no doubt she will be a great success no matter what she does. It was a strong trio because Sanne is not just window dressing, she is a formidable vocalist in her own right.
My work unexpectedly brought me in contact with Laila and I was given a chance to help the girls return to the U.S. When I first spoke to the girls I told them their timing was good because the world is waiting for the next big girl group to emerge, but if they wanted to fill that void they would have to work harder and with much greater passion than I had seen from them on the internet the past few months. They swore to me they were ready to do those things and would never give up. There was great excitement when the girls came to Los Angeles last August. Everyone loved them. Everyone was thrilled to have Anais and Faye back. We met with music people and television people and everything went perfectly. We went to Interscope Records, the biggest record label in the world, and they loved the girls. What was supposed to be a 20 minute meeting turned into a full day at Interscope. Before they left LA the girls gave a showcase before a large music industry audiance, and they performed with a passion that had been missing. People were buzzing with excitement, and everyone was convinced Play was a sure thing to be the next super girl group. The future looked so bright.
We were planning to finalize certain deals when Disney called and asked the girls to record Destiny. I was up all night negotiating the deal because the girls had to be in the studio the next morning. Then, out of the blue, Faye woke up, called Laila, and told her she had changed her mind and did not want to sing anymore. She quit, on the spot, with no notice. There was total hysteria. Total devestation.
Laila, Anders and Andreas had invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in the new Play, on a television show and an album. Faye had come to Los Angeles and met everyone, so it was a huge embarrassment to go back and tell people one of the members had left already. Sanne and Anais had to record Destiny alone. They cried all day. Anders, Andreas, and Laila met with Faye but she would not budge. They felt betrayed, and Anais and Laila, in particular, were grief stricken.
In retrospect, it probably should have ended when this happened because let’s face it, Faye is irreplaceable. But then Emelie came along, and I like Emelie a lot. She has her own cool style, she is very intelligent, and I thought it could still work. All three girls were here in January and they did well. We had funding in place, we had a game plan, and it was time to make the big push.
But when the girls returned home from the U.S. they went their separate ways and never got back together. At first it was as though they were taking a break, but that led to disagreements and misunderstandings. Certainly part of it was poor communication, and I was confident if they just sat down and talked they could work it out, but they never got together. Further, some members felt they were willing to sacrafice more and work harder but that the others did not share that same commitment. Whatever it was, in the end, after Rosie left and Faye quit, perhaps it was just not meant to be.
Why do I tell you all this? Because as fans who have supported the group for so long you deserve to know what happened as best it can be explained. The lesson is, as fans it is important to keep a grasp on the distinction between reality and fantasy.
Our heroes are human, they are imperfect, and what we get to see of them is often more illusion than real. The truth is always more complicated. When you meet the girls it is hard not to love them even when they do things that drive you crazy.
I prefer to remember Play as the girls appeared at the time the Replay album was released and the group seemed headed for immense success. Anais, Fanny, Rosie, and Anna, four girls who were talented, fun, sweet and pretty — if anything, ahead of their time. What they created was very special and gave us much joy. With all things in life it was fleeting. We will never know how far Play could have gone, then and now, if Fanny had stayed. In my mind, she made the difference between a group that was good and a group that was great (unstoppable)..
Play gave us something to smile about, and whether the girls ever understood or even cared, we were all fortunate to experience the magic.
Sincerely,
Glen Kulik
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Courtney, an actor/actress is only as good as the material they’re given to work with. Also, it’s part of the director’s job to make it clear what they want out of the artist, I know this personally and I really doubt that any of those networks would attach a bad team of producers and a bad director who dosn’t know how to work with actors to their shows.. But yes, talent is most important and I feel like Anna has that, and with the right amount of experience and training it wouldn’t shock me to see her in the movies or on TV one day. Plus, yes I think the fact Anna being descended from Greta Garbo is very interesting. The funny thing is, Greta Garbo initially was severely underrated, and it wasn’t until later on that people really started to appreciate her talent and unique artistry and she became what we know her to be.
There are so many secrets!!! I wish we knew everything! I wonder if any of the girls are still friends!! That is something I would love to hear about.
Rosanna and Anna are still close friends, but the rest clearly are not. The weird thing is, it sounds like there’s still tension between Anna, Faye and Anais. Or should I say between Faye, and Anais towards Anna because I really doubt there’s any real justifiable reason for them to have anything against her anymore. She hasn’t actively spoken to either of them in many years, since around the time that Play initially broke up after the DSTM and Christmas albums. She moved to New York, USA when she graduated high school and has spent a good 95% of each year there since then, occasionally flying out to spend time in Los Angeles as well. She only goes back to Sweden during some holidays or other important events pertaining to her family. From what I understand her mother has also lived in NYC near her for a good portion of that time. But the bottom line is, they’re not teenagers anymore, yet Faye and Anais have been acting almost as if they were, and as if any drama or issues they had back when Anna was 10-15 years old would be relevant today in their mid 20′s, and Anna’s early 20′s. So much time has passed since then, and it seems really silly and ridiculous for them to have held a grudge towards her for so long, it’s down right petty when you think about it.
Despite what anyone says is the “official” reason, it’s still pretty obvious that when they started this “reformation” of the group, Anna was left out and Rosanna got upset about it and saw the not-so-good signs right from the get go and thus decided to opt out and focus on her own career as a solo artist rather than waste her time and energy on something that had already started off on a bad foot, and hurting one of her close friends in the process. Anna has always shown to be a very bright and sweet natured young woman, going off of her facebook and blog she has so many good friends who genuinely adore her and she always has something positive to say. Those aren’t the signs of somebody who would be hard to get along with by any means, so with that I rest my case.
Rosanna’s leaving suddenly had nothing to do with Anna being left out. Rosanna agreed with Fanny and Anaïs when they started the 2009 reunion that Anna shouldn’t be in it. There’s a lot of reasons for this but I won’t go into it since it’s not my place and I was told everything in confidence, but I just felt the need to clear that part up. The first time the group were put together they didn’t have a choice in the members, but this time they did and that is what they chose.
If Courtney gets to know everything (she says she was “told everything”) then the rest of us should know everything too. Glen and the girls, and whoever else, are just playing favorites and it is not right that one person gets to know while the rest of us are left in the dark.
I feel slightly different. I don’t need to know all the details, because I don’t know them personally. However, it is human nature to be super curious and all the secrets only make me not trust them.
I do not think there is anything I have not told you and everyone else. As I’ve said before, my information is that Rosie’s last minute decision to leave Play had nothing to do with Anna and everything to do with the fact she had spent five years pursuing her dream to be a singer/songwriter and she preferred to pursue that dream. It may be that at one time, when they were starting out, the girls were all friends. But at this stage, as adults, I am not aware of any real friendships among the original girls of Play.
Thanks Glen. I think you have answered enough questions. You and Lisa have been great, but we HAVE to move on. Let’s focus on the positives: some of the girls have solo stuff going on and we should support that. If the girls ever decide to tell the truth then that would be great, but I won’t be holding my breathe.
Rosanna and Anna are friends, they’ve both said so numerous times before and after the new line up of the group happend and they’ve spent time together whenever each other are in the same area. Rosanna had been pursuing her solo career for years, Anna got f’d over. The math is pretty simple here. Why go down a path that was already off to a negative start? Why do you think Fanny also left and then came out with the announcement of her new solo career? What Courtney is probably being told most likely comes from the people associated with the group over in Sweden. That’s going to be a very biased set of information. But going off the obvious things about Anna and Rosanna, as they’re pretty open with their lives via blogging and Facebook, especially Anna. Anna has many friends, and I’m not talking about “facebook” numbers. I’m talking about if you look at her page, or read her blog she’s always surrounded by people and having a good time, including Rosanna at times. As I said before, you can do the math here, this isn’t the sign of someone who’s hard to get along with, or has the knack for starting drama. People like that tend to be far more introverted and keep to themselves because nobody wants to associate with them. Especially as adults. Then you can look at the other girls of play whom really nobody knows anything about whatsoever and they’re the only ones who have been cold about her, and once Rosanna opted out of the reformation, they weren’t so nice about her either. So really it’s just common sense from that point on. Anna has always been a very gracious and sweet person any time I have made contact with her, and I have heard by other people who have worked with her in the past that she’s a complete gem to be around and to work with.
Shannon please stop assuming where I get my information from. As I said before, I have been in contact with Glen since October of 2010 and Emelie since January of 2010.
I know youre a fan of Anna, but when Play were together she was a big source of contention. It makes sense with her not getting along as well as the other three girls did that they would come to the decision this time to exclude her.
I just find it a little funny that Glen didn’t say anything you just said, and has claimed to tell fans everything he knows. Yet your information comes from him? And…Emelie? since 2010..? Um ok. Anna hasn’t even resided in Sweden for literally years now so anything Emelie may have been told wasn’t one sided or jaded at all, right? D:
But really my staunch defense of Anna doesn’t really come from being a “fan”, although I am one. It comes from the fact that out of all the girls in the original line up, she’s got the biggest chance for success in the movie & tv industries. Not saying the others don’t, or won’t ever be successful in that area but what I AM saying is to this day none of them have the experience she does in front of a camera, acting or taking direction. She’s done more than most Play fans know about in the acting department, it didn’t start with the movie in 2009, nor has it been left off there either. Also, SHE lives in the U.S., in one of the showbiz capitals of the world for acting, modeling, and music. None of them have taken that chance and are not showing any signs of doing so and if you don’t crack the U.S. market than your chances of becoming an international star are slim to none. She & Rosie are also the only ones of the original line up who haven’t given up on their goals in the industry at any point, so they’re the two that really stand the biggest chance right now.
Also just to add to that, I work in the industry and have been since I was a child via modeling, theater and other things. I’ve spent most of my time traveling between NYC and Los Angeles and over the years I have met some people that know her and/or have worked with her, and this is how I heard all of the nice things said about her. Not one single person has ever said anything negative about her, in fact I’ve never even asked about her myself, she has genuinely impressed these people over the years and you hear about that kind of stuff sometimes when you’re working.
I meant 2011, my mistake. I was on my cellphone. And I don’t know if your comments are out of jealousy or something else, but yes, I know more than Glen has told you. He has told you most of what has happened though.
Believe it, don’t believe, I don’t care. Glen is not going to go through everything on this site when it might end up hurting one member’s reputation. There’s really no point in knowing all the details of what happened with the group or its members anyway – Play is over. I’m not going to do this petty back and forth thing with you, but all that went on cannot be explained within a few comments or without potentially hurting some members’ reputations and disclosing personal situations.
You can say whatever you want about Anna, I can tell you admire her, but from what I have heard of her and seen she does not have the stand-out talent to make it as a solo artist or an actress.
I agree with some of you…why is this still being discussed? Nothing more is going to be said about what happened during the break-up…the girls have moved on & so should the fans…we have heard great solo projects from some of the girls & there are many more great solo projects to come!!! & I also wanted to say….if we were famous & made stupid mistakes, would you want your fans to know every little detail about what you did? of course not! Your reputation would get hurt because of the stupid mistakes you made, when you’re actually a really nice person! We all make stupid mistakes like that!! We’re human!! We all have flaws!! we ought to be thankful that Glen & Courtney gave us the information that they did about the break-up! They have said everything that can be said.
Lol..here come the jealousy accusations. Please, I don’t even have a response for that. If you really spoke to Emelie that’s awesome, she was in the group for all of 2 minutes, whooptiedoo. Glen has claimed to tell all he knows to everyone here; and that’s all I was saying! His words, not mine. Anything beyond what he has said is just gossip.
What the majority of Play fans have seen & heard from Anna are the things that are shared on the internet, there’s a huge slew of things she does in New York, she is NOT lacking in talent by any means, I can tell you that. But what you’re saying about having “stand-out” talent to make it in the industry is pretty irrelevant to how the industry works today, unfortunately. (and this is not me arguing with you, just telling the reality of how it works). A celebrity these days is a brand unto itself. If you’ve got the right people behind you than your levels of “talent” don’t really matter if you can sell it and be sold successfully. There have been “artists” for the last two decades now who have won Grammies, VMA’s, sold tens of millions of records who are quite honestly, talentless hacks. But they can sell what they offer, and people buy it. There are actors and actresses out there who really can’t act their way out of a paper bag, yet people love to see them, and they become A-List movie stars. Anna has several outstanding selling points to her in both resume and just simply being who she is in the first place completely regardless of being in a tween pop group. You could also say she has “friends in high places”. A lot of how many people become big stars is by kind of climbing a ladder so to speak. She has a lot in her favor that none of the girls have, which is all I was saying in the other half of my post. But this really is pointless to discuss anyways and none of it really matters. Cheers!
Why are we still discussing this? Its time to move on and look on the bright side. If I could ask one think of Lisa it would be to change the layout to reflect the end. That banner for the 10 years of play is what I like to think about. That image of hpw far the group had come and now that its over we have fond memories to think back on. Its been a nice ride but its done and we should just support them for what they are doing with their lives now. Please don’t take this the wrong way because I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feeling, but if anyone has info and they can’t share pieces of it but want to let people know that they want people to know they know stuff- maybe they just shouldn’t say anything at all. Its much better to just keep all of it to yourself than to say “I know this but you can’t all of it” because then people just get upset. I get that people don’t want say things that know through private conversations, but it isn’t right to tell bits and pieces of it either. It doesn’t help anyone.
I’ve been meaning to change the picture on the layout.. I’ll get around to it eventually :)
Yeah that’s a good idea :)
I’m closing this post.