Winners left to right: DeMarco Williams (Detroit, MI), Lexi Shryack (Highlands Ranch, CO), Dionna Stone (Waldorf, MD), Anthony Nelson Jr. (Durham, NC), Nicholas Locke (West Hollywood, CA), Johnathan Brown (Augusta, GA), Katie Lakotko (Windsor, CT) and Kendra Oyesanya (Oklahoma City, OK).
Beginning July 4, fans who submitted a 10 second dance video clip themed after Pepsi’s latest TV commercial featuring Beyoncé were not only eligible to win the chance to appear in a unique “super fan” music video choreographed by Chris, but also won the chance to fly out to NYC as VIP guests during her August 4th “The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour” performance at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. In addition, the winners also participated in a special meet-n-greet with Beyoncé for an unforgettable experience.
Pepsi’s “Dance for a Chance” contest served as an extension of the brand’s ongoing strategy to connect with fans through entertainment and digital/social media as part of their recently launched “Iconic Summer” program.
We had a chance to catch up with Chris this week talk about his initiative with Pepsi and working with Beyoncé.
Q: So tell us what the whirlwind has been like these past few days with putting this Pepsi campaign together?
Grant: It’s been great actually. It’s a great experience working with the kids and the fans. They remind me of myself when I was younger so I took a lot from it. You know, from them being humble and them being so grateful and how big of a deal this was.
Q: Who was a strong mentor in your life?
Grant: Well Michael Jackson was. I’d always watch his videos and, you know, his tours. So I know the way that they were feeling to be able to be a part of a video for Pepsi and it was just amazing cause they know they’re gonna meet Beyonce and go to the show and it’s just a great opportunity and it’s a once in a lifetime thing so…you know, it’s great.
Q: Tell us a little bit about how you came to work with Beyonce.
Grant: Well I started on MTV’s Making the Band 4 then from Making the Band Frank Gaston, Beyoncé’s creative director, saw that I was on a TV show with Diddy and all of that and he told me that he was very interested in my dancing and what else I can do. And he thought I was very talented so he asked me to do a routine and I did a routine to “Single Ladies” and this was around the time “Single Ladies” was already out and I showed them, he loved it, and he flew me to L.A. to show Beyonce because it’s around the time she was prepping for the “I Am” tour. And she loved it and she was asking if I was real and everything and she seen that I had this connection with Michael because she’s a fan of Michael as well. And she stressed that that was needed on the tour to maybe help her get to the level she wanted to be. She’s always willing to learn and always wants to try something new and she’s always looking for the next best thing. So she felt like I was able to maybe be a stand in and just train and stuff like that. And one thing lead to another and helping out with the auditions to pick females…and it happened very fast. I was just grateful to be able to be around her and for her to see my talent for her to give me a chance to be a part of her things that she had going on with the tour and everything.
Q: So what’s next for you in terms of what you want to do in your own career?
Grant: Well right now I’m still progressing and I’m still working with different artists. I would love to get into music because, you know, I started out on MTV’s Making the Band 4. I’ve been taking a lot of voice lessons to get into music. So hopefully I would like to do that. I’m very inspired when it comes to music and entertainment. I love to perform, I love to entertain. And I think that’s where me and Beyonce have a connection cause we love to perform, we love to come up with different things and impress the audiences…and we just have a feel for that. Hopefully, I will have a chance to be on stage and do my own music as well.
Q: You’re already working with the greatest artist in the world, who else would you want to work with?
Grant: I would say maybe Britney Spears because she’s iconic as well, you know, I used to be a huge fan of her back in the day. And she reminds of me Janet Jackson and I’m a big fan of Janet Jackson. There’s something about her where I feel like she still has it in her and I would like to just experience that with her.
Q: How was it working with kids on this Pepsi campaign?
Grant: Well being a part of Pepsi’s Beyonce super-fan video was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m just glad that I got a chance to work with the fans because they’re such big fans and I’m so glad that Pepsi provided me such a unique way to interact with the fans, you know, and this whole contest and this iconic summer program. I feel like it was one of the hottest events. I feel like it’s a great way to connect the fans with the artist. I feel like Pepsi did this in the past when I was a kid. I used to watch Michael Jackson and his Pepsi commercials and it’s just an honor for me to be a part of it now. It’s really crazy. And I feel like Beyonce is a great example of a talented entertainer, you know, she’s like an icon and she’s incredible at what she does. She loves the fans and she gives a part of herself to the fans and I feel like this is the best way to give back to her fans. I was just so blessed to be a part of it and to be able to give back as well. To be able to teach them and show them the proper movements, you know, the right way. And they were just giving so much energy back and they were so eager and willing to give you everything and be able to put the fan situation to the side and actually try to learn and become professional dancers, or try to be in this world because it’s not easy building in front of a camera and doing a super-fan video and things are very timed…it’s like they got a chance to be on the other side of things. Instead of just watching the video, the finishing product, they got to be a part of something…they understand what Beyonce goes through, you know, filming it like 30 times or 50 times, you know, and okay now let’s do it from this angle. It was hard work for them, but they stuck it out. They were really troopers throughout the whole process and I just really appreciate their hard work.
Q: What kind of impact has Beyoncé had on your career?
Grant: I compare Beyonce to MJ a lot. I think she’s like a female MJ. What she’s taught me is just to try to…put your all into it. Try to stay consistent with things. Keep your mind open to other things; don’t be afraid to try things. She’s just such a hard worker. To stay sweet, to stay giving… never feel like you’re too good to do this. And have fun while you’re doing it, enjoy what you’re doing. And I really appreciate that. She makes all of us feel like we’re family and she makes us feel very comfortable and I just really appreciate that. And everything is not that big of a deal. Just kick it off and enjoy it.
