Kelsea Ballerini [ABC Press Video Still]
ABC’s six-episode music series “Greatest Hits,” which celebrates the music of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s by pairing the hitmakers of the respective time periods with current superstars, premieres at 9PM on Thursday, June 30.
In advance of the premiere episode, which focuses on the hits of the early 1980s, co-hosts Arsenio Hall and Kelsea Ballerini provided ABC with sound bites about their interest in the show and their experience working together.
The interviews were issued to the media Tuesday. Highlights follow:
Arsenio on first learning about Greatest Hits
When I first got the call about this show, it was the greatest conversation ever. My lawyer called me – ‘Remember the time that you put The Temptations on with Boyz II Men?’ And I said, ‘Oh yeah, that was a good show.’ I didn’t know where she was going. And she was saying, ‘How would you like a show that does that? … ABC has this show.’ She explained [Greatest Hits] to me, and I was like, ‘I’m dressing already…I’m on my way.’ I went over to ABC and talked…this is a dream come true for a guy like me.
Arsenio on the “magic” of Greatest Hits
Greatest Hits is a six-episode music party. It’s going to be on every Thursday night, and it allows entertainers to step out of the business of music and just make your dreams come true. Every musician has a dream. Every musician you talk to has somebody they’d like to work with, somebody they’d like to get in studio to play that guitar solo the way you want. Speaking of guitar – somebody like Bonnie Raitt, you call her, and you say, ‘Bonnie, who would you like to sing with or perform with?’ And, I think she said ‘Andra Day.’ She came, and we got Ms. Day in the studio with her, and it was magical. This legendary vocalist and guitar player with this young, hot artist. Magic. We’ve had some magical things go on here. Jason Derulo loves Michael Jackson. He plays a tribute to Michael Jackson that is so unique, that I’m going to save it as a surprise, but it’s unbelievable. Wardrobe, the twist in style on Michael’s dance moves, and a song that you probably wouldn’t guess that Jason would choose.
(Arsenio did not want to reveal the nature of Jason Derulo’s Michael Jackson tribute, but ABC did share details and photos with Headline Planet. View them here.).
Arsenio on co-host Kelsea Ballerini
She’s very clever. There’s a Shirley Temple quality about her…one of those young ladies who’s been in the business all her life. She’s been writing since she was 12, so there’s nothing she doesn’t know about show business. That night [I found out we were working together], I listened to a video of [her] song called ‘Dibs.’ I was surprised, first of all, because I’m much older than her, and I used ‘dibs’ as a kid. ‘I got dibs on that.’ And I was shocked to see a young, 22 year-old bring back a word from the ghetto in Cleveland when I was coming up. I’m watching this video, and I fell in love with her work. She’s the perfect co-host for this vehicle.
This worked, and it’s so great. There’s this “exhale moment” for a veteran like me, when you meet her – before you mount the stage – you meet her, you have a conversation, and you say, ‘Yeah, this works. She has the all the yin to my yang.’
Kelsea on what drew her to the show
Well I’ve never hosted anything like this before…I just love music, I’m so passionate about music. And I love collaborations and honoring musicians and artists that have had songs that really define memories and define times for people. That’s what made me really fall in love with the idea of this show, and getting to do it with Arsenio has just been the best experience in the world.
Kelsea on why the show is great for the whole family
One of my favorite parts about this show is that … I was born in 1993, I’m 22. There are acts from the 80s and the early 90s that I wasn’t as familiar with, but then they’ll pair with an artist that I’m friends with…a new artist. And that kind of collaboration is going to make everyone in the family happy. Everyone tuning in at home — there’s going to be someone for everyone. I think that’s really cool. I think people in my generation are going to learn new music. I think people that were listening to the hits of the 80s are going to learn new artists. It’s just going to be a really cool, collaborative show.
Kelsea on working with Arsenio Hall
Arsenio just has the best energy about him. I was a bit nervous to co-host because I’ve never done it on this level before, and he’s a legend. He’s so good at it. I’ve learned, though, that it’s not just about reading the prompter or introducing the acts. It’s really about the energy that you bring to the show, together, because it affects the live audience, and it affects all of it. To be able to collaborate with someone like that who is so ‘pro’ and just has fun – we just have fun together. There are so many times where we go off script and just mess around and say things, and I hope that comes across to people.