Eisele’s commitment to Kesha goes beyond that of most fans.
“I have nothing to hide,” Eisele says.
Stans aren’t just cheerleaders.
Credit: Donald Kravitz/Getty Images; Lester Cohen/Getty Images; Christopher Polk/Getty Images
At times, they resemble public-relations experts, media organizations, consultants, and activists.
And there are alotof them.
(As Spears' stans did.)
“You have to be really on point with your game.”
(Cabello has since left the group to pursue a solo career.)
“You have your favorite, and you want them to be the biggest.
There’s something really beautiful about that, and there’s something a little bit crazy.”
When you talk to stans one-on-one, though, they come across as, well, even-keeled and normal.
But when we spoke on the phone a few years later, he was friendly, apologetic even.
It seemed to really affect her."
They’re very invested in their religion, and they will defend it."
Stans will go to great coordinated lengths to protect and support their favorite star.
Almost 3,000 people signed it.
Stans will even go offline if they have to, as Eisele’s case illustrates.
Although she did not work directly with Dr. Luke on new music,Rainbow whichdebuted at No.
Still, Eisele is confident his work has made a difference.
Without the protests, who knows where she would be.
And in many instances, that information comes from the cunning detective work of the stans.
They tweeted aboutwhereshe was shooting videos, andwhowas in them.
They tweeted aboutwhenthe project was coming.
They even tweeted about the titleLemonademonths before she announced it herself.
“That is the facts.
That is the bible.
Beyonce is the best.
When you understand that, you are a Beyonce stan.”
One of the first tip-offs was her hair.
And then there were the less discreet members of her team.
The other 30 percent come from insider tips and sources they’ve cultivated over the years.
As @TheBeyHiveTeam become the authoritative source for Beyonce news online, more tips came in.
It’s also common for artists to get news of theirowncareers from stan accounts.
Pop star Bebe Rexha says it happens all the time on Twitter.
I have no idea!
“she told EW earlier this year.
“We just literally approved that two hours ago,” Rexha’s manager told her.
“How did he know?'”
What Beyonce thought of @TheBeyHiveTeam, Love and Kemper aren’t sure.
That seemed like more than just a coincidence to Cohen.
He wasn’t like those other people who just wanted a selfie and barely spoke a word.
“I actually cared about how she was doing as a human,” says Cohen, now 23. to new music and demos.
Cohen is the first to admit that their friendship does not resemble the friendships he has with non-famous people.
“It’s more on her terms.
She’s such a busy person.”
It’s also led to online harassment and abuse from other jealous fans.
But like real friends, their conversations go beyond just their shared interests.
“I’ve always seen her like a normal human being,” he says.
Insider relationships like the one Cohen has with Gaga have sometimes become professional.
It’s so critical that people working with the artist understand their voice and interests inside and out.”
“I was like, ‘It’s time to step back.'”
As a teenager, he didn’t mind feeling consumed by Gagamania.
“I feel like I’m growing up,” he says.
“I need to focus more on me and what I’m doing.
I’ve definitely felt that more recently.
In the past [I’ve thought], how many more shows can I go to?
What states can I go to?
Whose house can I stay at in Philly?
Now I’m like, do Ihaveto go to the second New York show?”
He’ll always be a fan, he says, and he still tweets about her often.
But when it comes to (literally) going the extra mile?
“It just feels like I don’t have that necessity anymore.”
The cattiness and competitiveness of the stan world can also become downright exhausting.
Eisele says that’s the reason he now maintains a separate personal Twitter account from his Kesha-focused account.
“People would get mean,” he says.
“They forget there are real people behind it.”
And sometimes it’s a lack of recognition, even if few stans want to admit this.
“Whowouldn’twant to have your favorite artist follow you on Twitter?”
“We’ve been doing this since our early- and mid-twenties,” he says.
Some of us have started families.
We just want to enjoy the music now."
But maybe it was never entirely about the music.
“We relate on a level some people wouldn’t understand,” Cohen says.
They still talk almost every day.
“Those are the things that Beyonce does for me beyond the music,” Love says.
I’ve known him for 10 years, and I’ll probably know him for another 10.
That’s really all I need.
I don’t need a shoutout.
I don’t need to work for you.
I appreciate everything you’ve already done for me as a fan."
