This article originally appeared in the Spring 2026 Backstage Issue of Showstopper Magazine.
We have SO much to talk about! From backstage newes to insight from the dancers, actors, and singers who KNOW entertainment and success, it is always our goal to bring you the best of the best. We take a break from scrolling to bring you one special print edition each year, but we’re fulfilling the role of in-the-know internet bestie every day.
Here’s a sneak peek at some of our favorite stories.
Lily Lane on “Reciprocation”
The Inspo Behind Her “Reciprocation” Music Video
“The ‘Reciprocation’ music video was actually directly inspired by The Ed Sullivan Show, which has always been such an iconic piece of music history to me. My music and image have always pulled from Motown and Old Hollywood, and there’s something so timeless about those performances. I love how artists like Nancy Sinatra and The Supremes used simple choreography that was still so powerful and magnetic. I wanted to capture that same energy. Clean staging. Strong presence. All about the performance.”
On Filming the Music Video
“We shot the video in a small theater in Brooklyn, which honestly felt like it’s own character. There was a little weiner dog named Huey Lewey who ‘worked’ there with is dad, who ran the theater all day, just hanging out like he was part of the crew.
“The song is written jokingly about my husband, so it made perfect sense to have him in it. He has a background in film and acting and has shot and directed a lot of my music videos, but I had never actually seen him act before this. By the time it was his turn to act and me to shoot and direct him, he had been on set for eight hours getting my scenes done, so I like think his unimpressed face in the video was very real. It was a dynamic we were not used to, with me behind the camera and directing and him acting, so we kept cracking up. It ended up being exactly the vibe I wanted, and I added some of those broken character moments into the final cut to reinforce that we weren’t taking it too seriously.”
Ella Horan on Dancing in Madison Beer’s “Yes, Baby” Music Video
“Being part of Madison Beer’s ‘Yes, Baby’ video was such a surreal and inspiring experience. Not only did I get to perform alongside some of my lifelong friends and biggest inspirations, but also with artists I’ve admired for years, including choreographer Robbie Blue and director Aeron Moreno. Seeing them in their element, creating in real time, was incredible. Watching their passion, precision, and creativity up close made me want to jump right back into the studio the moment I got home. I left that shoot feeling re-energized and inspired to apply everything I learned from those two days into my own work. It reminded me why I fell in love with this art form in the first place, the collaboration, the storytelling, and the magic that happens when you’re surrounded by people who truly love what they do.”
Evan Fields on Wayfinders
On Filming in Ireland
“[It] was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We filmed in real castles and traveled all over the country. Even though some of our days were full of rain and cold weather, this experience brought the cast closer and created a lifelong friendship between us.”
On His Wayfinder’s Character, Flynn
“Flynn starts off as someone who is unsure how he fits into the world and eventually discovers he’s more of a leader than he realizes. Portraying Flynn taught me to live in the moment and to be confident in myself.”
Jessica Kaylee on Her Short Film, “My New Roommate is a VAMPIRE”
“In this project, I take on the demanding triple role of director, producer, and star. The film tells the stor of an eager college student whose excitement about meeting her new roommate is challenged by the latter’s evident hostility, which ultimately stems from a dark supernatural secret. The production utilized a smaller cast than my previous film, which created an environment allowing fore more time to play and improv scenes on set.”
Agape Mngomezulu on What Makes Ginny & Georgia Season 3 “The Best Season Yet”
On His Character’s Love Story
“Bryon is a football player. He is kind of like a cool kid, relaxed. I feel like the kind of kid that everyone is friends with, but then, obviously, he develops an affection for Bracia, and kind of balances whether he should keep playing football or join musical theater to be with the person that he likes, and ultimately he chooses love over football.”
On Processing Difficult Scenes
“To be fair, it’s tough at times to shake that sort of stuff off. It’s good to have a good support system outside of work. Like sometimes, if I’m having a rough day, I’ll call my sister, or I’ll call my partner. It’s good to have outlets that don’t involve the work, like playing a sport, or sometimes I go home and play video games. [I] go home and kind of lock in for like an hour, and that kind of shakes me out of it. But when you’re actually on set, just be vocal about how you’re feeling.”
Tessa Violet’s “My Body’s My Buddy” is the New Take on Body Positivity We All Need
On the Excitement that Inspired Her Song, “My Body’s My Buddy”
“You take five minutes and write a letter from the perspective of your body to you, and then you take a little break. Then you read the letter and you write back from you to your body, and then you repeat the whole process one more time. The thing that came up for me is that I was like, ‘Oh, my body is live very silly actually.’ Funny and very gentle and very loving and wants me to know that it is my friend. I’m like, ‘Wow, my body is my friend.’
“If you’re curious about doing the exercise, I would say it’s not a test, and just give yourself some time. Give yourself some grace. Maybe you need 10 minutes, not five. […] For me, I wrote probably like 15 sentences, but maybe for you to start, you just write three, and that can be the beginning of the conversation. It’s an exercise, and it’s a process.”
Natalie Shay on Her Music Video “Do u relate?”
“The “Do u relate?’ music video was filmed on Blackheath Common on a perfect London summer’s day. Directed by Eleanore Grace Hann, it’s the music video for my latest single. The song is about escaping with a perfect love, when you’ve reached a point in your life when you’re ready for a new chapter.”
“I live in and grew up in London, so Eleanore suggested we tell this story in a way that best represents a relationship with me. We shot the whole video over one day around the same area. At sunset, we filmed scenes on the riverbank at Cutty Sark. These are my favourite shots. The bike shots are out the back of a moving car. Lunch was provided kindly to us by Zizzi’s. The ice cream was coconut-flavoured and so nice. Me and Jakub (love interest) only met that day, but all of our on-camera laughs are genuine, as he’s super funny. I’m super proud of the colour palette and tone of this video.”
Alivia Natter on Her Wish to Dance with BYU Cougarettes
“When I was 10, I was diagnosed with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After months of chemotherapy, hospital stays, and tough days, I’m grateful to say I’ve been cancer-free for over a year.
“My dance studio, the Murrieta Dance Project, was a huge part of my support and helped me stay positive through everything, reminding me that even on the hardest day, I was still a dancer. I’ve loved dancing for as long as I can remember—there’s even a video of me dancing at the coffee table before I was 1 year old.
“My biggest dream came true when Make-A-Wish granted my wish to dance with the BYU Cougarettes, where I got to practice with them, learn their moves, and perform a really fast, college-level routine on the basketball court with over 20,000 people in attendance during a timeout. At the end of the performance, Cosmo the Cougar lifted me onto his shoulder and carried me off the court as the crowd cheered, and I’ll never forget the special experience. For those few minutes, I wasn’t the girl who had cancer—I was a real Cougarette, dancing my heart out.”