March 28, 2024
Credit: Photo Journalism
Credit: Photo Journalism

High School West is an environment filled with students of extraordinary talent ranging in all possible fields such as sports, academics, arts, and music. If there’s one thing the students of this school have never failed to do, it’s to surprise the rest of their peers with just what they can become at such a young age. Just two years ago, West had senior Tobias Harris receiving national attention for his achievements in basketball. Harris currently plays in the NBA for the Orlando Magic. Today there’s another senior making a name for himself, but this time as a lead singer on the music scene.

Senior Matt Weiss and his pop band Love in Motion have only been around for less than a year, but have already developed a fan base in the thousands.  They have played sold out shows at venues in New York, New Jersey, and even Philadelphia. On February 19th, the band announced their show with Jake Miller, an up and coming rapper with over 100,000 fans on Facebook and Twitter. I sat down with lead singer Weiss recently to get more on what exactly the Love in Motion story is all about.

Briefly tell the story of how you became involved with Love in Motion. How did you meet the others? Was there an audition? How did you learn about it and prepare?

 “Dom (keytarist) called me up during the summer, offering me a position in a pop band. At first I did not make it in, but after the old lead singer left I took his place and went right to the studio. I didn’t have much time to prepare but I did my best to make a lasting impression on my fellow band members.”

You guys seem to have fans all up and down a good portion of the East coast. How did your band go about gaining fame in multiple states?

 “We’ve had a good amount of success online by being very active with Facebook, Twitter, iTunes and Spotify. We also go out to shows along the east coast to promote our band by handing out promotion cards to as many people as we can.”

What is it like the day of a big show? Do you guys do anything to prepare?

 “During the day of a big show, we usually like to joke around and lighten the mood for as long as we can before our set.”

I went to your show at “The Emporium” in Patchogue back in December and the crowd was absolutely insane for you guys. What’s it like playing for a crowd of hundreds of people? Has it gotten any easier after doing more and more shows?

 “At first it was quite awkward for me because I had never been in a serious band before, but I learn more from every performance. Instead of getting nervous before my set, I now feel energized and excited to be on stage and see all of my fans.”

 You guys just announced last week your upcoming show with Jake Miller. How did that come about happening?

“We met with Jake’s tour manager during our last show with Allstar Weekend and Cute is What We Aim For and we got along very well. After that he offered us a spot for Jake’s show in New Jersey at the Encore Event Center.”

How would you summarize your experience with Love in Motion?

“Being in Love in Motion is an amazing experience. It has always been my dream to be the front man of a band, no matter what genre. I am blessed to be a part of it.”

Is this a project you can see yourself sticking with for a decent amount of time in the future?

 “I have no idea what the future will bring but I know that I want to sing and perform for as long as I possibly can.”

 Love in Motion’s music and activity can be followed on any social media outlet, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube, with music available on iTunes. The community of High School West would like to wish Matt Weiss and his band luck in pursing their passions and dreams, something all students should aspire to do.