Dance pop princess Taylor Felt was always hustling to make her big dreams happen. Just ask Miley Cyrus.
Thanks to a local radio station contest, an eight-year-old Taylor scored tix a Miley concert—plus a once-in-a-lifetime meet-and-greet. Even now, she remembers their interaction like it was yesterday.
“It was a life-changing experience,” Taylor recalls. “I literally had a purple business card that said aspiring singer-songwriter and actress. I sang for Miley too, because I was like ‘This is my audition.’ I did, like, two lines from a Broadway song from Beauty and the Beast.” We weren’t in the room, ofc, but we imagine that spunky, “aspiring singer-songwriter” made quite the impression. And according to Taylor, so did Miley.
“Seeing her perform—her aura, her quirkiness, the way she’s so herself—it had a huge impact on me,” she shares. “It was like a mirror. She was everything I wanted to be.”
Listening to Taylor’s new EP ELECTRABLOOM (out today!), you can literally hear her embodying the qualities she adored in Miley: a glamorous persona, tons of theatricality and, yes, melodies that you physically must move to.
But arguably the best thing about Taylor’s latest release is that it’s so *her*. From a dark, synth-y meditation on self-acceptance (“TANLINES”) to a deceptively boppy ode to confusing crush (“VERTIGO”), each track feels so dang personal—while still pulling you towards the nearest dancefloor.
In the spirit of that confessional energy, we sat down with Taylor to dig into the deeper meaning behind ELECTRABLOOM, debunk any misconceptions surrounding her record and get to know the unapologetically real Taylor Felt. C’mon, we’ll introduce you…
View this post on Instagram
1. Taylor’s first memory ever is of making music.
It’s…TRUE.
“When I was two years old, my aunt gifted me a Strawberry Shortcake karaoke machine,” Taylor explains. “I was obsessed, listening to ‘Crazy In Love’ by Beyoncé or ‘Material Girl’ by Madonna and singing my little heart out.” Every fam reunion, birthday party or holiday gathering featured live entertainment. Oh, and a setlist that tiny Taylor had carefully curated.
Taylor describes that passion for performing as “innate,” something “woven into [her] identity.” Translation: In her life, there was never a time before music.
2. She never struggles to be authentically herself.
It’s…FALSE.
Talking with Taylor—and observing her easy confidence, Aries energy and, ofc, that fiery red hair—it’s hard to imagine her ever second-guessing herself. But she’s no stranger to the difficulties of embracing all the parts of yourself. Even the messy ones.
That’s the topic she’s tried to tackle in “TANLINES,” one of the most summer-y singles off of ELECTRABLOOM. Beneath the song’s thumping bass and glossy production, Taylor’s lyrics tell the story of a girl learning to share her (admittedly imperfect) inner world with someone else.
“It’s always so scary when you meet people and you kind of put these walls up,” she reveals, when asked about the meaning behind the song. “But there’s a beauty in being your rawest self, with your flaws and ‘sunburns’ and all.” For her, it’s not about feeling fearless 24/7—it’s about having doubts and pushing through them anyway.
3. She picks a genre and sticks with it.
It’s…FALSE.
Longtime fans of Taylor can recognize the sonic shift she’s ushering in with ELECTRABLOOM. Whereas Taylor’s debut EP, Dead Flowers, fit more squarely into the pop genre, she’s approached ELECTRABLOOM as a chance to branch out and explore.
“I got heartbroken and I fell into doing more diaristic singer-songwriter-style pop on my last EP,” she says. “As I was healing from that, though, I found myself thinking, You know what the best way to move on is? Just moving your body. And I’ve always been in love with dance music and how it makes you feel confident and powerful and alive.”
ELECTRABLOOM, which she describes as “the soundtrack to my single summer,” was the electronic, high-energy record Taylor simply had to make. So getting boxed into a single genre? Not an option.
4. She is, first and foremost, an instrumentalist.
It’s…FALSE.
Well, unless you count her breathtaking vocals as an instrument (which TBH, we sorta do). When asked if she has a musical superpower, Taylor is quick to cite her voice—and all the cool things she can do with it.
“I’ve been training my voice since I was seven. I have my own little vocal bible of artists who inspire me so much,” she says (and you guessed it, Miley is a major influence, as well as Gaga and Rihanna). “And I’m still discovering new ways that I can use my voice and paint with it.” Anyone who’s listened to some of the riffs and runs she nails on ELECTRABLOOM knows what she means by “paint.”
5. We knew her wayyy before ELECTRABLOOM.
It’s…TRUE.
Picture this: It’s 2016 at Girls’ Life Fash Bash (aka our in-person music fest/fashion show/extravaganza in Baltimore, MD). And who should take the stage but a then-15-year-old Taylor Felt?
“Performing at Fash Bash used to be the highlight of my summers,” she gushes. “It was amazing to meet other girls who also loved music, beauty and fashion. I still talk to them to this day.” (Peep the absolutely adorable throwback pic below!).
✨ A few fast facts with Taylor Felt ✨
One item on your summer bucket list? “I would love to travel outside the U.S. and perform more. Fingers crossed for my own mini tour soon!”
A current obsession that would surprise fans? “I love gaming. I’ve actually been Twitch streaming a lot this year.”
Advice for our artsy girlies? “Stay weird. Don’t be afraid to experiment and create worlds in your head.”
Stream ELECTRABLOOM HERE and follow us on IG @girlslifemag for more new music recs!
Brb, curating the summer playlist of your dreams…
🎧 A royal breakdown of the “Perfect Princess” music video
🎧 EXCLUSIVE! Hudson Stone spills the deeper meaning behind his debut single, “Overthinker”
🎧 Everything you need to know about Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields music festival
Images courtesy of Taylor Felt.
