News of Noway, issue 2, 2000
'Have you heard our song? It's called Don't say you love me.'
Of course the couple of hundred seventh and eighth graders at Liberty Middle School had heard the bestseller from the Pokémon soundtrack. And the response from these young enthusiastic fans filled the small gymnasium. As the music started the teens forgot their earlier promises to their teachers sitdown during the concert. At only 15 and 16 themselves, Marion and Marit probably can't pass on the opportunity to stir up some musical anarchy in the school gymnasium. Anyway, the teachers are too busy following Marion's instructions to clap along with the rhythm, or taking pictures.
'Now we need some help from you guys& ,' Marion shouts.
Soon after, the crowd is singing 'Oooh, ooh, aah, aah, aah'.
'What did you think about the concert?,' I asked some girls in the crowd.'We liked it'.
'What did you like about it?''Everything.'
Aftermath
When the concert is over, the young students are so pumped with adrenaline they can hardly stand it. Convincing the kids to return to their classrooms seems impossible. Even the girl cleaning the hallways hums a familiar tune: 'Oooh, ooh, aah, aah, aah'. 'It's going to be difficult to conduct classes today,' admits vice principal Jamelle S. Wilson. 'What did you think of the way M2M connected with the kids?' 'Oh, they connected alright!'
Ms. Wilson hopes the students were able to remember the environmental message included before the performance. The concert was sponsored by Earth Jam, an organization, that promotes education through entertainment.The record company's marketing strategy is simpler: The goal is that the 27 school concerts will create such a 'buzz' around the country that the radio stations pick up M2M's latest single 'Mirror Mirror'.
Back to school
The kids rush up to get autographs, but the girls' time is limited. They're going to LA that evening, and Marion has to do homework for at least 3 hours a day to prepare for a religion test. She even has her own teacher, Tore Engeland, along on the tour. Marion's father, who is a teacher and who usually comes along, wasn't able to join the tour this time.
'Marion' is a very good student, and is easy to discipline,' comments Engeland, 'the school back home is proud of the girls.'Marit and Marion are also closely followed by their mothers who try to accompany them on tour whenever they can. Hiding behind videocameras - taping their every move.
Miss home
The girls meet many kids their own age while touring. 'We get a bit homesick when we come to schools like this,' they admit, although they mostly enjoy playing their music in front of big crowds. 'It's great when they know the lyrics or have heard of us .' The girls are worked up before the concert, not only because of the distant screaming heard through the doors, but also because a reviewer from Rolling Stone just called. He had heard their new album Shades of Purple and thought it was great. 'And everyone told us he is known to be difficult,' Marit comments.
Success
M2M has a lot to be excited about these days. The reviews for their new album were overwhelmingly positive. Marit and Marion were given parts in a spin-off series based on the popular show 'Dawson's Creek'. They will also appear in this season's last episodes of 'Dawson's Creek'. In fact, they had just appeared on MTV before I met them, as judges in karaoke show.
'After this we're going to Asia,' Marion sighs, almost, just almost, making it sound a bit boring.
Listen to M2M's latest singel "Mirror, Mirror"