Soldier of the Month: February 2017 - Meet Allie
By Karah-Leigh Hancock
Twitter: @Princess_Karah
CLICK HERE TO BE MARCH'S SOLDIER OF THE MONTH
February is the month of love and nobody loves the Backstreet Boys more than February’s Soldier of the Month - Allie Kennedy.
To find February’s Soldier of the Month, the Backstreet Boys fan club asked, “What Backstreet Boys song is your Valentine’s Day anthem?” Allie’s answer was pretty great.
“The BSB song that is my Valentine's Day anthem is ‘Safest Place to Hide,” Allie, who lives in Virginia, said. “The lyrics of the song are so romantic and reflect what true love is. As a fan, I find BSB's music my safest place to hide since they've helped me through love, heartbreak and recently, the loss of my father. The boys have brought me friends who have also become my safest place to hide when I need someone most. I enjoyed hearing this song on the past tour/cruise and hope BSB play this song in the future as it means so much to me.”
Allie said that if she were to ever get serenaded by one of the Backstreet Boys, she would still pick “Safest Place to Hide” as the song. As for the boy, that gets a little more difficult.
“It would be a toss-up between Brian and Nick,” Allie said. “Brian because he would be very sweet and sincere, and Nick because he'd pull out all the dramatics (like on the) NKOTBSB Tour. ‘I'll Never Break Your Heart’ serenade anyone?”
Fan Club Username: Allie
Twitter: @LilMsAllie
Where are you from? Richmond, VA
What do you do for a living? (job, etc.)Legal drug dealer (Pharmacist). I work in a grocery store chain and one of the highlights of my day is hearing my store play a BSB song in their overhead music rotation.
Tell us a little bit about yourself: I was born in New Jersey and moved to North Carolina when I was a child. I then moved to Richmond, Virginia after college to attend pharmacy school at the Medical College of Virginia and have stayed here ever since. I enjoy supporting NC State athletics (GO WOLFPACK!), cooking and traveling in my spare time. I have an identical twin sister who enjoys the Backstreet Boys just as much as me and we love going to BSB events together.
You and your twin sister go to a lot of events together, like on the cruise. Besides already being close because you're twins, how have the boys helped with your sisterly bond? My twin sister and I are so alike and spend so much time together that we can often find ourselves bickering. Anytime we go to a BSB event, though, the bickering just goes out the window because we are so excited to be seeing BSB we can look past whatever difference we are currently experiencing.
How long have you been a BSB fan? I have been a fan since 1997.
How did you become a fan? I became a fan after hearing "Quit Playing Games with My Heart" on the radio. After hearing that song I could not get enough and bought the Boys' CD.
What is your favorite BSB memory? My favorite BSB memory is Mixtape Festival in 2012. BSB performed for the NKOTBSB tour and hosted a barbecue for fan club members. Nick ended up sitting down directly next to me at my table and ended up chatting and eating with us for quite some time. I then ended up winning backstage passes for the concert festival and got to watch the show from backstage and hang out there for the afterparty once the show was over. All of the boys were so interactive and friendly with taking pictures and at one point me and my sister had Howie laying on our laps. I felt like a rockstar and it's a day I'll never forget.
What is your favorite BSB song and why? "Incomplete" is my favorite. When the song and “Never Gone” album came out I was just graduating high school and moving on to college. I have such good memories in my personal life that when I hear the song I am instantly taken back to that time period in my mind.
What is your favorite BSB video and why? “Just Want You to Know.” I love the 80s so I enjoyed the theme of the video and found it quite comical. My favorite part is when Nick licks the fan.
Who is your favorite Backstreet Boy? Growing up I was always a Nick girl. I loved Nick's blonde hair, his smile, personality, and voice the best, but as I've gotten older I no longer have a favorite. I love all five of them the same for different reasons.
What is your favorite thing about being a BSB fan? The music is my favorite thing about being a BSB fan and it is what has kept me loving them after 20+ years. I enjoy that everyone I meet can usually remember at least one BSB song and enjoy the nostalgia that comes with it from the 90's. Plus, their harmonies are to die for.
How have the Backstreet Boys impacted your life? BSB has brought me some of my closest friends who I talk to on a daily basis. Without our shared love of BSB I would have likely never met these wonderful people. Additionally, I have traveled to many new places and countries to see them. They have brought me many experiences I would not have had if I was not traveling to see them.
How have the boys helped you through tough times? BSB's music has provided me an outlet through so many things in my life. It has helped me with love, as well as provided the soundtrack for heartbreak. When I needed music as a stress relief to get through pharmacy school their albums were always there and looking forward to their concerts was just the reward I needed after a grueling semester. Growing up my parents took me to my first few Backstreet Boys concerts. BSB's music was the one music we could all agree on for road trips. My father would always call me and my sister any time when he was out shopping if he heard a BSB song playing in a store to let us know he was thinking of us. Unfortunately, my dad passed away on May 12, 2015 from cancer and I was devastated. After much debate I booked the BSB European cruise which took place over the one year anniversary of his death. I would like to say BSB helped me get through that tough day. Although I was a half a world away from home, their music and generosity that day helped me get through one of the most difficult days of my life so far. They were just the distraction I needed.
Are you heading to Vegas this summer to see the boys? I am headed twice with two groups of friends - once in March and once in June to celebrate my 30th birthday.
