If you’ve been visiting this site (and it’s the former incarnation, Boys on the Block), you’ve heard me talk about the documentary by two Australian filmmakers called “I Used To Be Normal (A Boyband Fangirl Story).”
The documentary premiered last night in the United States (and I think Canada!) on Fuse TV. (It will be able to view online beginning Monday, May 20 at fuse.tv)
“I Used To Be Normal” is about four women – a One Direction fan, a Take That fan, a Beatles fan, and of course, a Backstreet Boys fan (who I know).
While it’s NO secret that I knew that I would love this documentary while it was still being made, actually sitting and watching it made me have so many feels that I cried three or four times, especially at the end.
I could see myself in all four of the women who all come from different walks of life and you while you know that you aren’t alone in the world, watching them talk about their fandoms, how they feel about the guys, how they feel about meeting them, being close to them, and how their music touches their lives, you realize that it could be you sitting there, discussing it.
Like Sadia (Backstreet Boys) and Susan (The Beatles), the Backstreet Boys’ music has helped me through so many hard times that I’ve lost count. I’ve tried overdosing. I’ve wanted everything to end. Sometimes I think I still want that, but I don’t do it. Their music, this fandom, has helped me become who I wish I could have been when I was younger.
When I say the Backstreet Boys saved my life, I mean it. For anybody that knew me when I was in high school, I was funny, but kind of shy. The Backstreet Boys not only helped me with my depression but helped me come out of my shell.
The documentary not only showcases that in some of the women, but also about how being a fan made them find themselves and who they really are, especially with Elif (One Direction fan) and Dara (Take That fan.)
Oh, and when you’re watching, not expecting to see yourself …
That was the 2014 Backstreet Boys cruise’s sail away party that was held inside because it was raining outside. It was also before I went red.
I also want to thank Jessica and Rita for including me in the thank yous, which I found out a while back when a friend went to see the documentary at a film festival.
This documentary is AMAZING and you guys should be SO proud.
Check out the main site for the documentary to see where you can see it in your country. Click here. Follow the documentary on Facebook for the latest news! The film is also available on Amazon Prime.
