Jacob Latimore Talks "Like 'Em All"

"My favorite Temptations song is 'My Girl'," declares Jacob Latimore. "When I was little, it was something that attracted me. I used to watch My Girl every day, and that song would get stuck in my head."

Nodding to his childhood influence, Latimore drops a pinch of soul into his patented pop on "Like 'Em All." The singer, dancer, and actor's single is a high energy jam that's bound to get stuck in listeners' heads as soon as they hear it. In addition, Latimore recently gave audiences a riveting performance in the thriller Vanishing on 7th Street alongside Hayden Christensen and John Leguizamo. Now, he's going to take over pop music…

In this exclusive interview with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino, Jacob Latimore talks inspirations, "Like 'Em All", and so much more…

What's the story behind "Like 'Em All"?

"Like 'Em All" is about me telling a girl how much I like all of her flaws. Basically, I'm talking about how beautiful she is to me besides what she thinks of herself and what the world thinks of her. I'm a dancer so it's real upbeat and fun to me. I think a lot of people can relate to it. I love the song.

What's up with your album?

I'm working on an album now. We're almost done, but there's no set release date for it yet. My song "This or That" is on the NOW 37 album, and it's doing really well! It's #1 on Billboard so I'm really excited about that.

What's up with that song?

"This Or That" is basically telling a girl, "You can get with the guy you're with or you can get with me." That's what it comes down to. It's literally this or that [Laughs].

Is there one thread tying the whole album together?

I want the album to be really upbeat and fun because I'm a dancer. I talk about girls in my songs. I'm 14-years-old, who doesn't? I want it to have fun feel across all ten songs. I recorded about 30 or 40 to start. It's a lot of songs. Have dancing and singing always been connected for you?

Yeah! My dad sings, my uncle sings, and my grandpa sings. Everybody sings! It's something I grew up with. It's in my blood and something I enjoy doing. My dad inspired me. My favorite group is B2K, and I always looked at that dance moves they perfected and made them into my own. I would watch their videotapes every day. I'd dress up like them, cut off the sleeves of my t-shirts, and everything. It was amazing. I was really little when I discovered them maybe four- or five-years-old.

Which artists shaped you?

I used to study The Temptations a lot and Michael Jackson. Those were really my focuses.

Did you aim to show other sides of your voice?

It was very important. I wanted to express any talent that I have in my singing.

When did you officially start?

Professionally, I started around nine-years-old. I recorded my first song called "Best Friend," and it was actually picked up by Radio Disney Incubator. I did the song with Diggy Simmons.

What are some of your favorite movies?

I watch a lot of movies. Acting is something I just got into. Vanishing on 7th Street is my first leading role. It's an apocalyptic thriller. My favorite movies are Home Alone, I liked the new Takers movie, and G.I. JOE. I like those family movies.

Do acting and music come from different creative places?

It's totally different emotions. Performing in an acting scene is totally different from being on stage and doing a show. They're two different emotions. With Vanishing on 7th Street, I had to play more of a sad and fearful character. When I'm performing, I'm happier. The character appealed to me. I don't want to do anything corny. I had to say a few cuss words in the movie and hold a shotgun. I feel like I related to him because if I was in that situation I'd be doing the same thing he was doing in the movie. I just imagined if I was in that situation. The actors in the movie are so good they helped me out.

—Rick Florino
05.25.11

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