Auditions for Play dream more than 700 applicants, among them Rosie - who achieved Scandinavian stardom for her lead role in the film Eve and Adam - and Faye - whose r�sum� already included work as a model. The auditions consisted of singing, dancing, and interviews. After extensive screenings, Laila realized that Rosie and Faye were made for Play. It came as both a surprise and a delight when Laila learned that, coincidentally Rosie and Faye were already classmates and best friends. And when Ana�s, Anna, Rosie and Faye sang together, the chemistry was right, the sound was magical.
The group created their own demo video for a song called Watch Me Now which brought them to the attention of Columbia Records. Signed in a heartbeat, Play went to work on the group’s first real record with writers and producers including Anders Bagge, Arnthor Birgisson, Ric Wake and others.
Five months after its release in June 2002, Play’s self-titled debut mini-album was in the Billboard 200 best-selling albums chart. Play hit #2 (with a bullet) on the Billboard Heatseekers new album chart. Among the mini-album’s stand-out tracks are Play’s effervescent pop youth anthem Us Against the World, which has won Nickelodeon’s online fan-based Nick Picks on several occasions, and I’m Gonna Make You Love Me. Featuring Chris Trousdale of Dream Street, Play’s new interpretation of the Motown classic became a hit on Radio Disney.
Play can also be heard on The Master of Disguise - Music From The Motion Picture, an album of music from the Columbia Pictures comedy starring Dana Carvey. Performed by Play featuring Lil Fizz from B2K, M.A.S.T.E.R. Part 2, the soundtrack’s first single, received airplay on Radio Disney. A companion video to the track, lensed by Chris Stokes (B2K), featured Lil Fizz, Solange, Devin, and Jhene. The soundtrack also includes M.A.S.T.E.R. Part 1, performed by The Hardhedz featuring Play.
American audiences first caught the magic of Play on the TEENick Presents: Aaron’s Party cavalcade during the summer of 2001. The group returned to the States in March 2002 to perform on the L.E.I. Jeans/Davidoff Cool Water-sponsored Young Pop Power Tower with Solange and Devin, later that summer for the highly successful Limited Too Passion For Fashion Tour 2002 as well as the A-Teen/Baha Men Summer tour.
Play topped off the group’s amazing year with a ride through Manhatan on the Build-A-Bear float and a performance of I’m Gonna Make You Love Me at Herald Square for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, broadcast live on NBC November 28, 2002.