Interview with a Rising Star: From Broadway to Music and Beyond

You have such a diverse amount of talent and you’re only 23! Is this the beginning of the best yet to come? Can you share some things that are in the works?

Thank you so much! I definitely believe so! I’ve really been so fortunate to have explored so many avenues of my artistic expression pretty much immediately, which I don’t think many people get to do in such a short amount of time. Right now, I’m working on an upcoming second single and EP, which is a freaking dream come true for me.

You have mentioned that you have a love for the fashion industry. Are there any designers you aspire to learn from? You were recently attending NYFW—anyone specific that you had to see? Can we expect a possible clothing line in the future?

I have so much love and respect for the fashion industry, especially since attending my first NYFW this year! I was so impressed by the Alice + Olivia walk-through gallery, the entire setup was so beautifully executed and obviously the outfits ate every time. I’m also absolutely in love with Zimmerman, Diesel, and Miu Miu as of late! I used to draw up clothing designs as a kid, so having my own clothing line really would be like fulfilling a childhood prophecy.

Many current celebrities started their career on Broadway and later moved into film and TV. Do you think you’ll balance Broadway, film, and music long-term?

I’m not sure honestly! I definitely have a couple of dream shows I would love to be a part of on Broadway, like Hadestown and the new Greatest Showman musical, just to name a couple. Film and television always present new challenges and lessons for me too, since stage performance has always been my strongest suit. I would love to explore that side of my craft even further. However, I do think music is what I want to focus on the most right now! It’s been my dream since I was very little to record and perform my own music, so with that in sight, I’m really laser focusing for the moment!

When writing lyrics, you’ve mentioned you have a poetic process. Would you say it’s similar to Taylor Swift’s approach of using music to discuss relationships? How many songs are drawn from personal experience, and can you share some titles?

To compare my approach to such a writing God like Taylor Swift feels almost blasphemous, haha. Maybe it’s imposter syndrome. But I am definitely so, so emotional, and so far there isn’t a single song I’ve written that isn’t about something that has deeply impacted me—be it relationship experiences, mental health, or feeling free. I’ve teased a couple of songs that will be coming soon. One of them is entitled 21 (BYOP), which is literally just a fun pop bop about being a 21-year-old with responsibilities. The other is Intersection, which is about feeling lost, directionless, and not knowing the next step to take. Both are things I know all too well.

Many young performers forget to enjoy their childhood. What things do you do to embrace where you are in life right now?

For one, I’m so grateful to have had a normal life as a child. I really wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think it’s so important for kids to enjoy their imagination and not rush to grow up so much. The present is all we have and youth time is something we never get back—so I’m always reminding myself to be present and celebrate the now. I have goals I want to achieve, but I’ve also come so far in so many ways that I don’t ever want to neglect those wins in pursuit of more.

This may be a little personal, but do you have a current love interest? What do you look for in a relationship, and what do you think your generation values most in love?

Haha, I love this question. I’m in the happiest relationship I’ve ever been in currently. I know it’s such a precious and vulnerable thing that not everyone likes to share, but I really do love gushing about it because I feel so secure and loved and want others to feel that too. I always look for someone who’s curious, truth-seeking, open-minded, and striving for growth in oneself. Something I’ve learned in my current relationship, which I think is missing in the way we talk about love, is the work of it all—relationships are work, but it’s also not hard work. It’s about finding that balance of not settling, but also realizing that there isn’t one person that’s going to be every single thing for you, because they’re also an individual experiencing life. I could go on a tangent about this all day, haha, but I’m very grateful that I’ve advocated for myself within my relationships by being honest with myself in order to be in the partnership I’m in now.