“I need more nice people in my life”
She’s the TV star who’s “all about the music”, the style icon who doesn’t want “anyone to dress like me”. She’s “insecure” but “doesn’t give a f**k what anyone thinks”. Meet the amazing contradiction that is Taylor Momsen.
Sixteen-year-old Taylor Momsen is the lead singer of a rock band and she wants you to know it.
From the tips of her white hair to the chipped red nail polish on her toes, she’s working the grunge-chic look, with the ‘tude to match.
She really doesn’t like to smile for the camera.
It’s fitting then that she wants to listen to Rage Aganst The Machine’s Killing In the Name on repeat, because there’s no way Taylor Momsen’s doing what you tell her. At 12 she missed out on the role of Hannah Montana, but Disney’s loss was Gossip Girl’s gain, and aged just 13, she was catapulted to superstardom in the role of sweet, floral-dress clad Jenny Humphrey. Then two years ago, she shocked everyone by reinventing herself as a platinum-blonde, raccoon-eyed biker chick.
Taylor’s known for speaking her mind in interviews and gets a lot of grief for it. What’s not so easy to criticize is her astonishingly good album – the vocals, melodies and lyrics are all brilliant if you’re into guitar rock. And behind all those ‘f-words’, she’s funny, sarcastic and clearly still trying to figure herself out. In fact, Taylor’s a lot like any other teenager – with the benefit of a Chanel wardrobe. But she’s also shy, awkward and has a girlie, high-pitched giggle. And like most of us, she’s desperately trying to prove herself.
So Taylor, how did your band, The Pretty Reckless come about?
“I’ve been writing songs and playing guitar since I was five. It’s always been all about the music. I wanted to start a band and make records so I needed to find people to help carry out my vision.”
Have you found it hard to make the transition from TV star to musician?
“Everyone’s going to have a preconceived judgment because of the show that I’m on.
But I’m not synonymous with Gossip Girl. I know people think that I’m actually Jenny Humphrey, but I can promise you I’m not. [Laughs] I’m actually Taylor Momsen”.
Is it hard to be taken seriously ‘cause you’re 16?
“Sure. But I don’t understand it. Rock stars have always been young – Bob Dylan was 17 when he started – but I guess Disney killed that. There are a lot of young Disney artists who are very bubblegum and cheery and happen to be the same age, so they take away from me”.
Do you think people expected you to put out a pop record?
“That was never a choice for me. It wasn’t, ‘Should I go pop or should I go rock?’ I’m a rock chick living in a pop world. Rock says, ‘f**k you’ and pop says, ‘I like to dress’. I wouldn’t wanna put out a pop record. It’s pointless and it’s not my style”.
What do you think of all the comparisons between you and Miley?
“I listen to Oasis and the Beatles, so I don’t know what Miley Cyrus is singing about. But apparently we’re the same age so people think we’re the same or something? Oh and apparently I’m a worse role model than her. Well, I probably am!”
How do you feel about girls looking up to you?
“If girls are inspired by what I’m doing then that’s awesome. But I’m not living my life to be a role model. It’s not fair to ask me to. I’m a chick who’s living my life and I like to play music. And if everyone wants to scrutinize ne and say that I’m corrupting the youth, then so be it. I’m not going to change because someone’s upset that their kids might start dressing like me – control your kids. I don’t want anyone to dress like me or act like me”.
What do you think of reality TV stars who make music?
“When I was nine I wrote a song called Blackout. And I think that Heidi Montag just sang a song that a nine-year-old wrote. So that’s what I think about that”.
Ouch. You act so sure of who you are. Where does that come from?
[Adopts a sarcastic voice] “Well, you know, I’m so strong and sure of myself. [Laughs] It’s all a f**king façade, man. I’m so insecure. I’ve got all of my own s**t. And that’s not necessarily the world’s problem, that’s my problem, so I don’t need to talk about it”.
So how do you find the confidence to perform?
“I’m confident when I’ve got my guitar round my neck but everything in between is just a giant mess. I’m totally insecure about myself. My life’s one big heartbreak”.
What exactly are you insecure about?
“I’m a f**king teenager – I’m insecure about everything!”
So how does it make you feel when you read criticism about yourself?
“The horrible things they say are funny. There was some headline that said: ‘Taylor’s soul is as black as her eyeliner!’ I was peeing myself I was laughing so hard. I think that’s hysterical. There are comments that are just so outrageously ridiculous that it’s like, ‘Yes, fine, I’m a devil worshipping satanic rock girl who’s come to corrupt your children and eat their blood’”.
But it must hurt a bit?
“Why would I care what Sally from Minnesota says? I’ve never met her and I probably never will. [Blogger] Perez Hilton disses on everyone and all he can say about me is that I’m so ugly – it’s like, Okaaay. He’s no different from the class clown in school, making fun of people to get a cheap laugh. You can hate me all you want – I don’t care if you hate me. But don’t hate me for the sound bite that they spun to create a story – because that’s not who I really am at all”.
Do you feel like what you say gets taken out of context?
“Everything is taken out of context. The other night some guy asked me, ‘What’s going on with Gossip Girl?’ So I said, ‘It’s done, dude’ because we’d finished shooting. And suddenly I’m quitting the show. But I’m not doing and interview with someone chasing me down the street with a camera. What you read probably isn’t what I even said. It’s just a snippet of what I was trying to say. I’m kind of awkward and stutter when I speak, so things get taken the wrong way.”
And what about your reputation for being ‘angsty’. Is that fair?
“Of course it’s justified! I’m angsty as s**t. I’m a teenager girl in a rock band – what do you expect? [Laughs] But it’s not like I’m mean, I just don’t give a f**k what people think. I don’t think I’m different from other teens, it’s just people talk about me more”.
Come, your life is pretty different to the average teen’s.
“OK, it’s crazy, but it’s still pretty normal. I go to work, I play guitar and I like doing crochet. It’s not parties every night like you see in movies”.
Are you on twitter?
“I’m just starting to get into it. My Twitter photo is the Bride of Chucky. I saw it on a website totally genius. All the fans are on Twitter and they say all these nice things and it makes you feel good. I need more nice people in my life”.
Aww really?
“I wish people could get to know me first for me. Buy the record, listen to the music, come to a show, meet me backstage. I’m really kind of nice”.
transcripted by me, credit: taylormomsenblog.blogspot.com
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