Brendon Urie of Panic! At the Disco Visits Seacrest Studios!

Written by Seacrest Studios intern, Stephanie Fanelli

It was an exciting afternoon at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia when Brendon Urie, lead singer of the band Panic! At the Disco, came in for a visit! Brendon hung out in the studio and talked about his musical journey, his experience on tour, and he even discussed some of his favorite things… like video games!

Before Brendon even began his interview he took time to talk with the patients in the studio, sign autographs and take pictures! From the very first question all the way to the end of his interview Brendon was an open book and kept the patients completely entertained; he cracked jokes, told inspirational stories, and even chatted with a fan on the phone.

Patients were shocked to discover that he actually joined the band Panic! At the Disco at the age of seventeen as a guitar player and quickly became the lead singer after messing around at a rehearsal one day and impressing everyone there. Brendon claimed “I didn’t even know I could sing until I joined the band,” but he was happy to take on that role because he said he loves being center of attention on stage! Brendon gave credit to his father and his middle school music teacher for teaching him how to be a musician. Brendon’s father would play lullabies to him on the guitar when he was a child and Brendon developed a love for the instrument; eventually his father taught him how to play chords and Brendon picked it up quickly. When Brendon was in middle school he joined the marching band to learn how to play the trumpet. He joked “I played trumpet until I got braces, and then it hurt too bad,” so his teacher suggested he switch to drums and Brendon loved it!

For Brendon, music is something that he can always count on. He said “music has always gotten me through tribulations… it is a constant for me.” Brendon shared a very intimate and inspirational moment with the listeners when he admitted to being a victim of bullying in his youth: “I was bullied a lot but I never let it get me too down, I never gave the bully power because I knew they weren’t right as long as I was doing something I love.” He would focus on what he loves, music, and ignore the rest. Brendon even mentioned listening to music as an escape.

When Brendon isn’t performing or listening to music he shared that he loves skateboarding, playing cards, and videogames. When he was eleven he bought a skateboard for twenty dollars and taught himself how to do tricks. Brendon said “I am probably the least talented at sports out of all my friends” so skateboarding is his way to be active. When he gets down time on the tour bus Brendon and his fellow band members like to entertain themselves by playing cards or videogames. Brendon defined himself as “an Xbox guy, but I like PS3.” He conversed with the audience by suggesting games and asking for any recommendations… it seemed like the game Black Ops was well liked! Throughout his interview Brendon mentioned a few fun facts about himself: his favorite movie is Aladdin, he loves musical theatre, his favorite food is his wife’s homemade spinach and artichoke dip, and if he wasn’t a musician he would be a cosmetologist! A HUGE thank you to Brendon Urie for coming in for a great visit!