Plenty of actors have made the leap from popcorn fare to critical acclaim, but Hailee Steinfeld is taking the opposite path. She kicked off her career with an Oscar nomination for True Grit when she was just 14 years old, and after starring in films like Romeo And Juliet, Enders Game, and the aca-hit Pitch Perfect 2, she’s launching a career as a pop star as well.
Steinfeld just released her first single, “Love Myself.” It’s a dance track with a message of self-love (in, um, several potential forms) that features lyrics like, “I know how to scream my own name/I love me/Gonna love myself, no I don’t need anybody else.” It’s the first song to come out of the record deal she signed with Republic Records in May.
While “Love Myself” is clearly designed as pop fun complete with an echoing chorus of people screaming “hey,” Steinfeld has a richer, less-produced side to her voice as well. After singing onscreen in Pitch Perfect 2, she released an acoustic version of the film’s song “Flashlight” on her YouTube channel. She also dueted with Shawn Mendes on an acoustic cover of his single “Stitches.”