Cosgrove brings Dancing Crazy tour to Rosemont
Life for Miranda Cosgrove, to borrow a phrase from the “iCarly” theme song, is so won-der-ful.
Her tween-ish comedy show on Nickelodeon, “iCarly,” saw double-digit viewership increases in 2010 and became the most-watched show on the network among 6- to 14-year-olds.
After doing a voice role in the movie “Despicable Me,” she recorded a song with Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo, and, according to The Hollywood Reporter, signed a “low- to mid-seven figures” deal do a fourth season of “iCarly,” where she plays a high strung but good-hearted Web show host.
Even though “iCarly” isn't about a singer, Cosgrove's red-hot career has taken a musical turn. This past year, Nickelodeon started playing her music more often during commercial breaks and specials, and last month the 17-year-old California native released a new single, “Dancing Crazy,” from her second and yet-unnamed CD due out in March.
Cosgrove and her “Dancing Crazy Tour” stop at the Rosemont Theatre Friday, with opening act Greyson Chance. He's the 13-year-old who became a YouTube sensation last April after a video of him singing Lady Gaga's “Paparazzi” went viral.
Earlier this week, we spoke to Cosgrove about her national concert tour, applying for college and those crazy parent fans. Below is an excerpt of the interview:
Q. What's your concert like? Will “iCarly” fans know most of the songs?
A. I want people to have a really good time. It's a lot of upbeat songs, and I'm doing one cover, “Just a Girl” by No Doubt. There'll be a VJ (video jockey) onstage, so kids in the audience can be seen up on the big screens, and I'll have people come up onstage. The “iCarly” theme song is my first song. There'll be four to five songs that play on Nickelodeon that I'll sing, too.
Q. Have you always been a singer?
A. I started singing when I was 5. I was in a group with kids my age, and we sang show tunes (laughs). I started taking guitar when I was 8.
Q. What's Rivers Cuomo like?
A. He's a great guy. It's so much fun to have someone in the studio to feed off of. He's got such a big, fun personality. I like him a lot. We do a song called “High Maintenance,” about a high maintenance girl and how it gets on a guy's nerves.
Q. Unlike other Nickelodeon shows, like “Victorious” and “Big Time Rush,” “iCarly” isn't about a singer. Are they trying to incorporate more singing into the shows for you this season?
A. I'm not sure. Maybe next season. They don't want to change (“iCarly”) up too much. It works so well the way it is.
Q. Are you anything like Carly Shay?
A. I think I'm a lot like her. She's basically a really hyper version of me. It's me to the extreme. She's always with her friends, and cares about people. My best friend is my next door neighbor, who I've known since I was little.
Q. What's been your favorite “iCarly” episode?
A. There's a new one coming up in a few weeks, “iHire an Idiot.” Sam and I hire a guy who is super cute to work for the show, and it drives Nathan crazy.
Q. Do you and the cast members have a lot of fun coming up with “i” names for things?
A. We do. I don't know if it's appropriate to say this, but “iWas a Pageant Girl” somehow went online as “iWas a Pregnant Girl.” They fixed it right away, though.
Q. Which fans are crazier, kids or their parents?
A. Parents. They are willing to do anything. When it's not you, and you're doing it for your kids, they're willing to go further. But no one's been too crazy. They're all really nice.
Q. When did you realize you'd become a celebrity?
A. One of my friends called me and said she'd seen me in People or InStyle magazine as one of the fashion people, in one of those what-they-wore photos. I remember thinking, “Wow!”
Q. What's the future of “iCarly”? You're turning 18 in a few months?
A. Yeah. (Age) 13 and 17 is a big difference. I don't know. I don't want to do it too long, and overstay.
Q. What does the future hold for you?
A. I love acting and I love music, so I want to try to keep doing that. I'm applying for college now. I've applied at USC, Brown and Yale. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I might major in film or theater. I have a couple of scripts I really want to do, and I'm hoping after this next season of “iCarly” I can do them. One is a dark comedy and one is on the dramatic side. My dream role is to play Rachel McAdams in “The Notebook.”
<b>Miranda Cosgrove</b>
<b>When:</b> 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28
<b>Where:</b> Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Road, Rosemont
<b>Tickets:</b> $25 to $98, plus fees
<b>Information:</b> (800) 745-3000, ticketmaster.com, jamusa.com or the Rosemont Theatre box office. For VIP packages, go to mirandacosgroveofficial.com.
<b>Opening act:</b> Greyson Chance