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aespa is one of the most exciting new acts to debut on the K-pop scene, and we’re so excited to give Just Jared readers a chance to exclusively get to know the group a little better.

The SM Entertainment troupe debuted on the music scene back in November of 2020 with their debut single “Black Mamba.”

They’ve already racked up a ton of views and streams globally, as well as building up an enthusiastic fanbase (called “MY”) with their bold first release.

The group – made up of KARINA, GISELLE, WINTER and NINGNING – also has a very unique twist: each member has their own digital counterpart, meaning that there are technically eight members of aespa!

Watch the music video for the group’s debut smash “Black Mamba,” and learn 10 Fun Facts about the group…

1. They’ve already broken multiple records. Their debut music video for recent single “Black Mamba” racked up 21 million views in its first 24 hours, earning the most views on a debut music video by a K-pop group in that short amount of time. It soon broke another record: the fastest debut music video to surpass 100 million views in K-pop history.

2. “aespa” is more than their band name. The “ae” is derived from the words “avatar and experience” and combined with the word “aspect” (meaning two sides) to get “aespa.” This symbolizes “meeting another self and experiencing the new world.”

3. They have 4 or 8 members. The girls all have their own digital avatars, called “ae,” that were created from each member’s personal data in a virtual world and that can be “rekalled” into the real world. The group consists of four members: KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE and NINGNING, and their four respective avatars (referred to as ae-KARINA, ae-WINTER, ae-GISELLE and ae-NINGNING.)

4. In fact, they even have their own “world.” The band’s avatars are said to “live” in ‘FLAT’, a virtual world in KWANGYA.

5. Members of the fandom refer to themselves at “MY.” “MY” means “the most precious friend” in FLAT.

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“The Sky Blues” is the debut novel by Robbie Couch and we caught up with the author ahead of the book’s release to learn more about him!

The book hits stores TOMORROW (April 6) and Robbie just announced the exciting news that the film rights were optioned to Walden Media, the studio behind such book-to-screen adaptations as The Chronicles of Narnia, Holes, and the Bridge to Terabithia.

In “The Sky Blues,” openly gay high schooler Sky Baker’s small town turns absolutely claustrophobic when his secret promposal plans get leaked to the entire school. The book has already earned raves from Entertainment Weekly, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda” author Becky Albertalli, and stars like Kevin McHale and Tyler Oakley.

Order it now on Amazon or wherever books are sold!

Robbie opened up to us about his favorite food, one of his childhood obsessions, writing his second book, and more. Check out 10 Fun Facts below:

1. I can’t ride roller coasters, sit in back seats on long road trips, or go on cruises! The motion sickness is REAL with me.
2. Like many gay millennials, my Lizzie McGuire obsession in middle school was off the rails. I got an autograph from Hilary Duff one time and lost. my. mind.
3. I spent Christmas Eve 1999 in the emergency room after splitting open my thumb and needing stitches. Kids, be careful playing with breakable plastic brooms in freezing cold weather.
4. “The Sky Blues” is my queer-themed, young-adult rom-com debut! Its themes and characters are so near and dear to my heart. I am excited, nervous, overjoyed, and FEELING ALL OF THE FEELS getting it out into the world.
5. I’ve lived in every time zone in the continental U.S., calling Michigan, New York, Chicago, Denver, and now Los Angeles home at one point or another.

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Asher Monroe is already a multi-talented star, and we want Just Jared readers to get to know him even better!

The 32-year-old actor and singer has taken on many different roles in his career already, having been on Broadway in Beauty & The Beast, as well as starring in big movies and TV shows like Fame, Zoey 101, Close to Home and Parenthood.

Right now, Asher is in music mode, preparing to release two new studio albums in 2021.

His upcoming release, Windows of Time, was crafted alongside legendary Mariah Carey and Barbra Streisand producer Walter Afanasieff, and is described as being “packed with hushed drama, rich instrumentation and colossal choruses.”

Ahead of the album’s release is lead single “Midnight Masquerade,” which was just released in February.

“Walk around your masquerade / Hide behind your guilt and shame / You’re choking in your solitude / You think you’re wise but just a fool,” he sings on the powerful, classical music-infused dramatic number. We can’t wait to hear what’s coming next!

Listen to “Midnight Masquerade” and check out 10 Fun Facts about Asher Monroe!

1. Most of my fans know I’m a huge animal lover. At one point not too long ago I owned 2 monkeys, 2 peacocks and six Tibetan mastiffs all at the same time.

2. I once travelled to Svalbard, Norway to shoot a music video which is considered one of the most northern regions in the world. Basically, imagine shooting a music video on the “north pole“ Freezing!!! That video was called “No Regret” in case you wanted to check it out.

3. I was invited to go on stage with Britney Spears for her residency show in Las Vegas….turned out her boyfriend at the time got jealous and went on instead.

4. I wrote my new album Windows of Time in Europe on the Adriatic sea. I turned off my phone for 3 months and my daily routine consisted of reading the Old Testament, jumping in the water and writing lyrics for hours each and every day.

5. I was the longest running Chip in the Broadway tour of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, cramming me in that box for a whole 2.5 years!

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Lifetime has an exciting movie series premiering this weekend and we caught up with Raechelle Banno, the star of the franchise, to learn more about her.

V.C. Andrews’ The Landry Family Series is a four-movie event over two weekends and the first two films air on March 20 and March 21.

The Landry movie series follows Ruby Landry (Banno), who after being raised by her loving spiritual healer grandmother in the Louisiana bayou, is ensnared in a world of dark family secrets and betrayal, upon discovering that she has another family living in New Orleans.

Raechelle, 27, is an Aussie actress who got her start on the long-running series Home and Away. She also starred in the first season of The CW’s action drama Pandora. Learn more about her with these 10 Fun Facts:

1. I’m what you might call a ‘Bad Australian’: I don’t like Vegemite. Never have!
2. I trained and competed in dance for about 15 years. Jazz, tap, ballet, contemporary. My phenomenal grandmother made all of my costumes.
3. I have an obsession with podcasts. I almost always have one playing and it’s almost always telling a grizzly true crime tale. (Hello, fellow Murderinos…)
4. J’étudie le français avec Duolingo! (I am studying French with Duolingo) My very basic high school understanding did come in handy for the Ruby films as my character speaks French sometimes. I was so nervous to speak it as we shot it in Canada…where people actually know how to speak French!
5. I love to box – I accidentally signed up for classes with former world champion Terry Norris once while spending some time in LA. Bloody hard work, he’s incredible.

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There’s a new show on Netflix right now called Zero Chill and we caught up with the star, Grace Beedie, to learn more about her!

The newcomer plays 15-year-old figure skater Kayla, whose life is up-ended from Canada to the UK, when her twin brother Mac gets a place at a prestigious ice hockey academy. Distraught at her parents’ decision to put her brother’s ambitions before her own, Kayla must find her place on the ice again and step out from the shadow of her superstar twin.

The 10-episode first season just debuted on Netflix and it’s perfect for the whole family.

Get to know Grace with these 10 Fun Facts:

1. I was named after Grace Kelly, and middle names are Caroline and Elizabeth for each of my grandmas — so my full name is Grace Caroline Elizabeth Beedie.
2. I took Mandarin for four years of high school and learned French from Kindergarten to grade 12.
3. I went to my high school prom without a date, and I left early because I had an audition the next morning.
4. I am studying Psychology at USC, and have continued to throughout the pandemic.
5. I am excellent at cooking and horrid at following recipes; I like to get creative and tweak them!

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Bailee Madison smiles at her co-star in this brand new, exclusive clip from her upcoming movie musical A Week Away!

The 21-year-old actress, who also serves as a producer on the film, is joined in the scene by her co-star Kevin Quinn.

In the exclusive clip, Bailee‘s character Avery gifts Kevin‘s Will a photograph of the two of them and two other campers.

“I just, I wanted you to have this photo. You don’t have to keep it, it’s totally weird. I just.. I don’t know, it’s a good picture,” she says in the clip as she gives him a polaroid.

The upcoming movie follows troubled teen Will Hawkins (Quinn) who has a run-in with the law that puts him at an important crossroad: go to juvenile detention or attend a Christian summer camp. At first a fish-out-of-water, Will opens his heart, discovers love with a camp regular (Madison), and sense of belonging in the last place he expected to find it. Watch the trailer here!

If you missed it, be sure to also check out the recently released musical clip of the song “Place In This World,” which is sung by Bailee and Kevin.

A Week Away will premiere Friday, March 26th on Netflix!

Jaguar Jonze is one of music’s rising acts that we’re most excited about, and we want Just Jared readers to get to know her even better!

The Asian-Australian singer-songwriter (real name Deena Lynch) just arrived with her latest single “Curled In,” a jagged anthem co-written and co-produced with bassist Aidan Hogg.

“Tear me apart, just tear me apart,” she declares on the fiery song. “I’ve never seen wrong be done right.”

Her visual influences range from Ghost in the Shell to Akira Kurosawa, and she pays tribute to her background throughout her creative imagery.

The track is featured on her Antihero EP, along with cuts like “Tessellations,” “Deadalive,” “Murder” and “Astronaut.”

Watch the “Curled In” music video and check out 10 Fun Facts about Jaguar Jonze…

1. I can say the alphabet backwards. When I first moved to Australia from Japan, I was so desperate to learn English that I decided to learn the alphabet back to front.

2. Now that’s led me to speak English fluently, and I still speak basic conversational Japanese and Mandarin

3. I can twist my tongue both sides, turn it into a W, do the Mexican wave (you have to see it, it’s gross) and also touch my nose with it.

4. I love motorcycles. Currently I have 2 – a 2015 Ducati Scrambler Classic 803cc that I’ve customised and a 1984 Suzuki TS185 that I’ve destroyed on the MX/Enduro/flat tracks.

5. I ran a nightclub syndicate on the online game Habbo Hotel when I was 12 and would wear a white lab coat, socks, sneakers, powder my face, have a huge red afro and go under the name of Used Tampon. HAHAHAHAAHA.

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