"If At First You Don't Succeed, Lie..."
— 01/31/11

Rosewood, Pennsylvania is a spooky place filled creepy texters and hit-and-run drivers but — hot damn — the people living in this quaint town really know how to throw a party! So far viewers have seen Aria, Spencer, Hanna, and Emily dress to the nines for a homecoming event, fancy fundraiser, and father daughter dance! Naturally, all of these lovely, memorable galas were destroyed by A’s meddling but that’s the beauty of it — fashion and drama makes for one hell of an extravaganza!

Well, prepare to be dazzled yet again, because the Pretty Little Liars cast members are going all out for the epic season 2 finale (during which A’s identity will finally be revealed)! Taking a cue from the whimsical festivities in Mystic Falls, the girls are slipping into some seriously stunning couture gowns. And what’s the theme this time around? Why masquerade, of course!

Here’s the official synopsis for Pretty Little Liars Season 2, Episode 25!

The girls are ready to kick some “A” in all-new episodes of ABC Family’s hit original series “Pretty Little Liars.” No longer just wanting to sit by and wait for “A’s” latest cruel attack, Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer take matters into their own hands and try to finally put a stop to their tormentor. As relationships are put to the test, new and old secrets are revealed and the stakes are raised higher than ever before as the Liars come closer to the truth – will all of their sacrifices be worth it in the end?”

And while you’re at it, sneak a peek at luxe episode stills from “unmAsked” below!

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Hanna dances with Zorro…er, we mean Caleb.

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
ASHLEY BENSON, TYLER BLACKBURN

The Liars line up in height order.

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
TROIAN BELLISARIO, SHAY MITCHELL, ASHLEY BENSON, LUCY HALE

Haleb opts for a contrasting color scheme.

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
TYLER BLACKBURN, ASHLEY BENSON

Hey girl, just secretly peeping at you through these holes in my mask.

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
JANEL PARRISH

Let’s pretend not to know each other since we’re incognito…

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
JANEL PARRISH, TROIAN BELLISARIO

Hanna is so over the slowdancing and so ready to drop it like it’s hot.

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
ASHLEY BENSON

Damn yo – how are we supposed to find ‘A’ in THIS crowd?!

Photo Credit: (ABC FAMILY/ERIC MCCANDLESS)
TROIAN BELLISARIO, SHAY MITCHELL, ASHLEY BENSON, LUCY HALE

Which Liar’s masquerade gown is your absolute favorite?! Cast your vote below and tune in for all new episodes of Pretty Little Liars Season 2 every Monday night at 8/7c on ABC Family!

Photo Credit: Adam Bulger

Aria Montgomery and Ezra Fitz have experienced many hardships as a couple these past two seasons of Pretty Little Liars, and they have all the heartrending tunes to prove it. Ever since we found out that Ezra was considering accepting the New Orleans job and moving far away from Rosewood, we’ve been keeping hope alive by listening to music from the most swoon-worthy Ezria couple moments and one in particular makes us melt at the knees — “I Will Let You Go” by Daniel Ahearn!

Just to freshen your memory, this beautiful song played when Ezra’s student told him to “be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid,” and Ezra risked everything to meet Aria in the rain for a grand kiss. The romantic moment was beyond epic to say the least! In fact, we loved this Ezria musical moment so much, we interviewed Daniel Ahearn (the gifted artist who wrote this tender song) to ask him about its meaning, his thoughtful songwriting process and life on the road with Mindy Jones! 

Tune in for our exciting interview with Daniel Ahearn below!

PLL: How did you find out that your song was going to be featured on a Pretty Little Liars episode? How excited were you?
Daniel: I was called by my synch agent Secret Road – we were both so excited. Its a big show and they put a lot of care into the music they select. Everyone was overjoyed to be a part of it.

PLL:What was the inspiration behind “I Will Let You Go”?
Daniel: The song has a stranger story than any I have written. It was an unusually emotional day, some friends were going through a heavy time trying to figure out what to do next in life, you could tell they just felt confused and a bit lost, and then a dear friend of mine called me to say a few things she was reluctant to tell me in person – she explained all the things she saw me carrying around emotionally and then she said ‘Daniel, you just have to get out of the way, you are enough, just know, you are enough’. I sat down at the piano and wrote this song. I don’t really have much of a memory of writing it to clearly, it all kind of came at once. I was crying and, to be honest, it was all a little over the top, but sometimes songs come this way, I guess.

PLL: So you’ve gone from a solo artist to a duo. What’s the dynamic like between you and Mindy Jones? How did you first meet and decide that you made the perfect musical fit?
Daniel: The dynamic between us is really magical. First of all, Mindy is the most talented person I have ever worked with. Its rather humbling. She sings unlike anyone I have ever met and she can play pretty much any instrument she touches. It has been a wonderfully challenging experience to begin to write together and especially to have the chance to write songs for her voice.  I have attached a song we just finished called ‘Love Lights the Way’  [Download it free here: "Love lights The Way"] – you can hear how beautifully she sings.We met through the by and by of living and working in music in Los Angeles. She started recording harmonies on my last record Long Way Home. From there it took its natural course and we began to work more and more. I would say we are just beginning to hit our stride.

PLL: You’re definitely an amazing songwriter!  How do you generate ideas – do you sit down with a notebook and jot down thoughts or do you patiently wait for an epiphany?
Daniel: That’s very generous of you to say, thank you. I try and write all the time. Always scribbling, always listening. My life is a series of torn pieces of papers and ragged journals thrown here and there. My phone is full of embarrassing ideas for lyrics or melodies. I try and leave the machine running all the time. I found that inspiration comes more often if you are constantly making yourself available to the opportunity – I do this by writing all the time.

PLL: Most fans would describe your sound as folk. But how would you describe the vibe of Long Way Home?
Daniel: Folk is a tough one, because its so broad. It seems in this day and age to be an expression of a mood rather than necessarily a sense of instrumentation or lyrically content. Folk seems to suggest an element of authenticity, of down-to-earth-ness. I often describe myself as an American songwriter. Simply because, this is were I’m from, I use the sounds and instruments I am privy to.  With Long Way Home we tried to make a record that could stand up this year, ten years ago and ten forward. It was decidedly acoustic and open. I think the next recording Mindy and I do will have a little more ‘edge’ too it, some more loops and beats perhaps.

PLL: What’s your favorite lyrical moment from any one of your songs?
Daniel: Goodness, I can’t say. I’m afraid all the other lyrics would resent me. I can say [though] that the song “I Will Let You Go’ has reached so many people who have been so generous in sharing with me what it means to them, that this experience is more powerful than I can explain. To be able to share in this and to perhaps in some way help facilitate an experience for people has been amazing.

PLL: You totally have an appreciation for words and sound. Would you consider yourself a poet at heart? Are there any poets (past or present) who inspire you?
Daniel: Maybe at heart but not at task. Poetry is something I have the utmost appreciation for. It is a real passion of mine, but I don’t consider myself a poet. There are many poets I admire greatly: from the present Franz Wright, Michael Dickman, Sharon Olds, Quinn Latimer, Defnis Johnson, it goes on and on.

PLL: You co-write a song with Mads Langer. What was that experience like?
Daniel: It was fantastic. A friend connected us when Mads was in town a few years past. He was staying in some small weird hotel on the west side of LA. He had just had his apartment broken into back home and he was a little bummed to say the least  at being half way around the world. We put all that into a song. It came out quite lovely.

PLL: What three new songs/artists would you wholeheartedly recommend to fans of your music?
Daniel: Truth be told, I listen to a lot of electronic music, but in keeping in the vein of singer/songwriters, I’ve been listening to the new single from Whispertown “Open the other eye”, also there is an artist named Tenlon’s Fort who has a song called “another part of you“  – absolutely devastating. Finally I just got turned on to the new Atlas Sound record ‘Parallax’ – completely gorgeous record.

PLL: What is it like performing live in different parts of the country? How would you describe the feeling?
Daniel: Its the best thing in the universe. Any traveling musician will be the first to tell you that people are inherently good – they will take you into their home, feed you, look out for you. People are so kind and caring when you are traveling – I always found it awe-inspiring.

The chance to drive across this beautiful and odd country, and perform really fills your heart with a joy .  Mindy and I are looking forward to doing some touring next month on our way to SXSW 2012.

PLL: What’s the funniest/best memory from life on the road?
Daniel: My favorite memory on the road was a few years back when we were passing through Murfreesboro, TN – a real nice lady lets us stay in her house.  She had a young son about 4 who was a genius.  The house was a little run down. A few big holes in the floor. It was raining hard. She was an accomplished violin player. We sat in that big house playing games with her son, listening to her play a Bach Suite on the Violin, drinking coffee and watching the rain come down through the beautiful trees of Tennessee.

Seriously, how wonderful are Daniel and Mindy? We’re thrilled that Ezra and Aria’s most unforgettable romantic moment this season was so brilliantly captured by one of their breathtaking songs! For more scoop on the Daniel Ahearn and The Jones visit their official site over at http://www.danielahearn.com/ and/or follow them on Twitter.com @DA&TheJones!

Pretty Little Liars actress Shay Mitchell is adventurous, outgoing, and confident, and her style definitely reflects her colorful personality!  However, even the most fashion-forward celebrities sometimes need a professional stamp of approval before donning a fierce outfit on the red carpet. For Shay, that person is former Rachel Zoe assistant Brad Goreski (with whom she attended New York Fashion Week 2012).

Brad recently helped Shay choose a gorgeous look for the upcoming Much Music awards in Canada — and let’s just say he had no problem voicing his feedback on the various designer dresses the Pretty Little Liars star modeled for him.

Watch Shay Mitchell’s adorable appearance on It’s A Brad, Brad World in the clip below!

“There’s definitely a fine line between tasteful and tasteless,” Brad advises. “Should you veer off it, your client lands on the worst dressed list.” Judging by her friend’s style mission statement, Shay is very very lucky to have a talented guy like Brad on her team!

Shay ended up choosing a black corset dress with feathers. But what color dress do YOU think Shay Mitchell should wear to the 2012 Much Music Awards? Tell us below in the comments and chat more about Shay Mitchell’s style in the Pretty Little Liars fan lounge!

No one ever suspects the pregnant woman—a rookie mistake in a town like Rosewood where even the local cell phone store employee is squirreling away one giant acorn of a secret. We’ve always been a bit weary of Spencer’s big sis, Melissa, but with the new footage surfacing from the night of Ali’s murder, it looks like she could be the newest prime suspect in this deadly game.

A is clearly getting desperate, as his/her menacing messages are popping up on the cell phones and windshields of those close to the liars. Of particular interest last night was Mona, who A threatened exposing as a shoplifter if Mona didn’t expose Hanna as the same. Mona revealed A’s plan to Hanna, who finally confided in Mona that she’d been getting messages from A, too.

Sensing that it was time for things to get really real, Hanna called a meeting of the liars to reveal her shoplifting infraction. Aria also let something spill, namely that she was still seeing Ezra. Spencer was (rightfully) peeved, seeing as she’d thought her and Aria were co-habitants of Dumpersville, but the confessional came to an end when Caleb messaged Hanna with big news. He’d decoded more of the footage, with one huge revelation: Melissa was in Alison’s room the night of the murder. Yeah, wow. The liars wanted to go the police straightaway, but, of course, Spencer wanted to talk with her sibling first.

Meanwhile, the liars finally met with the mysterious voice on the other end of Vivian’s claim receipt—a man who was helping Ali figure out the identity of A via his/her cell phone number. He had turned the info over to Ali, who never paid him for his services. He wanted $2,000 from the liars in order to share the tidbit. No problem for these teens, as Spencer finagled the funds from her newly revealed step-bro, Jason.

Aria and Spencer went to meet the man, money in hand, but all he gave them was an address. (Apparently A used a “burner phone” with no name tied to it. The cell phone employee was only able to scrounge up the last known usage point.) The address led them to a dumpy, defunct law office, which seemed like a total dead end, until Ashley told Hanna that the same firm had handled her divorce. Why did she use that particular firm? Because Melissa was an intern there. Oh, Melissa, You are in deep! Things began to look even worse when Wren confided to Spencer that Officer Garrett had been accompanying Melissa on her doctors appointments.

Oh, Wren. Spencer was so distraught over Melissa ditching their date (in favor of a ride from Garrett) that she started downing poorly supervised shots (seriously, what bartender just leaves those lying around?), while she and Wren spent some quality time together. So quality, in fact, that Spencer went home with him. But he was gentlemanly to the max, leaving Spencer to fall asleep on the couch. You can keep Toby, Spence. I’ll take Wren for my boyfriend.

Elsewhere in Relationship Land, Ezra broke the news to Aria that he was seriously considering the teaching job in New Orleans. Cue the Ingrid Michaelson cover of “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” a song I will always and forever associate with the trailer for “Like Crazy.” (Did anyone else notice that this was the episode of also-ran music? That song from the “Revenge” commercials also made an appearance…)

But, Ezria fans, all was not lost. When Aria later went over to Ezra’s (why, I don’t know), mom Ella showed up to listen to their side of the story. It was a mature response that left me pleasantly surprised.

As things winded down, we learned that Mona was indeed a good friend to Hanna, opting for community service and the dreaded potential of donning a hairnet over ratting out her friend to the local newspaper. And, in a rather random subplot, Emily’s swim team and one-time lady interest Paige returned. She’s out of the closet and hot for Emily, who was clearly still jonesing for Maya (who won’t return her phone calls). But something was up, because as the credits were about to roll, the police showed up to question Emily about Maya. Had she gone the way of Alison? Or simply run away? We’ll have to tune in next week to find out. And to see where Melissa took Spencer.

Is Melissa your top suspect for Alison’s murderer? Are you getting a little tired of the Ezria back and forth? What’s happened to Maya? Sound off with your thoughts and theories in the comments and on Twitter!

Ashley Benson heads into Staples Center for the Lakers Game on Friday night (February 17) in Los Angeles.

The 22-year-old actress took boyfriend Ryan Good and good pal Kenny Hamilton to watch the match and support sister/Laker girl Shaylene.

Are you ready for a new Pretty Little Liars tonight?

In “Breaking The Code,” Aria (Lucy Hale), Emily (Shay Mitchell), Hanna (Benson) and Spencer (Troian Bellisario) have been the target of “A’s” games for awhile, leaving them emotionally cut off from their families and friends. But when a surprising new victim of “A” is revealed, the PLLs tight-knit group may just get one person larger. But what is “A’s” motive of targeting someone outside of Alison’s group of besties?

“Breaking The Code” airs Monday, February 20th @ 8PM ET/PT on ABC Family.

Last week’s Pretty Little Liars episode, “CTRL:A” was full of high powered hacking adventures, back-to-back close-calls with the Rosewood police department, and some intense Emaya heartache! From Caleb getting set up by crazy ‘A’ to Spencer teaming up with Jason in their attempt to catch Alison’s killer, “CTRL:A” delivered and, more importantly, it delivered beyond our wildest expectations. Another show aspect episode 20 got just right? Its non-stop stream of awesome tunes, that’s what!

Tune into a brand new playlist featuring music from Pretty Little Liars Season 2, Episode 20 below!

1. “Foolish Love” by Jules Larson: Plays during Hanna’s conversation with her mother and when Maya arrives and asks if she can speak with Emily in private.
2. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People: Plays when Hanna, Spencer, and Emily talk about what happened at the station with Detective Wilden.
3. “I’ll Wait for You” by Fior: Plays at Emily’s victory party, when she accidentally catches Maya lighting up a joint.
4. “Parachute” by Ingrid Michaelson: Plays during Emaya’s heartbreaking fight and when Maya invites Em to run away with her to California.
5. “For You” by Angus & Julia Stone: Plays when Hanna picks Caleb up from the police station and they smooch. It also plays when Jason pays Spencer a late night visit to apologize and she asks him to trust her (by forking over $2000).

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Which track from “CTRL:A” did you absolutely love? Name your favorite song from Pretty Little Liars Season 2, Episode 20 in the comments!

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS – "The Devil You Know" – (ABC FAMILY/BRUCE BIRMELIN) LUCY HALE, IAN HARDING

As a talented actor, Ian Harding must seriously be loving Pretty Little Liars Season 2! After all, his character Ezra Fitz had to go through all sorts of suffering and awkward moments — dealing with the return of a crazy ex-fiancee, professing his love for his former student Aria Montgomery in front of her parents, having to compete with Jason DiLaurentis (in Aria’s sexy dreams at least) and experiencing major career change. However, according to Ian, the worst is far from over. The drama-fest is literally just beginning and the Pretty Little Liars finale is going to be one of the most unforgettable events of the year. Why? Because — get this – the reveal of A’s identity is notgoing to be the biggest shocker of the night. Another major twist will come into play that’s actually going to trump the moment viewers have all been waiting for! How crazy nuts is that?! Ahh!

Luckily, Ian Harding dished out some delicious clues and spoilers to TVLine about the remainder of Pretty Little Liars Season 2 — just enough to keep us consoled until the epic event, that is! Check out our favorite excerpts from the Ian Harding interview below!

TVLINE: It seems the Aria and Ezra fans can never breathe easy. Any words of encouragement about the star-crossed couple as we approach the end of the season?
Ian Harding: There’s some really juicy stuff that happens, especially in the last two episodes — so much that I almost don’t even want to talk about it because it’s just so good. But Aria and Ezra are always in question. There will never be a moment — not until maybe the series is done for good — where they can relax, but I will say things get a little more solidified in where they stand together, as a couple.

TVLINE: How does Ezra’s out-of-town job offer pan out?
Ian Harding: Ezra is such a brainiac, and even though he’s absolutely in love with Aria, he really is mulling this over. Even though the offer came out of a bad place — as in it was set up for him not because of his actual abilities but so Byron could get him out of Rosewood — he still wants it because it’s a really good job. It will move his career eight years ahead of schedule. Of course, this puts Aria off a little bit because she thinks it’s a no-brainer to turn it down, but Ezra is a little like, “Well….” So, problems will arise.

TVLINE | Finally, what can you say about the impending “A” reveal? What was your initial reaction upon learning who has been behind all of this?
Ian Harding: I was actually kind of shocked when we found out who this person/people/thing was, because I think the writers have done a good job making it seem like anyone can be “A.” People will be pleasantly surprised, but that’s not even the biggest part of the episode — which really says something. There must be something huge in this finale if revealing who “A” is isn’t the biggest shocker. So, that’s what I will say about that. [Laughs]

Read the rest of TVLine’s interview here: http://ow.ly/9aqgx.

What question would you ask Ian Harding if you had the chance? Leave it in the comments below and get excited for the Pretty Little Liars Season 2 finale — because it’s going to be one hell of a crazy ‘A’ night!

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Troian Bellisario and Keegan Allen hold hands in this new shot from the new issue of Troix Magazine.

The on-screen couple and off-screen friends goofed around on set and played with the mag’s new puppies, Tumbler and Kissa.

For the Valentine’s-themed issue, Troian opened up about her first kiss: “So embarrassing. I was a grade-A nerd, and a late bloomer. My first kiss, not like stupid truth or dare or spin the bottle, my first kiss on a date, when it matted, I was…oy vey…almost 18. It was in his bedroom, watching the National Geographic special on moon jellyfish. I was terrified and more interested in the screen and the jellyfish and when he kissed me I was shaking so hard and pulled away so fast I hit my head on his bed. Yeah, I’m just that awesome.”

And what about Keegan: “My first real kiss was a huge crush in 5th grade. (laughs) I kind of kissed her outside the school and then ran home with my heart beating a mile a minute.”

15+ pics inside…

The danger and mystery surrounding Alison DiLaurentis’ murder case quite nerve-wracking, but Aria, Emily, Spencer and Hanna are more determined than ever to piece together the shards of information they’ve managed to gather so far — even if it means meeting up with sketchy strangers at isolated locations to conduct a “cash for clues” exchange.

So who exactly are they coming face-to-face with? Apparently, the mystery caller (Jonah) who hounded Emily Fields’ poor cell-phone during Rosewood High’s Truth Day, and the same guy who tangled up in a sketchy-sounding business arrangement with Vivienne Darkbloom (aka Alison DiLaurentis.) He wants cash — lots of it — and the Liars just want to know why Alison had ever struck a secret business deal with the creeper in the first place.

Watch what happens, in the Pretty Little Liars preview clip for Season 2, Episode 21 below, when Aria and Spencer take a giant risk and arrange to meet the man behind the angry voice at a drop-off point!

Do you think this dude knows more than he’s letting on? What do you think is written on the Post-It note he handed Spencer? After sneaking a peek at the juicy Pretty Little Liars preview clip, leave your predictions for “Breaking The Code” in the comments!

There are many reasons to adore Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario: She makes us laugh each week as witty Spencer Hastings. She dons the most breathtaking dresses on the red carpet. She has a wonderful sense of humor and the most eccentric taste in holiday music. Plus, she seems like a calm and kind person who appreciates friends, co-workers, and a good photo shoot!

However, we just discovered another reason why Troian rocks — she’s health-conscious and supports her community by doing her grocery shopping at the local farmer’s market! Join Troian Bellisario and 5 Minute Travel on a tour of one of her favorite outdoor LA markets as she regales viewers with produce talk, Christmas shopping, and dueling accordions! (The video is a few months old but it’s so entertaining we just HAD to post it!)

Here are some of Troian’s most L-O-L moments from the video:

1. “I’m kind of hooked on coffee. It’s just something that has to happen unless you want me to turn into a sea hydra and tear apart the camera. Alright, I can officially do anything now…let’s go save the world!”
2. “This smells very grassy. That’s how you know it’s good!”
3. “One of my favorite things in the world is to get my favorite bands on vinyl and just hang out and listen to them. Because…it’s kind of like an activity? You have to listen, you can’t just skip around songs.”
4. “You can have Olivier’s ENTIRE Shakespeare collection. I need this — who doesn’t need this?”
5. “So we found the mistletoe and I hope it’s okay if I buy this for myself. I hope that I’m not violating — it’s not like sending yourself flowers on Valentine’s Day Which is totally cool, right? That’s cool. Oh man, I just ottally embarrassed myself didn’t I? Look, turfballs! Quick — something else! Distraction!”
6. “Every girl needs some mistletoe…even if I’m just hanging out with my dogs.”
7. “See? Everybody’s having a good time. You get free grapes…everywhere you go!”

What was the best moment from the tour video? Tell us why you think Troian Bellisario rocks in the comments!

Lucy Hale pulls on her comfy sneakers as she attends the Converse West Coast Flagship Opening on Wednesday night (February 15) in Santa Monica, Calif.

The 22-year-old actress tweeted, “Headed to the converse flagship store opening ! Thanks for the kicks guys ”

At the event, Lucy caught up with Radio Disney’s Jake Whetter, Glee‘s Mark Salling and 90210‘s Gillian Zinser.

Looks like Lucy is jetting off again this weekend: “Canada this weekend. Brazil the next. And THEN new York. So. Pumped,” she tweets.

15+ pics inside…