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“Are you sure we couldn’t book Gwen? Not even for a quick video appearance?” Blaineley asked from her seat as the makeup artist swiped blush on her cheeks. “Yeah yeah, she’s ‘too busy filming for All Stars,’” she rolled her eyes and sighed. “Same excuse for Duncan too, so I guess I’ll have to really go in with the interrogation.” Blaineley grinned, a devious look in her eyes.
After the makeup artist misted a final layer of setting spray on the host, Blaineley was left to brainstorm all the invasive, drama-inducing questions she would be asking Trent. This was supposed to be an interview about his new album – 9teen – but Blaineley would be playing a ruthless game of twenty questions to get to the core of his emotions about his ex.
There was about fifteen minutes until she’d go out on stage and welcome Trent to her show, and then for the next hour, she’d get to absolutely grill him, flay him alive in front of a live audience.
The fifteen minutes went by quicker than expected, and Trent was being ushered on stage. They greeted each other with a big hug and even bigger smiles that didn’t reach their eyes. Blaineley motioned for Trent to sit down.
“The fans are ecstatic that you’re finally releasing a solo album! Don’t get me wrong, ‘One Woman Man’ was a classic, but we are so ready for some new material. We wouldn’t want you to become ‘One Song Man,’” Blaineley chuckled. “Especially with everything you’ve been through: the relationship and breakup with Gwen, her getting with Duncan — oh I’m sure you have a lot to say.”
“Yeah, I do,” he breathed. “It’s been in the works since the second season-”
Blaineley cut him off, “That long?”
“Well I had written nine songs about Gwen back then. Not sure how the network got that information, but you guys even put it up on my profile…”
Blaineley stared blankly at Trent with a plastic smile.
He shook his head, “Anyways, releasing the album is like finally letting go, putting all these thoughts into my songs and sending them out so I’m not burdened by them anymore.
“Part of the struggle was that everything was so public, but now it’s like I want to tell people, and I’m ready to share this with all of you.” He clarified, “sharing everything on my own terms.”
“Right, it must have been so hard for you to go through all of this in the public eye with the editing in the show recontextualizing your story and fans only seeing what was shown,” Blaineley nodded. “So tell me, what exactly is the album about?”
“The concept for this album is about there being two sides. On and off screen. Internal feelings and outward expression. Being a man and being a boy.”
“So would you say the album is two faced?” Blaineley cocked her head and pinned her eyes on Trent with an overly sweet smile.
“Well sure, but not in a bitter or hateful way,” his eyes widened.
“Not even a little bit bitter?” She pressed. “You always suspected Gwen and Duncan had a thing and then…”
Trent sat up straighter, “…then you’re going to love one of the songs that’s literally about this. It’s called I Never Told You .”
“Ha ha I bet.” Blaineley motioned to someone off stage, and then a tv screen lowered next to them showing the album cover and the track list.
The album art was a simple headshot of Trent in black and white, moodily looking off into the distance with his head tilted slightly downward and to the side and with his lips parted as if he was about to say something. It was reminiscent of an Adele album.
The crowd clapped and cheered, and someone even whistled.
“Wow, how glamorous and sophisticated!”
“Thank you! Nineteen is a very glamorous and sophisticated age to be.”
Blaineley wasn’t sure if that was a joke, so she quickly steered the topic to something else. “How about you play something,” she pulled out a guitar from behind her chair, and the crowd erupted in applause.
Trent strummed it a few times, trying to tune the instrument while the applause died down.
“Midnight blue, we’ll make this work
With your self hate and my self worth
I’ll be so good to you I promise
You’re everything I always wanted
Midnight blue, midnight blue
What happens if I lose my cool?
Midnight blue, midnight blue
What happens if you lose your mystery”
The pre chorus started out peppy and hopeful and then devolved into a more dark and desperate tone in the chorus which ended on a dissonant chord.
As the crowd cheered, Blaineley strategized about the questions she’d ask. She had gone into the interview with the goal of asking devastating questions about Gwen and Duncan, but a new subject presented itself in the form of Justin. He made a few sneak appearances in the album, and Trent surely wouldn’t be expecting questions about him, Blaineley thought. As exciting and messy as Gwuncan was, it was old news, but Trustin was new and fresh, and she could be the first to exploit it.
“I think this has been on everyone’s mind, but Justin has writing and producing credits on quite a few of your songs!” The crowd roared with applause and hollering while Blaineley clapped along. “Haha, we should’ve gotten out the Scream O Meter for that one. Now tell us about your collaboration. How much did he contribute? Is the band getting back together?” She leaned forward, “Tell us everything.”
Trent looked a bit uncertain, “Firstly, it’s not really a collaboration, and he was mostly there for moral support. He’d tell me if something sounded corny or too melodramatic, but I still had the final word. I also wanted to keep the album all about me and my personal experience. Justin was really understanding, and actually didn’t want to be any part of my music at first, believe it or not.”
“Oh, really?” Blaineley leaned in closer.
“Yeah, so it started in the music room at the Playa Des Losers…”
It was the second day after the filming of Bigger, Badder, Brutal-er, and everyone of the original cast, with the exception of a few people Chris wanted to have a cameo, had to kill time at the Playa Des Losers until the fourth season ended.
Trent spent his time in the music room, which was mostly untouched by the other contestants. During TDI, he’d witnessed Cody playing piano a few times, skillfully tripping his way around chords and melodies and humming along with his eyes closed, but otherwise he seemed like the only person who used this room regularly. It wasn’t until now that he had to share his space.
Trent stopped in the doorway when he saw Justin leaning against the wall, one hand holding his journal and the other tapping mindlessly on a drum. Justin looked up, unfazed at the man whose deepest, most personal thoughts he had just been reading. He didn’t even seem guilty or surprised if not for the almost imperceptible quirk of his eyebrow.
Ever the empath, Justin sensed that Trent was upset and set the notebook down, “Hey.”
“ Hey!” Trent responded, offended. He lunged towards Justin with his arms outstretched, “Give that back!”
Justin raised his hands and stepped away from the notebook, setting it down on the drum.
Trent snatched up his notebook and clutched it to his chest, cradling it like a baby. After determining that the notebook was indeed safe, Trent glared at Justin and jabbed an accusatory finger at him. “What the FUCK are you doing reading my journal?”
Justin held his hands up, “Hey man, I was just chilling in the music room and saw it. Don’t blame me for being curious.”
“And what the FUCK are you doing in this room in the first place? We both know you can’t play any instruments.”
“You got me there. Honestly, I’m just here because it’s one of the few places Katie and Sadie never check when they’re looking for me. I don’t think they know this room even exists.”
“Wish you didn’t know this room existed either. Can’t have any privacy here,” Trent muttered.
“This is a reality show,” Justin responded flatly.
Trent sighed in exasperation.
After a pause, Justin spoke again, “You’re really melodramatic.”
Trent scoffed, “Really? I hardly think I’m acting melodramatic for someone whose deepest, most personal thoughts were being read by someone without permission.”
“No, I mean your journal,” he gestured at the notebook, “your lyrics.”
Trent raised a brow, daring Justin to elaborate.
“I don’t know what Gwen would think of being called the ‘pin of your grenade.’”
Trent sighed, Justin really had combed through his songs, “Hah, she’d probably think I’m more deranged than I already am.” He laughed humorouslessly and hung his head. “I’m not that…volatile, alright, and I’m sorry for lashing out. It’s just that I wanted to stay close together even if she wanted to be apart. I felt unstable without her and more susceptible to the worst of my thoughts, but she was also the topic of some of those thoughts, ya know?”
Justin patted his shoulder, “And I guess I’m sorry for reading your notebook.”
“Hm,” Trent made a noise indicating that he heard the apology but didn’t exactly accept it.
Blaineley cocked her head, “He seemed pretty interested in your music.”
“He just liked the entertainment,” Trent corrected her. “Kinda like you,” he added.
The crowd laughed and so did Blaineley, who thought it was better to join in with those laughing at her.
As the crowd quieted down, Trent continued. “Apparently Justin had been a regular at the music room for a long time, but coincidentally we never were there at the same time until then. I thought since he’d be here anyways and that he’d already read everything that I’d ask him to help with the album.”
“What? Oh, no thank you.”
For someone who was entranced and engrossed in reading Trent’s notebook, Justin seemed to have no interest in being a part of Trent’s music.
“You’ll have production and writing credits for playing some melodies. Girls think it’s sexy when a guy plays guitar,” Trent offered.
“Not interested.”
“Okay, playing guitar is attractive to people of any gender,” he tried again.
“Nope, not interested.”
“C'mon, guitar is fun, and it’s fun to learn something new.”
Justin brought a hand to his chin and pretended to think for a moment, “Hmm, that’s very enticing…but still not interested.”
“You’ve spent so much time in the music room and haven’t bothered to even try a single instrument?”
He shrugged.
“What about helping with lyrics?” Trent asked as a last resort. Next to himself, Harold was the most lyrically inclined Drama Brother…then Cody. But having Justin just be in the room seemed awkward; at least with the pretense of him helping with the music it wouldn’t be as bad.
“Are you serious?” Justin looked at him as if he expected “just kidding” to be the next words to come out of Trent’s mouth. “Mr. Melodrama wants someone else to help write his songs?”
“Okay fine, I didn’t really mean it. I just think it would be awkward if you were here with nothing to do while I make music.”
“I’ll figure something out,” he shrugged. “Just act like I’m not here.”
It was now Trent's turn to act incredulous. “Mr. Look At Me wants someone to ignore him?”
“Ha ha. You know, your sense of humor doesn’t come across in your lyrics.”
Trent couldn’t help but smile despite the mood he’d been in when he first saw Justin in the music room. “You know, ‘Mr. Melodrama’ isn’t a bad name for an album…”
“There’s been speculation that you and Justin are in a relationship. Is this true?”
Trent’s eyes widened, “Not at all! He’s very much a ‘look but don’t touch’ kind of person, and I’m very much not interested in a relationship right now.”
“But maybe in the future-” Blaineley cut in.
“He might have a bigger role in the next album.” Trent easily sidestepped the implication and chuckled, “Justin is getting really good at the tambourine.”
The crowd roared at the mention of another album.
Blaineley was clearly frustrated at her attempts being thwarted, but Trent had such a natural way of working the crowd that she had to ask about Trent’s next album instead of the potential relationship between him and Justin.
She grit her teeth but schooled her face back to its eager, talk show host default. Hopefully her irritation didn’t show. “Wow, already? Is there anything you can tell us about the new album?”
“Nothing much yet. I don’t have any finished songs, much less a release date, but I’ve been playing with some new ideas. I’m thinking about more rock influenced, experimental sounds.”
“That sounds interesting. Can we expect more of Mr. Melodrama? More about Gwen?”
“9teen was an album I had to make, but this next one is gonna be something I want to make. It’s gonna be a lot more fun and free, just about enjoying and finding myself in the music. I might still have a bit of that post breakup energy, but it’s being channeled into something bigger.
“As for me being ‘Mr. Melodrama,’ you’re probably going to continue seeing that,” Trent chuckled. “It’s how I am really, I’m just someone who feels deeply, and I want to translate that depth in my writing.”
“I bet Gwen would describe herself the same way.”
“Maybe.”
There wasn’t much to say to that, and the conversation went silent except for a few whispers and sparse claps from the crowd. The hour was almost up anyways, and Blaineley was yet again unable to successfully incorporate invasive questions about Trent’s relationships. She’d gotten a decent amount of material on Justin, though if she had had a contingent plan for that, she could’ve asked even harder hitting questions about the model. She waited for another 10 seconds to see if Trent would become uncomfortable enough to fill the silence. Sadly, he knew better than to give in and remained patiently stoic.
Blaineley clasped her hands together and smiled tightly at the crowd, “Well, that’s it for this Celebrity Manhunt Special! Look out for Trent’s new album releasing on September 9th and keep streaming his singles!” She turned back to Trent. “Thank you so much for coming on the show and talking us through the album. It was so interesting to hear all about the music process and inspiration behind it!”
“Of course, and thank you for having me on!” Trent smiled and waved at the crowd. “It was great to be able to share this with all of you guys!”