March 11, 2020 • 45 mins
Annie LeBlanc is in the studio! Annie showed up with her entire family for the interview, and couldn’t have been a more lovely person. What you see is what you get with her! At only 15, this girl is not only talented but humble and sweet...she is going to be a huge star. In this episode, Annie talks about how she got her start on YouTube as a gymnast, how their family channel blew up, and transitioning to mainstream media. Annie shares why she wants to take her time with her next album, what's up with her new Nickelodeon show, and what is next! And bonus... she answers your super fan questions!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Behind the Influence, a production of I Heart
Radio and TDC Media. I didn't even think it was
going to be like a full career. I just wanted
to do it just because it was like on my
bucket list. I guess it's like, okay, I'll do it.
Then I got on stage, and I guess like right
after that moment, I was like, wow, like I really
love this. This sounds like super l bliche. But like
(00:20):
I mean, just be yourself. Like you just said, you said,
sometimes it doesn't always work, but in the long run
you're going to be appreciated a lot more. How did
we just get here from just like me being a
gymnast and like my mom filming us. We just started
because that's what we were doing and we enjoyed doing it. Alright, guys,
today is a very exciting day. Annie le Blanc is
(00:40):
in the house. Hey, Hello, We've actually been wanting this
interview to happen for quite some time. You have so
much going on, You're so busy. Every time we talked
to your manager, they're like, well, she's not on set
this day and she's doing that. You are a busy lady.
I try, Yeah, but you made it in here today.
I'm really we have family with us. We have everybody
in the room. I love that. I mean, my mom's
(01:03):
here to actually high let's bring your mom to work day.
I love it. First of all, if you don't know
who Annual Blanc is, who are you? Are you living
in Iraq? Under under a rock? It sounded right. You
have eight million followers on Instagram. That's insane. Do you
ever think about that's eight million people on a daily basis? Who? Literally?
(01:25):
I know, it's weird. There had to have been a
moment where you saw a surgeon following. I mean there was.
Because I started so young, and because it was like
a family channel that we that everybody grew up on.
It was more of just like over time, we started
on YouTube and we went to other platforms and it
just kind of grew from there. I don't know if
there's like one morning where I woke up and I
was like, oh I went viral. Like there were like
(01:45):
a few videos like that helped it jump, yeah, I guess,
But in general, it was it was a climb. It
was a slow and steady climb. I would say, since
you were three, yeah, four, So if you guys don't know,
and he got her start when she was literally three,
three or four, yeah, three or four. I I was
doing stuff before, but like when we really started our YouTube,
(02:05):
it was like four, okay, so what inspired I guess
Mom's here. We should have more my mom. My mom
needs to be energy. Yeah, we should be asking mom
these questions. So you're three, you're four, what what kind
of contents going up? You're not doing a cooking show? Like, yes,
I was doing a cooking show. Now, um, I was
a gymnast, and I was a gymnast for like ten years.
But at that point, my mom just decided to film
(02:27):
my gymnastics because my dad was deployed in the military,
so she like put it on YouTube, but she didn't
know much about She just upload uploaded on YouTube for
not only my dad to see, but also like my
family because we were living in another state. So it
was just for like all my family to like see
how we were doing and like my progress on gymnastics.
And then people started watching, and then we also did
one from my brother, and then we also did one
(02:48):
for Haley and that started the Family Channel. When she
was too we did that, so that started the Family
Channel and then that that one grew and we were like, whoa, So,
how old were you when the family channel started? Fast six?
I looked at my mom six. So this was all
basically inspired by sending videos to dad to keep him
updated on what's going on in the family. And then
(03:09):
Haley joins. And then Haley joins, we made a little
YouTube channel for her. She was too. It was more
of like a joke, like, let's make one for Haley two,
and we did, and then we just kind of put
everybody on that one too, and people started watching, which
we thought was blew up weird. We were like, why
are people watching? And there's this one video. We used
to do these things called shatout videos. We would pick
a fan, fans would ask us questions, we would pick one.
(03:31):
We would feel like a challenge and like, there's this video, like,
thank you guys so much for letting us have fifty subscribers.
It's so cute. I love that fifty subscribers. And now
you have seven millions. Yeah, that one has I think, no,
it has more than that. It's okay, we're going to
get to that stat And then you have your own
(03:51):
YouTube channel now that also has a huge following. Haley
to your six six you have fifty subscribers strong Strong
on fifty. What do you think was so special about
your channel that people kept tuning into? Was it the authenticity?
I used to be like, I don't know, but like
(04:13):
now that I go back and I watched them, it
was definitely just because we're we were just normal kids
doing normal things like Hayley would be two doing whatever,
two years do I would be going to gymnastics, And
it was just kind of was it vlogs? It was blogging,
we've blogged. It started off with just like I think whenever,
we weekly whatever, and then we did daily vlogs for
like five years, so just we just filmed every day
(04:35):
of a mom's filming. Mom's filming, she started off editing,
and then it was like both my parents were editing.
And then I mean, obviously we know the inspiration behind
the initial videos was to catch dad up on what's
going on? What do you I really wish your mom
was sitting here because I want to know. I guess
you can answer this question if you know this, but
your mom had to know that there was something there
for her to put the effort into. Okay, we're gonna
(04:57):
that's a big commitment to do a daily vlog. I mean,
you see a lot of YouTubers that have millions of
followers right now, you guys had fifty subscribers, But she,
your mom, committed. Yeah. I think that we all just
really enjoyed it. I think she also just liked documenting
things that we were doing. It wasn't just for that
people were watching and all that. It was just like
she liked having the videos to look back on. We
all just thought it was really fun. So we did
(05:18):
it for fun, and she decided to be like, I
want to do it for a year. I want a
daily log for a year. It wasn't like a big challenge,
but it's like something that she set a goal. She said,
I want to do it for a year. Let's see
if we can do it. And then we did it
for a year, and we just wanted to keep going.
We did it for like five or six And did
you enjoy it the whole time or like, was there
a point in your life where you were like, I'm eight,
I'm over this, Oh, eight year old any was so numb.
(05:41):
I think we all really enjoyed it. There were a
few days where it would be really hard because we'd
wake up and there's a camera in our face and
we were like, well, we just want to be normal
eight year olds, like come on. For the most part,
we were always like, we want to keep doing it.
We want to get back up and keep making the videos.
What was the big turning point for the channel? There
had to be a moment where whether it was the
thousands of subscribers or a million, Like, do you remember
(06:02):
a specific moment on the Family Channel where you guys
were like, is this really happening? It was probably when
we hit one million or four, because maybe it was four,
because I mean, one is a big deal. One was
a big deal, but I think four was just really
big because we've been promised a horse and a bunny.
Like our parents had said if we if we if
we get to four million subscribers, it was four right,
(06:23):
if we get to four million subscribers, then not only
do get a horse ala carte funny. Yes, Haley was
obsessed with funnies and I was obsessed with horses. And
they were like, oh, we'll never reach formulian, so sure
we'll promise you that. And then sure enough we've reached
four million, and they bought me a horse and bought
Haleya funny. So I think that was like the point
where we were like, wow, we actually hit four million,
(06:44):
Like that's crazy. I mean, that is crazy, especially, but
it's a testament to to anyone who's out there trying
to create content that the one thing you said is
you guys were just being yourselves and having fun. But obviously,
I mean it's your mom had such a pivotal role
in the success of the channel, because what two or
four or six year old to be committed to do
this on a daily basis. I mean, I remember when
(07:05):
I was at age, It's like one day you like
my little pony, the next day you like Cower Rangers.
So like you probably if it was up to you,
guys definitely wouldn't be where you are today. So you
got a horse and a bunny. But what did mom get?
She got to sit here right now. Congratulations, that's so
nice you're letting her sit in I'm like, okay, fine,
(07:25):
you got me to whery on, like, I guess you
can come in here. Fine. So so obviously the YouTube channel,
both of them, they helped it was a platform for
you to then pursue other things that you wanted to do,
So talk me through when you decided that you wanted
to move into different platforms in different spaces. I think
(07:46):
it was more just like gradually we just did it.
I think it was it was just for fun, like
YouTube was we did Instagram. I started the snapchat. My
first ever Snapchat was like my very first Snapchat. It's
like me with like the dog emoji and it's your
best one. Yeah. Oh it was really cute. And for Instagram,
the same thing I did with that, just because sometimes
it was hard for me to be like active, just
because I was dinge gymnastics and I was doing this,
(08:08):
but I enjoyed it. Like I would always be like
film this, do this, I want to do this, Like
oh what this is an idea for a video for Instagram.
I did this like post one day for a year,
post one time a day for a year, Does that
make sense? And I did it on post day for
a year. Yeah, I did that on Instagram. So that's
what kind of started that is because I was actually
like being active and posting and just having fun. So
(08:29):
I think just life happened and we just kind of
gradually went. All my friends were getting Instagram. Everybody was
just getting Instagram and then you stepped into mainstream. So
talk us through because there's a lot of people who
are quote unquote considered an influencer. You know, that's like
a huge phrase. It's a big label. But not everyone
(08:49):
can transition successfully or seamlessly. And I feel like you've
had success doing that. Talk me through your first experience
moving out of like the U tube, Instagram, Snapchat where
you have control and you're the one creating the content.
Now you're maybe on set or someone is guiding you.
There definitely was a point in my life where I
(09:09):
was like, there's so much going on, Like I I
feel like I don't have any control, and like I
just was doing so many different things that I wasn't
really wanting to do or wasn't like proud of. So
I definitely like sat down. I was like, here's what
I want to do. I want to focus on these
three or whatever things and just like be proud of those.
And what were those three facts? Singing, acting, and just
also being with my family and just not having and
(09:32):
of course like other like like brand deals, and I
just wanted to make sure like I was really loving
what I was doing and well, all those are just
actually a part of what you do anyway. Let's say
you're in a big film. Just because you're on a
film doesn't mean you don't post on Instagram. Yeah. So
when I said that, there was a time where I
was like, so, I guess YouTube isn't my main thing anymore.
And that was that was really hard and everybody, but
(09:53):
I think it was just time, Like over time, it
was just like we just kind of grew out of it.
It was really hard. It almost was like a thing
we had to do. It was like mandatory or like
and if we didn't get enough content then we felt
like we were like letting people down. And it was
just like we were on set every day and it's
like not interesting, and it just it just got really
hard and almost like we didn't want to do it
and we like sat back and like the reason we
(10:15):
started this was because it was fun and this is
what we wanted to do, and now it just it
feels more of like a job or like an obligation,
Like it just felt like, oh, let me pick up
the camera and film, like if I don't then and
that's not how or why you originally started doing not
at all. We just started because that's what we were
doing and we enjoyed doing it. Did you find that
(10:36):
your fans were supportive as you transitioned into new phases
of your life? Yeah? I think it was hard for everybody,
just because we went to weekly vlogs for a little bit,
just because there's so much going on, and then once
we made that big decision, they were really supportive, which
I knew they've always been so supportive about it. I
think they were like, yeah, this this sucks, but like
we support you and we understand why. But they were
(10:59):
just like really excited to see like the new stuff
I'm going to come out with. So and a lot
of people say when you transition, it doesn't necessarily translate.
Your fans don't necessarily transition with you. Did you find
that they did support in transition? Think so, just because
we've grown up together. I feel like they started watching me,
let's say eight, too, and now they're watching me at fifteen.
(11:21):
I think they definitely transitioned with me. What was your
first major in your head break Because everyone has that
moment where they're like, this is something's happening here. Um,
I definitely had one of those. I think this is
just a serial moment um. The first time I ever
performed on stage, I got off stage and I started crying,
and people have filmed it and they were like, oh,
she didn't like it. Oh she's crying. Like actually, I
(11:43):
like literally loved it so much, and I was so
like overwhelmed. I was like, I love this so much,
like I want to continue to do this. That I
like literally was just like having a little moment and
it was like, here's a joy. And I think that
was definitely a moment. Like when I was singing, I
looked on into the crowd, it was just like a
crazy explain seventeen. Do you remember where you were perform
the avalon? Okay, and so this was when you were
(12:03):
you decided to pursue singing in a more serious way.
So how old were you when you because everyone always
says you kind of have to have a laser focus
in one area, would you say that you started laser
focusing on singing but you were acting as well. Yeah,
I started focusing on probably acting first. After I quit gymnastics.
I was like, Okay, so I'm gonna get out to
l A. I'm gonna focus on my work and I
(12:25):
think it was more acting because I was doing Chicken Girls,
so I think it was more acting I was focusing
on than then singing was just like a fun thing
I got to do all I was doing that. But
now it's just both. It really switches and people are like, oh,
do you like acting or singing better? And I just
I can't decide when I'm doing acting. And I don't
think you have to. I mean, back in the day,
I think you had to pick a lane and stick
to it, and now it's just it's not like that
(12:46):
at awesome, which is really awesome. But if you could
pick between a Grammy or an Oscar, which one would
you take? That's a good question. I've actually never ask that.
It doesn't mean you're not a good singer a good actor.
It just means that one of them was a little
My manager said both, but by the way, you can
have both, So I'm with your manager, I say both.
(13:07):
My first thought was like a movie, and then I
was like, mmm, but imagine like song of the Year.
I don't know, or by the way, you could get
an Oscar for a good song as well. Look at
look at what was that movie with Lady Gaga? It's born,
Star is Born. You could pull a Lady Gaga. I'm
just gonna pull a Lady Gaga. Say we pull Lady Gaga? Guys,
are we all in the pans? In the whole team
(13:30):
agrees that that's a plan. So let's talk about your
music right now, just for a little bit, because I
know you you do have a YouTube channel that you
post music videos on, and is that an active channel
that you're my channel? Is it used to be a
lot more active? I will be posting music videos on there,
and sometimes occasionally, like I like traveling, and if I
travels somewhere and I like filming and editing, and I'll
(13:52):
upload it. I've done that before, and then you'll put
other content on your YouTube channel besides just music. It's
just not gonna be like really structured, got it. That's
like the are part of YouTube. Like if you want
to have like an active YouTube channel, you have to
do like once a week or like every Wednesday, every Wednesday.
But for me, it's just I'm doing music videos and
if I have a video that I really like, then
I'll put it up there for everybody. Okay, so a
(14:14):
lot of people and we're gonna get to some of
your fan superhand questions. But everyone wants to know about
your music and like when new music is coming out,
So when do you decide or how are you signed
to a label or you just okay, so you're independent,
and so that means you can literally release music whenever
you want. Do you, for your own scheduling purposes have
(14:35):
some kind of structure with your music. I think we
tried for a long time. The last music video slash
song I put out was Utopia. I love that song
and I'm really proud of Utopia. At first, I wasn't.
At first, I wasn't true about it, which I don't
think a lot of people know. You didn't like the song.
The song like the song. But then right after I
got into the car and I listened to everything like together,
(14:55):
I loved it. I loved it. Right they already had
like music video ideas in my head. I was like, Okay,
this is good. When I'm like when I feel inspired
and motivated by work and like my music and stuff,
and I'm just I get really excited about it. But
what I was saying with the structured stuff we were
trying to do, like this thing where I put out
a song like once a month, and I think that's
a good idea. It's just hard when I'm not sure
(15:17):
of what I want yet, and it's really hard to
like get songs that I'm really proud of. So I
think I was just kind of putting out music that
everybody else thought I should do, like because I when
I would get in the studio and they'd be like, so,
what do you want to write a song about? And
I'm like, I have no idea, so they'd almost just
like write it for me, which like, isn't their fault.
It was just that I didn't they It's just like
my songwriters who wrote things, or the producers or anyone,
(15:39):
and it wasn't anybody's fault. Is just that I didn't
know what I wanted and I just kind of did
whatever I thought was right and not really what I
wanted like in my heart. So that was the thing.
I just would put out music and I would be like, like,
here it is, guys, you don't really have to listen
to it, like I don't. I wasn't proud of it,
and I wouldn't want to show my friends. At that
(16:00):
was when I knew I didn't like it. If I
was like, guys, here's my song. Like my friends always like, oh,
do you have new music? And if I'm excited to
show them that I know I like it, and if
I'm like not, and I'm like, I probably shouldn't put
this out. So I went through that stage. It was
really frustrating cause I was trying to write music with
people and it just wasn't working. And after I've done,
the studio would just like not like it, and it's
just it was just extremely frustrating. So I think I've
(16:22):
just decided to take it slow and not have to
worry about like rushing and putting out music that I'm
not going to be proud of or not gonna going
to be like good quality. More focused on singing lessons,
guitar lessons, just getting ready for like performing stuff, just
taking more time and being ready again. Would you ever
do like their traditional artists approach where you kind of
(16:43):
just take six months work on an entire album. That's
what I was thinking. I was kind of thinking that
I'm going to like take a little break and like
just get stuff that I really enjoy and like I'm
excited to like put out and like motivated and like
and just like that would be so fun and then
like all of a sudden, just like coming out with
like a cool EP or like album, I don't know,
(17:04):
something like that, which I'm just excited for and I
hope it can work out. Do you have time in
your schedule to do such things? Honestly, I'm yes, never really,
let's just say kind of, I can try. Speaking of schedule,
what is a typical day for you, Like right now,
(17:25):
it's pretty chill, only because I'm about to start something
that's going to take up a lot of my time.
So we tried to like get like this one to
two weeks, like pretty chill. I can just focus on
like school and like being prepared for that. So right
now today I'll just do today. I woke up like nine,
and I did some school home school, home school, home school.
(17:48):
Have been homeschooled since third grade. But I can't even
believe you were going to school with all the YouTube stuff.
That's crazy, I know. I mean at that point when
I was in third grade, I don't think I ever
really got recognized to like it wasn't like my friends.
They didn't mean my friends because but they had to
know you had a YouTube channel. Even when I went
to gymnastics when even when I changed my gyms, like,
(18:08):
some of my teammates were like, oh I didn't know that,
but some of them definitely did. But it was more
of like oh doesn't m M. Yeah, okay, So homeschool
was homeschooled. Yeah, so I am homeschooled. So I did school,
and then I just got ready. I my mom went
to Target picked up a few things. I love Target,
and you can never just pick up a few things. Now,
she picked up a lot of things and she brought
(18:31):
it back and um, but yeah, it was just a
really chill day. And then I came here. That's not like,
yeah you do you? Are you allowed to talk about
what you're working on in two weeks? Yes, my manager
gave me the thumbs lot. Okay, I am, yes, I'm ready. Okay. Um.
(18:53):
So I have this new show coming out or that
I'm gonna start working on filming in two weeks with
my friend Jade Bartel's for Nickelodeon. It's going to be
called Side Hustle and I'm really excited about it. Are
you allowed to say what it's about? Yeah? I am
pretty much. We like blow up our neighbor's car casual,
you know, just that's that's how you start off. Theories starts.
(19:14):
We're gonna start that with me exploding us exploding our
neighbor's car on accident, of course, and pretty much we
have to do these really odd, weird jobs to like
pay back for the car. And yeah, it's gonna be
really cute. And this is gonna be on Nickelodeons. And
do you know when the premier is? I don't because
(19:35):
you just you're just starting. We haven't even started filming.
That's awesome. Are you excited about I'm really excited. Yeah,
that's really awesome. Nickelodeon shows always do really well, so
you know, you know what's going to be successful. So
who else is on on the show? Anybody that you
So we're having a cast party, which I get to
go and like, WHI I'm really excited for you know
anybody prior to this, Well, Jayden Bartels is going to
(19:59):
be acting long time mee. Um Isaiah Cruz is going
to be another one of the main characters, Arry Kruse's son. Yeah, yeah,
actually you knew that. Um So that's awesome. That sounds
like a really good cast. Yeah, I'm excited to meet everybody.
That's really really cool. Congratulations on that. So I want
to get to talking about influence, because this entire show
(20:21):
is about people of influence, why they have influence, what
they do with their influence, the pressures of influence. Let's
see how many more times I can say the word influyee,
you obviously are somebody of influence. And we got to
this in the very beginning. Eight million eyes on you
just on your Instagram alone. That's not counting Twitter, that's
not counting snapchat, that's not counting YouTube. We're talking millions
(20:42):
and millions of people have their eyes on you. I mean,
see just TikTok alone, there's fifteen millions. So if we
added it all up, I'm going to say you have
about a billion eyeballs on you. I'm not math wasn't
my major, but you have a lot of people paying
attention to you. There's a lot of pressure there. What
do you What kind responsibility do you take having such influence?
(21:03):
There definitely is a lot of responsibilities just because you're
you need to be like a good role model, which
is like scary, but it's like it's not hard because
if you're like a good if you're a good person
and you're like a good role model, and it's really easy.
You don't have to try that hard. They're it's like
scary because you're like, Okay, let me think about what
I'm doing. Do you think this is okay for like,
(21:24):
let's say eight year olds that are watching me to
like see. So that's that's definitely something that I have
to look out for. But it's not that hard because
that's just kind of how we were raised. We weren't
ever raised in like a my mom smiling at me,
she's like, no, I I hear you. You don't have
to necessarily monitor so much or overthink it if you actually,
(21:45):
at the core are a good person. And obviously you
are a good person I can tell, and you have
a solid family here. I used to work at a
channel called Clever TV. It's like this very young YouTube
channel with twenty millions subscribers, and like we are followers
were all eight year old. But we had to even
though we weren't eight, we had to be really careful
with what we were putting out there. So there is
(22:06):
a little bit of a disconnect because as you get older,
you know you're gonna get into relationships because you're gonna
let you are in a relationship, but like do you
kind of have to filter the maturity of the content,
not necessarily that you're a good or bad person, but
you're growing, you know, like you're sixteen, fifteen. Okay, so
you're fifteen, and this is like the exact age where
(22:28):
people kind of come into their own their into relationships.
Real stuff happens, but maybe a seven or eight year
old that's your biggest fan might not understand or get confused.
You have to kind of like not age down. But
just I would say, I would say, yeah, the thing
with me is because I was a gymnast and I
was homeschooled, that I was gonna like the first thing
that popped in my head was like, yeah, well all
(22:49):
my friends were doing all the stuff that they were
posting this and it wasn't inappropriate for them to do
because there's nobody like really watching them, and like I
don't want to this is in quotations, like copying what
they're doing. Right. I was a gymnast, so like all
my friends were like homeschooled and like didn't really have
much of a Instagram. I was young, and then when
I moved to l A. I'm friends with like a
bunch of influence, Like I don't want to say influencers,
(23:10):
that's no hope, but that's what they are at. But
we just have this little group, so I think we
all are really responsible and mature for our ages, just
to know that like what's wrong and what's right for that,
I guess. So I've never really struggled with like, oh,
I'm seeing my friends do it so like I wish
I could do it, and like post I don't even
want to say mature content, but this is just like
(23:31):
a but you are getting older, I am, And I've
never I've just never felt the need to like post
like a TikTok with like an inappropriate dance in it.
Like I just never felt the need to, Like I've
just never been that kind of person, I guess, or
like I don't think this is bad, but like I
just feel like some people in relationships are all like oh,
touchy feely, and I just never feel the need to
like put that on the internet. I guess it's just
(23:52):
more personal to me. So I don't think I've ever
had that problem of like, oh I wish I could
do this, so would you say that you definitely have
boundaries when it comes to the things that make it
on the grid versus things that are personal. Yeah, definitely.
And where do you draw the line, I mean, are
you do you say, Okay, I'm going to do just
a little bit of personal and mostly work stuff because
(24:14):
I know people have to kind of curate. Yeah, I
feel like it's really hard balancing it. Sometimes. I feel
like sometimes I'm like too personal two into my personal
life and I'm not I wouldn't say giving them enough
like enough content. I guess like sometimes I like take
a break for like a week without like saying anything,
which is like on me, but like it's like stuff
happens in life, and it's really hard to like know
what to put out there and what to not put
(24:36):
out there just for you, like for life is just
hard for that. So there definitely is a line, and
I'm trying to find like the in between, the middle ground.
You have to help with that. Like I know a
lot of people work with people who help them with
their socials or obviously of a manager who's very invested
in you and cares. I mean, he's here right now.
So do you do you look to other people for guidance, Like,
(24:57):
I mean I've posted things where my mom is like,
take that down. You said the F word, right, Yes,
she's so proud of herself. But I'm scared of my
mom still to this day. So if my mom says
take it down, it's coming down. Oh yeah. I mean
I don't think I could host anything that I want,
like anything, and my mom should be like, oh yeah,
good job, good job doing whatever I did. But she
(25:21):
she definitely is like I don't want to say strict.
Oh my mom's strick to trust me. I'm literally terrified
of my mom still. My fans I see like comments,
they're like if I do anything that's like a little
bit more grown up there, like miss Katie is quaking.
Miss Katie does not approve because they know I don't
want to say strict, but they know how because we're
just more open with her. Like rules. I guess, oh
(25:44):
I had rules too. It's like rules are not cool anymore,
but like I grew up with rules, and my child
will grow up with rules too. I like it. So
my fans like, no, like I'm not allowed to do
a TikTok with like a bunch of bad words in it,
or like all this stuff. But as I just love
the comments because they're all like, that's really funny. That's
actually really funny that they involve your mom. It's great.
(26:08):
So do family members make appearances in your content? Yeah?
My sister though always oh yeah, all of our family
if we go to like family gatherings, But I don't
think any of our family like minds being in our videos. Actually,
like our cousins had like a YouTube channel. How does
family react when you go to let's say Thanksgiving or something.
Are they like can you tag me? Um? They're not
(26:29):
like rude or anything. It's definitely is though, like oh,
like that was the famous cousin. Like I just so
I have so much family that like I don't know
all my cousins. Like someone will come up to me
like I'm your cousin. I'm like, I wouldn't be surprised
if you were my cousin because I have such a
big family and they're literally just not your cousin, Like
like who just wants to I don't know, like like
(26:50):
a fense, But it's more like I don't know them
and they know me more so it's more like a
supporter that sounds rude. Like I just I don't. I
don't know the as like my cousin so and they're like, oh,
let's get a picture. It's more of like not. I mean,
you should just carry twenty three and me around and
make people spit spit in the vial and just confirm
and that was not a sponsor post post not. That
(27:12):
was not fun. That's so interesting. I often wonder when
people go back to like family gatherings or anything, if
people act differently. It's weird, but it's really fun, Like
it's not like and you don't seem like a stuck
up like here I am with my yeah, this is
my good angle, where's my Loomie light or whatever? Now,
you don't seem like that at all. Does that ever
(27:35):
hit you that you're so down to earth and I
can tell it's not a it's not a show. You're
not trying to be like the girl next door, like
I can genuinely tell that this is you. Does it
ever hit you that this is where you're at right now?
And what does that feel like? It's because it's only
going to continue. Obviously, you're booking all these big jobs,
you're doing music, You're going to book more movies and
(27:57):
more shows, it's you pitch yourself. Yeah, sometimes I'm just like,
how did we just get here from just like me
being a gymnast and like my mom filming us. Like
it's just people pick who they want to like and
who they don't want to like. I guess, like I
feel like some people could do the same exact thing
as us, it just like doesn't work for them, which
(28:18):
I find really weird. So I just always am so
grateful for everything. I mean, obviously mom had a big
role in the creating the platform, but then you were
able to take what mom built or helped you all
build to the next level. And what do you think,
I mean, there are so many people in your shoes
who are influencers who have not made that jump. Is
(28:41):
it the hard work? Is that the commitment you're talking
about taking classes? Yeah? I think it was just how
authentic we were. We were so young and it was
just easy. Like I feel like a lot of people
try really hard, which I get because it's hard. It's
hard to be seen. I think it was just that
my mom started filming us at a really young age
(29:02):
and it was just we crew. But then you were
able to take that and that wasn't luck, and that
wasn't mom, that was you. So would you attribute that
to take taking your work seriously and not just showing
up to an audition expecting to get it because you
had eight million? Because I see that happen a lot. Yeah,
I knew that I wasn't like an actress and a
(29:24):
singer right as I started saying I'm an actress and singer,
like it definitely was. I was always like a YouTuber
and that was just always like my mindset was like,
this is I'm a YouTuber and I'm not going to
like say, oh, I know everything about acting and singing
because I don't. And I didn't at that time. So
when I started saying like, hey, like I really enjoy
acting and singing and I want to pursue that, I
definitely tried to like learn my stuff and make sure
(29:46):
that I was really prepared before I just said that
I wasn't a YouTuber anymore. I guess. So you worked
hard to get to this next level and I wasn't
just handed to you because eight million followed. And also
I've also seen people with you know, twenty million followers
get a role and then the show gets canceled or
they blow it because they're not taking their job serious
(30:07):
and they just assume, Oh, I have followers and that's
why I'm gonna be successful. Yeah, so hard work, guys, tenacity.
Where do you see yourself five years from now? I
know that's so far far. You're gonna be in a
totally different You're gonna be twenty Yeah, I hope people
(30:27):
are not driving in five years. To be honest with you, Okay,
can we just like wait like a year just so
I can drive for like a little bit and then
you can drive for a little bit. But technology, Yeah,
I just don't want I could talk about this for
days now that I just had a baby, so I literally, yeah,
I have like a little infant and I'm just like,
I don't ever want him to drive. You just had
(30:48):
a baby, Ye, you look so good? What Keto? Just kidding,
just kidding. I love bread. No, but I just think about,
like driving is so scary. But I get it. When
I was your age, all I wanted to go close.
All I wanted to do is you can probably go
drive now, ask mom? I did. She said no, just
taking a little spin around the block. I've done that.
(31:10):
I've done that. So how old you have to be
to drive? Now? Is this still in the have to
get your I mean not fifteen a half yet? How
far away are we? Um? June? I can get my
what's your birthday? December five? December five? My mom's December three?
That are there? Are sad is cool? Sages are awesome? Really,
I know nothing about astrology. It's okay. Besides driving, what
(31:33):
will you be doing? Okay, you hope to be doing film? Yeah,
I definitely of course want to have an album out
and I think that's super cool, just like one album.
These are just like my I'm not gonna say like
minimum goals, but like no, just general just general goals,
like um, I like putting things out there. Yeah, like
one album. I want to be in a movie that
I can like go to the theaters and like like
(31:56):
like I can go to theaters and be like, oh,
there's my movie on the Red carper premiere. All the
entertainment channels they're wanting to interview you, yelling Annie, Annie,
Annie needs to happen. It's going to what else? And
just for me to be like happy and like love
what I'm doing. Still, that's another thing is just like
(32:17):
always have that motivation and inspiration and signed me to
like want to keep doing singing and acting. And I
definitely still want that when I'm twenty. Yeah, I just
want to be like happy with what I'm doing. I
think just based on the trajectory of what you've been doing,
it's not been like a race and just you haphazardly
throwing things in the ceiling and seeing what sticks. You've
had like a slow and steady, very consistent climb. So
(32:40):
I just from what I've seen, and also I'm predicting
your future. You're they're going to be yelling Annie, Annie,
and when they do, you better not forget us right
back here. You heard it here first. Guy, She's coming back.
I'm coming back even after they yell her name. Okay,
I'm going to go to some super fan questions. We
(33:01):
allowed three people. We're going to start out with Caitlin
Underscore Dance wants to know who slash what inspired you
to begin your career as a singer slash actress. That's
a really good question. Good question, Caitlin job. But I
just want to tell the story just because I think
it's really funny, like cute. For that concert I was
(33:23):
talking about earlier, I remember looking at Haley at her
like school talent show and she was singing Last Boy
by Ruth View was so cute. It was so cute,
and I was I was just looking at her. I
was like, wow, how is she doing this in front
of all of these people like that to saying I
could never do it. And this was like two months
before I did that concert. So anyways, that was foreshadowing.
(33:46):
Now I'm in my living room and my dad comes
up the show. I was like, Hey, do you want
to do this concert? And I'm like, no, I don't
and he's like, okay, well just think about it, and
then he already booked you. I mean while he's like, oh,
I already already talking about no. But and then at
Tendus later, I was like, I guess I can by it.
I just think it's funny that at first, when I
(34:07):
got offered the opportunity, I was like, hmm, can't do it.
I'm scared. I'm not gonna do it. And then I
sudden I was like, okay, I know that this is
something that like a goal of mine and something that
I want to do. I didn't even think it was
going to be like a full career. I just wanted
to do it just because it was like on my
bucket list, I guess, so I was like, Okay, I'll
do it. Then I got on stage and I guess
like right after that moment, I was like, wow, like
(34:29):
I really love this. So I think after that, I
was just I want to record this song. I want
to record this song. And I started off with just
like doing covers just because I thought that was really fun.
And I got to like record like my favorite song
in the studio and then hear how my voice sounded
on it, and I think I really enjoyed that. After that,
I was like, they were like, you want to write
your own song, and I was like, yeah, I do.
So I think it was just it was just so
(34:50):
fun for me to like live that life and not
like focus on I just focus on another thing in
my life. Was just really fun for me. So and
came from inspo came from I mean, I guess Haley,
I think that's what we I think that's what you
just said. That was my inspiration. That's pretty cool. That's
not really really cool. What about acting? Is there somebody
(35:11):
that you kind of look to as an actress that
maybe you don't necessarily want to emulate their career, but
somebody you look up to in the world. I'm sure
there was, you know, it was probably. I mean, you're
kind of Miley Cyrus when that movie, uh the Last
song I was a song and that movie, and I
think I and she was a pretty good actress to that,
(35:34):
so I think I was just kind of like when
I started acting, I was like, Okay, be Miley Cyrus
in that movie and break out into singing the last song.
I like that answer. Jasmine dot Connelle three seven eight
wants to know what has been your best slash worst date? Also,
I love you and follow me? I love I love
(35:55):
you and follow me. I love it. Um send me back?
Um hmmm, have you had a beat mean flash worst date?
I don't even know if I would like, like, I
feel like I've been on a date, but I don't
know if i'd necessarily like I count it. I don't know.
I feel like I'm never like, hey, like Asher come
picked me up at seven for our date, Like it's
more of just like we hang out and decide what
(36:17):
we want to do. I don't know, I feel like
I'm well, Also, you're so young, it's not like you've
had fifty dates where you can be like one time
in nineteen seventy three, like, I don't think I've ever
had like I don't think so yeah, and Asher, yes,
is that that's your current okay cool? And so yeah,
you're so young. This is also new. And you guys
(36:37):
are I feel like best friends more than anything, right,
that's what it seems like. And everyone's obsessed with your
relationship with him? Why do you think people are so obsessed?
I don't know. I always ask myself that question. I mean,
you guys are really cute obviously, and you create content together. Yeah,
we have four And do you think that will happen
again in the future? I think so. I think I
(36:57):
think it's really fun for us to do together, and
just like like sometimes we'll like write songs together while
we're hanging out, and I think that's really cool because
it's like cute and he's like, Okay, what should we
put for this? Like chorus? And like this is like
you and I really I really like that. But it's
not it's never a forced situation. It's not like you
know some people and we can obviously all rattle off
tons of names. And influencer space where they'll date and
(37:20):
they'll like tag each other or even get married and
tag each other. But you know, people do these things
where it's kind of forced. It's I mean, it's sometimes
it's a really smart business move, but that's not the
case with you guys. And you even said you have
a big group of influencer friends. Do you guys like
sit around and say, hey, we need to create content
right now and tag each other right now and do
all these things. No, I think if it if it
(37:42):
were something like that, it's sometimes like oh I haven't
posted an Instagram and like a week, you guys want
to get a picture, But it's never like okay, strategic,
U come over on Saturday so we can film this video.
Like It's never like that. It's sometimes we're just like, oh,
I don't posted on my stram a while we take
this picture of me. I'm like sure. And that probably
makes just friendships a lot to know that it's a
real friendship versus something that's just contrived. Okay, I'm gonna
(38:05):
ask you another question, which I'm not sure which video
they're referring to, but okay, so I guess this is
referring to Utopia. What went on through your head while
making the music video? What was the spark? This was
from v Gogata. Okay, like I said earlier, right after
I heard it, my like big thing, like while I'm
recording and while I'm putting out, like doing the music
(38:25):
part is like always being like Okay, So here's what
I have from the music video. I love music videos
for some reason. I think they're really cool, and I
you're a few music videos are really high production value.
It's not just like a jankie from the round of
a fause. Yeah, I guess. I guess like I thought
was after hearing this song, I had this like I'm
doing like weird things in my hands and you guys
(38:47):
can't see, and I forgot that this was a plot.
I think they're awesome motions with the hands, and you
guys are missing. Actually, let's get that, we got it.
We will show the hand motion like I mean, I
think my hands are like thinking like Lowe, like I
wanted like these school like dream effect. I don't know
it does because I've seen the music video, and if
you haven't seen it, you have to check it out.
(39:07):
To really well done music video. I just yeah, I
just wanted like really pretty like shots of sun rays
and like all of that. So I think it definitely great.
It's just that was great, and I think I only
I said we only had three, but okay, this person
did not fall into the three top fans. But we're
gonna ask the question anyway because I want to know.
(39:30):
They want to know when a new EP is coming out.
And this is a selfish question because I personally love
your vibe and your music and i'd love to see
something come out. I know you have filming that's coming up,
so you're probably gonna be wrapped up in that. But
any plans for an EP there are, of course, I'm
really excited for it, but um, right now, I'm just
kind of like meeting people who like inspire me and
(39:52):
like I just kind of like want to help me
like fulfill Like what it's going on is that my
brain that I can't put out And I'm thinking in
the next year, six months a year, I'm going to
put out something like an EP or know them. I
don't know. I'm saying both because I think both are
really cool and I don't know what's going to happen.
(40:13):
Like I may like only be able to write five
songs or I may like be able to like just
have it. I mean, that's the writing five songs while
also filming a lot. So I mean to you to
your point that you made before, I mean, you're saying
you want to put out something in six months or
a year, but also you are really adamant about putting
out something that you're really proud of, and I respect that.
(40:36):
I think that's really awesome because you will see in
no shade to them, but you will see YouTube creators
who are just like every week putting out a new
song and it's not necessarily stuff they're proud of, and
I think that's what sets you apart. I think the
main thing that I was just really sad about is
that I was doing these concerts and I was just
so excited to perform because I love performing. But I
(40:57):
was almost just like, guys, I'm gonna have better songs
out later, like, don't think this is Like I was
just like, this is gonna be their first impression of me,
and I'm just not proud of like then putting this
music with my name, And I guess I was just
I'm just really excited to have more music that I
think like defines me a little bit better and like
shows off like my like vibe and all of that.
(41:19):
How would you describe your vibe? I have a whole
asthetic board and I love it so much because it
really describes me and I'm really proud of it. Um,
I don't know how described vibes. But like, sometimes I
meet people and like they are so cool and I
want to be their friend, And I don't know, Like,
I love your vibe. Your vibe was like super chill,
(41:40):
like like I didn't even brush my hair today. I
love you for saying that vibe is good, but I
just don't know how to describe. Like, no, I get it,
the energy, the vibe. But let's say, okay, you know
how everyone's like, well, she's like a Billie Eilish meets
the Lady Good meets Michael Bolton? But that was the
can we imagine that? But in a way, so like,
(42:01):
who would you compare yourself to artistically? Even if it's
not a perfect Maybe your style is like one person,
but your vibe is like Ellie Golding, which I love her. Yeah,
you tell me, I feel like you are just your
own vibe. I like it. I feel like you are
your own vibe because I have no I've interviewed literally
(42:22):
every artist Rammy winning artist. You know, people in your
position that are up and coming and like I know,
are going to do well. You have your own vibe
and it's not fake, like you're not trying to so
you're really down to earth and I think you're going
to be really successful in the music industry. Thank you.
I'm not kidding. I'm just saying no, I wouldn't say that.
(42:44):
I'm not fake. I have a child now, I have
no tolerance. I have zero tolerance for the bs. I
probably have poop under my hat. But a boy, his
name is Atlas, I love it, and he is the
My mom is waiting to talk about him. Do you
see do you see the grandma being like, let me
tell a story right now? None of you will think
(43:05):
is cute except for me. Nobody's awesome. But no, I
think you have your own vibe. And I think that
just you know, with your career, you haven't ever even
you saying like you didn't want to copy what other
people were doing. You're doing your own thing and you're
fine with that. I think that takes a lot because
so many people are just doing the exact same thing
and it's tired, I think. And you might not always
(43:27):
go viral for being yourself, but eventually people that's how
you get respect. I think you know what I mean.
So that's really cool. We're gonna end with what is
a piece of advice that you would give somebody who
wants to be in your shoes? Like someone is ten eleven,
twelve thirty, they want to do what you're doing. What
would they have to do to be in your position?
(43:48):
I mean this sounds like super like cliche, but like
I mean, just be yourself. Like you just said, you
said sometimes it doesn't always work, but in the long run,
you're going to be appreciated a lot more. And just
my thing was I was just scared that if I
were to produce music, people wouldn't take me seriously. And
I think just being like just yourself and also just
(44:09):
being genuine to everybody and like just not like not
being fake and not before I say anything, I'm like,
is this actually how I feel? And I think that's
a big thing. And once you do it, it's never
like you just have to think about it all the time.
It just kind of comes naturally. It's just the person,
the type of person you are. But yeah, I think
be that. And if you're planning on doing YouTube, you've
(44:29):
got to be consistent. That's like a big thing with YouTube.
It's about consistency and a lot of other stuff, and
also just being active and appreciating all your fans and
supporters and just kind of being with them. I guess,
like also interacting with them was really fun and it's
just a great experience. And also it's just yeah, I
guess I don't know if that was really advice, but
(44:49):
that wasn't kind of rambling, but it's you're you're saying,
be yourself and like be approachable, which I think you
totally are approachable. Well, I mean, are you really going
to come back when they're yelling your name? I promise
I will come back and I will meet your child,
I promise, And they'll be driving your card. I will
drive here in my car and I'm back, and you
(45:12):
better bring the whole posse to Annie will Blanc you guys.
It was so nice to have you. We'll see you soon.
I think you have a fitting to go to now
because you're so cool. So cool, all right, guys, I
hope you guys enjoyed it, make sure you check out
Annie and all of her platforms. It's just Annie Long.
Yeah yeah, check her out. She's kind of cool. Man,
I just said man bye bye. Behind the Influences, a
(45:36):
production of I Heart Radio and t DC Media
Welcome to Behind the Influence, a production of I Heart
Radio and TDC Media. I didn't even think it was
going to be like a full career. I just wanted
to do it just because it was like on my
bucket list. I guess it's like, okay, I'll do it.
Then I got on stage, and I guess like right
after that moment, I was like, wow, like I really
love this. This sounds like super l bliche. But like
(00:20):
I mean, just be yourself. Like you just said, you said,
sometimes it doesn't always work, but in the long run
you're going to be appreciated a lot more. How did
we just get here from just like me being a
gymnast and like my mom filming us. We just started
because that's what we were doing and we enjoyed doing it. Alright, guys,
today is a very exciting day. Annie le Blanc is
(00:40):
in the house. Hey, Hello, We've actually been wanting this
interview to happen for quite some time. You have so
much going on, You're so busy. Every time we talked
to your manager, they're like, well, she's not on set
this day and she's doing that. You are a busy lady.
I try, Yeah, but you made it in here today.
I'm really we have family with us. We have everybody
in the room. I love that. I mean, my mom's
(01:03):
here to actually high let's bring your mom to work day.
I love it. First of all, if you don't know
who Annual Blanc is, who are you? Are you living
in Iraq? Under under a rock? It sounded right. You
have eight million followers on Instagram. That's insane. Do you
ever think about that's eight million people on a daily basis? Who? Literally?
(01:25):
I know, it's weird. There had to have been a
moment where you saw a surgeon following. I mean there was.
Because I started so young, and because it was like
a family channel that we that everybody grew up on.
It was more of just like over time, we started
on YouTube and we went to other platforms and it
just kind of grew from there. I don't know if
there's like one morning where I woke up and I
was like, oh I went viral. Like there were like
(01:45):
a few videos like that helped it jump, yeah, I guess,
But in general, it was it was a climb. It
was a slow and steady climb. I would say, since
you were three, yeah, four, So if you guys don't know,
and he got her start when she was literally three,
three or four, yeah, three or four. I I was
doing stuff before, but like when we really started our YouTube,
(02:05):
it was like four, okay, so what inspired I guess
Mom's here. We should have more my mom. My mom
needs to be energy. Yeah, we should be asking mom
these questions. So you're three, you're four, what what kind
of contents going up? You're not doing a cooking show? Like, yes,
I was doing a cooking show. Now, um, I was
a gymnast, and I was a gymnast for like ten years.
But at that point, my mom just decided to film
(02:27):
my gymnastics because my dad was deployed in the military,
so she like put it on YouTube, but she didn't
know much about She just upload uploaded on YouTube for
not only my dad to see, but also like my
family because we were living in another state. So it
was just for like all my family to like see
how we were doing and like my progress on gymnastics.
And then people started watching, and then we also did
one from my brother, and then we also did one
(02:48):
for Haley and that started the Family Channel. When she
was too we did that, so that started the Family
Channel and then that that one grew and we were like, whoa, So,
how old were you when the family channel started? Fast six?
I looked at my mom six. So this was all
basically inspired by sending videos to dad to keep him
updated on what's going on in the family. And then
(03:09):
Haley joins. And then Haley joins, we made a little
YouTube channel for her. She was too. It was more
of like a joke, like, let's make one for Haley two,
and we did, and then we just kind of put
everybody on that one too, and people started watching, which
we thought was blew up weird. We were like, why
are people watching? And there's this one video. We used
to do these things called shatout videos. We would pick
a fan, fans would ask us questions, we would pick one.
(03:31):
We would feel like a challenge and like, there's this video, like,
thank you guys so much for letting us have fifty subscribers.
It's so cute. I love that fifty subscribers. And now
you have seven millions. Yeah, that one has I think, no,
it has more than that. It's okay, we're going to
get to that stat And then you have your own
(03:51):
YouTube channel now that also has a huge following. Haley
to your six six you have fifty subscribers strong Strong
on fifty. What do you think was so special about
your channel that people kept tuning into? Was it the authenticity?
I used to be like, I don't know, but like
(04:13):
now that I go back and I watched them, it
was definitely just because we're we were just normal kids
doing normal things like Hayley would be two doing whatever,
two years do I would be going to gymnastics, And
it was just kind of was it vlogs? It was blogging,
we've blogged. It started off with just like I think whenever,
we weekly whatever, and then we did daily vlogs for
like five years, so just we just filmed every day
(04:35):
of a mom's filming. Mom's filming, she started off editing,
and then it was like both my parents were editing.
And then I mean, obviously we know the inspiration behind
the initial videos was to catch dad up on what's
going on? What do you I really wish your mom
was sitting here because I want to know. I guess
you can answer this question if you know this, but
your mom had to know that there was something there
for her to put the effort into. Okay, we're gonna
(04:57):
that's a big commitment to do a daily vlog. I mean,
you see a lot of YouTubers that have millions of
followers right now, you guys had fifty subscribers, But she,
your mom, committed. Yeah. I think that we all just
really enjoyed it. I think she also just liked documenting
things that we were doing. It wasn't just for that
people were watching and all that. It was just like
she liked having the videos to look back on. We
all just thought it was really fun. So we did
(05:18):
it for fun, and she decided to be like, I
want to do it for a year. I want a
daily log for a year. It wasn't like a big challenge,
but it's like something that she set a goal. She said,
I want to do it for a year. Let's see
if we can do it. And then we did it
for a year, and we just wanted to keep going.
We did it for like five or six And did
you enjoy it the whole time or like, was there
a point in your life where you were like, I'm eight,
I'm over this, Oh, eight year old any was so numb.
(05:41):
I think we all really enjoyed it. There were a
few days where it would be really hard because we'd
wake up and there's a camera in our face and
we were like, well, we just want to be normal
eight year olds, like come on. For the most part,
we were always like, we want to keep doing it.
We want to get back up and keep making the videos.
What was the big turning point for the channel? There
had to be a moment where whether it was the
thousands of subscribers or a million, Like, do you remember
(06:02):
a specific moment on the Family Channel where you guys
were like, is this really happening? It was probably when
we hit one million or four, because maybe it was four,
because I mean, one is a big deal. One was
a big deal, but I think four was just really
big because we've been promised a horse and a bunny.
Like our parents had said if we if we if
we get to four million subscribers, it was four right,
(06:23):
if we get to four million subscribers, then not only
do get a horse ala carte funny. Yes, Haley was
obsessed with funnies and I was obsessed with horses. And
they were like, oh, we'll never reach formulian, so sure
we'll promise you that. And then sure enough we've reached
four million, and they bought me a horse and bought
Haleya funny. So I think that was like the point
where we were like, wow, we actually hit four million,
(06:44):
Like that's crazy. I mean, that is crazy, especially, but
it's a testament to to anyone who's out there trying
to create content that the one thing you said is
you guys were just being yourselves and having fun. But obviously,
I mean it's your mom had such a pivotal role
in the success of the channel, because what two or
four or six year old to be committed to do
this on a daily basis. I mean, I remember when
(07:05):
I was at age, It's like one day you like
my little pony, the next day you like Cower Rangers.
So like you probably if it was up to you,
guys definitely wouldn't be where you are today. So you
got a horse and a bunny. But what did mom get?
She got to sit here right now. Congratulations, that's so
nice you're letting her sit in I'm like, okay, fine,
(07:25):
you got me to whery on, like, I guess you
can come in here. Fine. So so obviously the YouTube channel,
both of them, they helped it was a platform for
you to then pursue other things that you wanted to do,
So talk me through when you decided that you wanted
to move into different platforms in different spaces. I think
(07:46):
it was more just like gradually we just did it.
I think it was it was just for fun, like
YouTube was we did Instagram. I started the snapchat. My
first ever Snapchat was like my very first Snapchat. It's
like me with like the dog emoji and it's your
best one. Yeah. Oh it was really cute. And for Instagram,
the same thing I did with that, just because sometimes
it was hard for me to be like active, just
because I was dinge gymnastics and I was doing this,
(08:08):
but I enjoyed it. Like I would always be like
film this, do this, I want to do this, Like
oh what this is an idea for a video for Instagram.
I did this like post one day for a year,
post one time a day for a year, Does that
make sense? And I did it on post day for
a year. Yeah, I did that on Instagram. So that's
what kind of started that is because I was actually
like being active and posting and just having fun. So
(08:29):
I think just life happened and we just kind of
gradually went. All my friends were getting Instagram. Everybody was
just getting Instagram and then you stepped into mainstream. So
talk us through because there's a lot of people who
are quote unquote considered an influencer. You know, that's like
a huge phrase. It's a big label. But not everyone
(08:49):
can transition successfully or seamlessly. And I feel like you've
had success doing that. Talk me through your first experience
moving out of like the U tube, Instagram, Snapchat where
you have control and you're the one creating the content.
Now you're maybe on set or someone is guiding you.
There definitely was a point in my life where I
(09:09):
was like, there's so much going on, Like I I
feel like I don't have any control, and like I
just was doing so many different things that I wasn't
really wanting to do or wasn't like proud of. So
I definitely like sat down. I was like, here's what
I want to do. I want to focus on these
three or whatever things and just like be proud of those.
And what were those three facts? Singing, acting, and just
also being with my family and just not having and
(09:32):
of course like other like like brand deals, and I
just wanted to make sure like I was really loving
what I was doing and well, all those are just
actually a part of what you do anyway. Let's say
you're in a big film. Just because you're on a
film doesn't mean you don't post on Instagram. Yeah. So
when I said that, there was a time where I
was like, so, I guess YouTube isn't my main thing anymore.
And that was that was really hard and everybody, but
(09:53):
I think it was just time, Like over time, it
was just like we just kind of grew out of it.
It was really hard. It almost was like a thing
we had to do. It was like mandatory or like
and if we didn't get enough content then we felt
like we were like letting people down. And it was
just like we were on set every day and it's
like not interesting, and it just it just got really
hard and almost like we didn't want to do it
and we like sat back and like the reason we
(10:15):
started this was because it was fun and this is
what we wanted to do, and now it just it
feels more of like a job or like an obligation,
Like it just felt like, oh, let me pick up
the camera and film, like if I don't then and
that's not how or why you originally started doing not
at all. We just started because that's what we were
doing and we enjoyed doing it. Did you find that
(10:36):
your fans were supportive as you transitioned into new phases
of your life? Yeah? I think it was hard for everybody,
just because we went to weekly vlogs for a little bit,
just because there's so much going on, and then once
we made that big decision, they were really supportive, which
I knew they've always been so supportive about it. I
think they were like, yeah, this this sucks, but like
we support you and we understand why. But they were
(10:59):
just like really excited to see like the new stuff
I'm going to come out with. So and a lot
of people say when you transition, it doesn't necessarily translate.
Your fans don't necessarily transition with you. Did you find
that they did support in transition? Think so, just because
we've grown up together. I feel like they started watching me,
let's say eight, too, and now they're watching me at fifteen.
(11:21):
I think they definitely transitioned with me. What was your
first major in your head break Because everyone has that
moment where they're like, this is something's happening here. Um,
I definitely had one of those. I think this is
just a serial moment um. The first time I ever
performed on stage, I got off stage and I started crying,
and people have filmed it and they were like, oh,
she didn't like it. Oh she's crying. Like actually, I
(11:43):
like literally loved it so much, and I was so
like overwhelmed. I was like, I love this so much,
like I want to continue to do this. That I
like literally was just like having a little moment and
it was like, here's a joy. And I think that
was definitely a moment. Like when I was singing, I
looked on into the crowd, it was just like a
crazy explain seventeen. Do you remember where you were perform
the avalon? Okay, and so this was when you were
(12:03):
you decided to pursue singing in a more serious way.
So how old were you when you because everyone always
says you kind of have to have a laser focus
in one area, would you say that you started laser
focusing on singing but you were acting as well. Yeah,
I started focusing on probably acting first. After I quit gymnastics.
I was like, Okay, so I'm gonna get out to
l A. I'm gonna focus on my work and I
(12:25):
think it was more acting because I was doing Chicken Girls,
so I think it was more acting I was focusing
on than then singing was just like a fun thing
I got to do all I was doing that. But
now it's just both. It really switches and people are like, oh,
do you like acting or singing better? And I just
I can't decide when I'm doing acting. And I don't
think you have to. I mean, back in the day,
I think you had to pick a lane and stick
to it, and now it's just it's not like that
(12:46):
at awesome, which is really awesome. But if you could
pick between a Grammy or an Oscar, which one would
you take? That's a good question. I've actually never ask that.
It doesn't mean you're not a good singer a good actor.
It just means that one of them was a little
My manager said both, but by the way, you can
have both, So I'm with your manager, I say both.
(13:07):
My first thought was like a movie, and then I
was like, mmm, but imagine like song of the Year.
I don't know, or by the way, you could get
an Oscar for a good song as well. Look at
look at what was that movie with Lady Gaga? It's born,
Star is Born. You could pull a Lady Gaga. I'm
just gonna pull a Lady Gaga. Say we pull Lady Gaga? Guys,
are we all in the pans? In the whole team
(13:30):
agrees that that's a plan. So let's talk about your
music right now, just for a little bit, because I
know you you do have a YouTube channel that you
post music videos on, and is that an active channel
that you're my channel? Is it used to be a
lot more active? I will be posting music videos on there,
and sometimes occasionally, like I like traveling, and if I
travels somewhere and I like filming and editing, and I'll
(13:52):
upload it. I've done that before, and then you'll put
other content on your YouTube channel besides just music. It's
just not gonna be like really structured, got it. That's
like the are part of YouTube. Like if you want
to have like an active YouTube channel, you have to
do like once a week or like every Wednesday, every Wednesday.
But for me, it's just I'm doing music videos and
if I have a video that I really like, then
I'll put it up there for everybody. Okay, so a
(14:14):
lot of people and we're gonna get to some of
your fan superhand questions. But everyone wants to know about
your music and like when new music is coming out,
So when do you decide or how are you signed
to a label or you just okay, so you're independent,
and so that means you can literally release music whenever
you want. Do you, for your own scheduling purposes have
(14:35):
some kind of structure with your music. I think we
tried for a long time. The last music video slash
song I put out was Utopia. I love that song
and I'm really proud of Utopia. At first, I wasn't.
At first, I wasn't true about it, which I don't
think a lot of people know. You didn't like the song.
The song like the song. But then right after I
got into the car and I listened to everything like together,
(14:55):
I loved it. I loved it. Right they already had
like music video ideas in my head. I was like, Okay,
this is good. When I'm like when I feel inspired
and motivated by work and like my music and stuff,
and I'm just I get really excited about it. But
what I was saying with the structured stuff we were
trying to do, like this thing where I put out
a song like once a month, and I think that's
a good idea. It's just hard when I'm not sure
(15:17):
of what I want yet, and it's really hard to
like get songs that I'm really proud of. So I
think I was just kind of putting out music that
everybody else thought I should do, like because I when
I would get in the studio and they'd be like, so,
what do you want to write a song about? And
I'm like, I have no idea, so they'd almost just
like write it for me, which like, isn't their fault.
It was just that I didn't they It's just like
my songwriters who wrote things, or the producers or anyone,
(15:39):
and it wasn't anybody's fault. Is just that I didn't
know what I wanted and I just kind of did
whatever I thought was right and not really what I
wanted like in my heart. So that was the thing.
I just would put out music and I would be like, like,
here it is, guys, you don't really have to listen
to it, like I don't. I wasn't proud of it,
and I wouldn't want to show my friends. At that
(16:00):
was when I knew I didn't like it. If I
was like, guys, here's my song. Like my friends always like, oh,
do you have new music? And if I'm excited to
show them that I know I like it, and if
I'm like not, and I'm like, I probably shouldn't put
this out. So I went through that stage. It was
really frustrating cause I was trying to write music with
people and it just wasn't working. And after I've done,
the studio would just like not like it, and it's
just it was just extremely frustrating. So I think I've
(16:22):
just decided to take it slow and not have to
worry about like rushing and putting out music that I'm
not going to be proud of or not gonna going
to be like good quality. More focused on singing lessons,
guitar lessons, just getting ready for like performing stuff, just
taking more time and being ready again. Would you ever
do like their traditional artists approach where you kind of
(16:43):
just take six months work on an entire album. That's
what I was thinking. I was kind of thinking that
I'm going to like take a little break and like
just get stuff that I really enjoy and like I'm
excited to like put out and like motivated and like
and just like that would be so fun and then
like all of a sudden, just like coming out with
like a cool EP or like album, I don't know,
(17:04):
something like that, which I'm just excited for and I
hope it can work out. Do you have time in
your schedule to do such things? Honestly, I'm yes, never really,
let's just say kind of, I can try. Speaking of schedule,
what is a typical day for you, Like right now,
(17:25):
it's pretty chill, only because I'm about to start something
that's going to take up a lot of my time.
So we tried to like get like this one to
two weeks, like pretty chill. I can just focus on
like school and like being prepared for that. So right
now today I'll just do today. I woke up like nine,
and I did some school home school, home school, home school.
(17:48):
Have been homeschooled since third grade. But I can't even
believe you were going to school with all the YouTube stuff.
That's crazy, I know. I mean at that point when
I was in third grade, I don't think I ever
really got recognized to like it wasn't like my friends.
They didn't mean my friends because but they had to
know you had a YouTube channel. Even when I went
to gymnastics when even when I changed my gyms, like,
(18:08):
some of my teammates were like, oh I didn't know that,
but some of them definitely did. But it was more
of like oh doesn't m M. Yeah, okay, So homeschool
was homeschooled. Yeah, so I am homeschooled. So I did school,
and then I just got ready. I my mom went
to Target picked up a few things. I love Target,
and you can never just pick up a few things. Now,
she picked up a lot of things and she brought
(18:31):
it back and um, but yeah, it was just a
really chill day. And then I came here. That's not like,
yeah you do you? Are you allowed to talk about
what you're working on in two weeks? Yes, my manager
gave me the thumbs lot. Okay, I am, yes, I'm ready. Okay. Um.
(18:53):
So I have this new show coming out or that
I'm gonna start working on filming in two weeks with
my friend Jade Bartel's for Nickelodeon. It's going to be
called Side Hustle and I'm really excited about it. Are
you allowed to say what it's about? Yeah? I am
pretty much. We like blow up our neighbor's car casual,
you know, just that's that's how you start off. Theories starts.
(19:14):
We're gonna start that with me exploding us exploding our
neighbor's car on accident, of course, and pretty much we
have to do these really odd, weird jobs to like
pay back for the car. And yeah, it's gonna be
really cute. And this is gonna be on Nickelodeons. And
do you know when the premier is? I don't because
(19:35):
you just you're just starting. We haven't even started filming.
That's awesome. Are you excited about I'm really excited. Yeah,
that's really awesome. Nickelodeon shows always do really well, so
you know, you know what's going to be successful. So
who else is on on the show? Anybody that you
So we're having a cast party, which I get to
go and like, WHI I'm really excited for you know
anybody prior to this, Well, Jayden Bartels is going to
(19:59):
be acting long time mee. Um Isaiah Cruz is going
to be another one of the main characters, Arry Kruse's son. Yeah, yeah,
actually you knew that. Um So that's awesome. That sounds
like a really good cast. Yeah, I'm excited to meet everybody.
That's really really cool. Congratulations on that. So I want
to get to talking about influence, because this entire show
(20:21):
is about people of influence, why they have influence, what
they do with their influence, the pressures of influence. Let's
see how many more times I can say the word influyee,
you obviously are somebody of influence. And we got to
this in the very beginning. Eight million eyes on you
just on your Instagram alone. That's not counting Twitter, that's
not counting snapchat, that's not counting YouTube. We're talking millions
(20:42):
and millions of people have their eyes on you. I mean,
see just TikTok alone, there's fifteen millions. So if we
added it all up, I'm going to say you have
about a billion eyeballs on you. I'm not math wasn't
my major, but you have a lot of people paying
attention to you. There's a lot of pressure there. What
do you What kind responsibility do you take having such influence?
(21:03):
There definitely is a lot of responsibilities just because you're
you need to be like a good role model, which
is like scary, but it's like it's not hard because
if you're like a good if you're a good person
and you're like a good role model, and it's really easy.
You don't have to try that hard. They're it's like
scary because you're like, Okay, let me think about what
I'm doing. Do you think this is okay for like,
(21:24):
let's say eight year olds that are watching me to
like see. So that's that's definitely something that I have
to look out for. But it's not that hard because
that's just kind of how we were raised. We weren't
ever raised in like a my mom smiling at me,
she's like, no, I I hear you. You don't have
to necessarily monitor so much or overthink it if you actually,
(21:45):
at the core are a good person. And obviously you
are a good person I can tell, and you have
a solid family here. I used to work at a
channel called Clever TV. It's like this very young YouTube
channel with twenty millions subscribers, and like we are followers
were all eight year old. But we had to even
though we weren't eight, we had to be really careful
with what we were putting out there. So there is
(22:06):
a little bit of a disconnect because as you get older,
you know you're gonna get into relationships because you're gonna
let you are in a relationship, but like do you
kind of have to filter the maturity of the content,
not necessarily that you're a good or bad person, but
you're growing, you know, like you're sixteen, fifteen. Okay, so
you're fifteen, and this is like the exact age where
(22:28):
people kind of come into their own their into relationships.
Real stuff happens, but maybe a seven or eight year
old that's your biggest fan might not understand or get confused.
You have to kind of like not age down. But
just I would say, I would say, yeah, the thing
with me is because I was a gymnast and I
was homeschooled, that I was gonna like the first thing
that popped in my head was like, yeah, well all
(22:49):
my friends were doing all the stuff that they were
posting this and it wasn't inappropriate for them to do
because there's nobody like really watching them, and like I
don't want to this is in quotations, like copying what
they're doing. Right. I was a gymnast, so like all
my friends were like homeschooled and like didn't really have
much of a Instagram. I was young, and then when
I moved to l A. I'm friends with like a
bunch of influence, Like I don't want to say influencers,
(23:10):
that's no hope, but that's what they are at. But
we just have this little group, so I think we
all are really responsible and mature for our ages, just
to know that like what's wrong and what's right for that,
I guess. So I've never really struggled with like, oh,
I'm seeing my friends do it so like I wish
I could do it, and like post I don't even
want to say mature content, but this is just like
(23:31):
a but you are getting older, I am, And I've
never I've just never felt the need to like post
like a TikTok with like an inappropriate dance in it.
Like I just never felt the need to, Like I've
just never been that kind of person, I guess, or
like I don't think this is bad, but like I
just feel like some people in relationships are all like oh,
touchy feely, and I just never feel the need to
like put that on the internet. I guess it's just
(23:52):
more personal to me. So I don't think I've ever
had that problem of like, oh I wish I could
do this, so would you say that you definitely have
boundaries when it comes to the things that make it
on the grid versus things that are personal. Yeah, definitely.
And where do you draw the line, I mean, are
you do you say, Okay, I'm going to do just
a little bit of personal and mostly work stuff because
(24:14):
I know people have to kind of curate. Yeah, I
feel like it's really hard balancing it. Sometimes. I feel
like sometimes I'm like too personal two into my personal
life and I'm not I wouldn't say giving them enough
like enough content. I guess like sometimes I like take
a break for like a week without like saying anything,
which is like on me, but like it's like stuff
happens in life, and it's really hard to like know
what to put out there and what to not put
(24:36):
out there just for you, like for life is just
hard for that. So there definitely is a line, and
I'm trying to find like the in between, the middle ground.
You have to help with that. Like I know a
lot of people work with people who help them with
their socials or obviously of a manager who's very invested
in you and cares. I mean, he's here right now.
So do you do you look to other people for guidance, Like,
(24:57):
I mean I've posted things where my mom is like,
take that down. You said the F word, right, Yes,
she's so proud of herself. But I'm scared of my
mom still to this day. So if my mom says
take it down, it's coming down. Oh yeah. I mean
I don't think I could host anything that I want,
like anything, and my mom should be like, oh yeah,
good job, good job doing whatever I did. But she
(25:21):
she definitely is like I don't want to say strict.
Oh my mom's strick to trust me. I'm literally terrified
of my mom still. My fans I see like comments,
they're like if I do anything that's like a little
bit more grown up there, like miss Katie is quaking.
Miss Katie does not approve because they know I don't
want to say strict, but they know how because we're
just more open with her. Like rules. I guess, oh
(25:44):
I had rules too. It's like rules are not cool anymore,
but like I grew up with rules, and my child
will grow up with rules too. I like it. So
my fans like, no, like I'm not allowed to do
a TikTok with like a bunch of bad words in it,
or like all this stuff. But as I just love
the comments because they're all like, that's really funny. That's
actually really funny that they involve your mom. It's great.
(26:08):
So do family members make appearances in your content? Yeah?
My sister though always oh yeah, all of our family
if we go to like family gatherings, But I don't
think any of our family like minds being in our videos. Actually,
like our cousins had like a YouTube channel. How does
family react when you go to let's say Thanksgiving or something.
Are they like can you tag me? Um? They're not
(26:29):
like rude or anything. It's definitely is though, like oh,
like that was the famous cousin. Like I just so
I have so much family that like I don't know
all my cousins. Like someone will come up to me
like I'm your cousin. I'm like, I wouldn't be surprised
if you were my cousin because I have such a
big family and they're literally just not your cousin, Like
like who just wants to I don't know, like like
(26:50):
a fense, But it's more like I don't know them
and they know me more so it's more like a
supporter that sounds rude. Like I just I don't. I
don't know the as like my cousin so and they're like, oh,
let's get a picture. It's more of like not. I mean,
you should just carry twenty three and me around and
make people spit spit in the vial and just confirm
and that was not a sponsor post post not. That
(27:12):
was not fun. That's so interesting. I often wonder when
people go back to like family gatherings or anything, if
people act differently. It's weird, but it's really fun, Like
it's not like and you don't seem like a stuck
up like here I am with my yeah, this is
my good angle, where's my Loomie light or whatever? Now,
you don't seem like that at all. Does that ever
(27:35):
hit you that you're so down to earth and I
can tell it's not a it's not a show. You're
not trying to be like the girl next door, like
I can genuinely tell that this is you. Does it
ever hit you that this is where you're at right now?
And what does that feel like? It's because it's only
going to continue. Obviously, you're booking all these big jobs,
you're doing music, You're going to book more movies and
(27:57):
more shows, it's you pitch yourself. Yeah, sometimes I'm just like,
how did we just get here from just like me
being a gymnast and like my mom filming us. Like
it's just people pick who they want to like and
who they don't want to like. I guess, like I
feel like some people could do the same exact thing
as us, it just like doesn't work for them, which
(28:18):
I find really weird. So I just always am so
grateful for everything. I mean, obviously mom had a big
role in the creating the platform, but then you were
able to take what mom built or helped you all
build to the next level. And what do you think,
I mean, there are so many people in your shoes
who are influencers who have not made that jump. Is
(28:41):
it the hard work? Is that the commitment you're talking
about taking classes? Yeah? I think it was just how
authentic we were. We were so young and it was
just easy. Like I feel like a lot of people
try really hard, which I get because it's hard. It's
hard to be seen. I think it was just that
my mom started filming us at a really young age
(29:02):
and it was just we crew. But then you were
able to take that and that wasn't luck, and that
wasn't mom, that was you. So would you attribute that
to take taking your work seriously and not just showing
up to an audition expecting to get it because you
had eight million? Because I see that happen a lot. Yeah,
I knew that I wasn't like an actress and a
(29:24):
singer right as I started saying I'm an actress and singer,
like it definitely was. I was always like a YouTuber
and that was just always like my mindset was like,
this is I'm a YouTuber and I'm not going to
like say, oh, I know everything about acting and singing
because I don't. And I didn't at that time. So
when I started saying like, hey, like I really enjoy
acting and singing and I want to pursue that, I
definitely tried to like learn my stuff and make sure
(29:46):
that I was really prepared before I just said that
I wasn't a YouTuber anymore. I guess. So you worked
hard to get to this next level and I wasn't
just handed to you because eight million followed. And also
I've also seen people with you know, twenty million followers
get a role and then the show gets canceled or
they blow it because they're not taking their job serious
(30:07):
and they just assume, Oh, I have followers and that's
why I'm gonna be successful. Yeah, so hard work, guys, tenacity.
Where do you see yourself five years from now? I
know that's so far far. You're gonna be in a
totally different You're gonna be twenty Yeah, I hope people
(30:27):
are not driving in five years. To be honest with you, Okay,
can we just like wait like a year just so
I can drive for like a little bit and then
you can drive for a little bit. But technology, Yeah,
I just don't want I could talk about this for
days now that I just had a baby, so I literally, yeah,
I have like a little infant and I'm just like,
I don't ever want him to drive. You just had
(30:48):
a baby, Ye, you look so good? What Keto? Just kidding,
just kidding. I love bread. No, but I just think about,
like driving is so scary. But I get it. When
I was your age, all I wanted to go close.
All I wanted to do is you can probably go
drive now, ask mom? I did. She said no, just
taking a little spin around the block. I've done that.
(31:10):
I've done that. So how old you have to be
to drive? Now? Is this still in the have to
get your I mean not fifteen a half yet? How
far away are we? Um? June? I can get my
what's your birthday? December five? December five? My mom's December three?
That are there? Are sad is cool? Sages are awesome? Really,
I know nothing about astrology. It's okay. Besides driving, what
(31:33):
will you be doing? Okay, you hope to be doing film? Yeah,
I definitely of course want to have an album out
and I think that's super cool, just like one album.
These are just like my I'm not gonna say like
minimum goals, but like no, just general just general goals,
like um, I like putting things out there. Yeah, like
one album. I want to be in a movie that
I can like go to the theaters and like like
(31:56):
like I can go to theaters and be like, oh,
there's my movie on the Red carper premiere. All the
entertainment channels they're wanting to interview you, yelling Annie, Annie,
Annie needs to happen. It's going to what else? And
just for me to be like happy and like love
what I'm doing. Still, that's another thing is just like
(32:17):
always have that motivation and inspiration and signed me to
like want to keep doing singing and acting. And I
definitely still want that when I'm twenty. Yeah, I just
want to be like happy with what I'm doing. I
think just based on the trajectory of what you've been doing,
it's not been like a race and just you haphazardly
throwing things in the ceiling and seeing what sticks. You've
had like a slow and steady, very consistent climb. So
(32:40):
I just from what I've seen, and also I'm predicting
your future. You're they're going to be yelling Annie, Annie,
and when they do, you better not forget us right
back here. You heard it here first. Guy, She's coming back.
I'm coming back even after they yell her name. Okay,
I'm going to go to some super fan questions. We
(33:01):
allowed three people. We're going to start out with Caitlin
Underscore Dance wants to know who slash what inspired you
to begin your career as a singer slash actress. That's
a really good question. Good question, Caitlin job. But I
just want to tell the story just because I think
it's really funny, like cute. For that concert I was
(33:23):
talking about earlier, I remember looking at Haley at her
like school talent show and she was singing Last Boy
by Ruth View was so cute. It was so cute,
and I was I was just looking at her. I
was like, wow, how is she doing this in front
of all of these people like that to saying I
could never do it. And this was like two months
before I did that concert. So anyways, that was foreshadowing.
(33:46):
Now I'm in my living room and my dad comes
up the show. I was like, Hey, do you want
to do this concert? And I'm like, no, I don't
and he's like, okay, well just think about it, and
then he already booked you. I mean while he's like, oh,
I already already talking about no. But and then at
Tendus later, I was like, I guess I can by it.
I just think it's funny that at first, when I
(34:07):
got offered the opportunity, I was like, hmm, can't do it.
I'm scared. I'm not gonna do it. And then I
sudden I was like, okay, I know that this is
something that like a goal of mine and something that
I want to do. I didn't even think it was
going to be like a full career. I just wanted
to do it just because it was like on my
bucket list, I guess, so I was like, Okay, I'll
do it. Then I got on stage and I guess
like right after that moment, I was like, wow, like
(34:29):
I really love this. So I think after that, I
was just I want to record this song. I want
to record this song. And I started off with just
like doing covers just because I thought that was really fun.
And I got to like record like my favorite song
in the studio and then hear how my voice sounded
on it, and I think I really enjoyed that. After that,
I was like, they were like, you want to write
your own song, and I was like, yeah, I do.
So I think it was just it was just so
(34:50):
fun for me to like live that life and not
like focus on I just focus on another thing in
my life. Was just really fun for me. So and
came from inspo came from I mean, I guess Haley,
I think that's what we I think that's what you
just said. That was my inspiration. That's pretty cool. That's
not really really cool. What about acting? Is there somebody
(35:11):
that you kind of look to as an actress that
maybe you don't necessarily want to emulate their career, but
somebody you look up to in the world. I'm sure
there was, you know, it was probably. I mean, you're
kind of Miley Cyrus when that movie, uh the Last
song I was a song and that movie, and I
think I and she was a pretty good actress to that,
(35:34):
so I think I was just kind of like when
I started acting, I was like, Okay, be Miley Cyrus
in that movie and break out into singing the last song.
I like that answer. Jasmine dot Connelle three seven eight
wants to know what has been your best slash worst date? Also,
I love you and follow me? I love I love
(35:55):
you and follow me. I love it. Um send me back?
Um hmmm, have you had a beat mean flash worst date?
I don't even know if I would like, like, I
feel like I've been on a date, but I don't
know if i'd necessarily like I count it. I don't know.
I feel like I'm never like, hey, like Asher come
picked me up at seven for our date, Like it's
more of just like we hang out and decide what
(36:17):
we want to do. I don't know, I feel like
I'm well, Also, you're so young, it's not like you've
had fifty dates where you can be like one time
in nineteen seventy three, like, I don't think I've ever
had like I don't think so yeah, and Asher, yes,
is that that's your current okay cool? And so yeah,
you're so young. This is also new. And you guys
(36:37):
are I feel like best friends more than anything, right,
that's what it seems like. And everyone's obsessed with your
relationship with him? Why do you think people are so obsessed?
I don't know. I always ask myself that question. I mean,
you guys are really cute obviously, and you create content together. Yeah,
we have four And do you think that will happen
again in the future? I think so. I think I
(36:57):
think it's really fun for us to do together, and
just like like sometimes we'll like write songs together while
we're hanging out, and I think that's really cool because
it's like cute and he's like, Okay, what should we
put for this? Like chorus? And like this is like
you and I really I really like that. But it's
not it's never a forced situation. It's not like you
know some people and we can obviously all rattle off
tons of names. And influencer space where they'll date and
(37:20):
they'll like tag each other or even get married and
tag each other. But you know, people do these things
where it's kind of forced. It's I mean, it's sometimes
it's a really smart business move, but that's not the
case with you guys. And you even said you have
a big group of influencer friends. Do you guys like
sit around and say, hey, we need to create content
right now and tag each other right now and do
all these things. No, I think if it if it
(37:42):
were something like that, it's sometimes like oh I haven't
posted an Instagram and like a week, you guys want
to get a picture, But it's never like okay, strategic,
U come over on Saturday so we can film this video.
Like It's never like that. It's sometimes we're just like, oh,
I don't posted on my stram a while we take
this picture of me. I'm like sure. And that probably
makes just friendships a lot to know that it's a
real friendship versus something that's just contrived. Okay, I'm gonna
(38:05):
ask you another question, which I'm not sure which video
they're referring to, but okay, so I guess this is
referring to Utopia. What went on through your head while
making the music video? What was the spark? This was
from v Gogata. Okay, like I said earlier, right after
I heard it, my like big thing, like while I'm
recording and while I'm putting out, like doing the music
(38:25):
part is like always being like Okay, So here's what
I have from the music video. I love music videos
for some reason. I think they're really cool, and I
you're a few music videos are really high production value.
It's not just like a jankie from the round of
a fause. Yeah, I guess. I guess like I thought
was after hearing this song, I had this like I'm
doing like weird things in my hands and you guys
(38:47):
can't see, and I forgot that this was a plot.
I think they're awesome motions with the hands, and you
guys are missing. Actually, let's get that, we got it.
We will show the hand motion like I mean, I
think my hands are like thinking like Lowe, like I
wanted like these school like dream effect. I don't know
it does because I've seen the music video, and if
you haven't seen it, you have to check it out.
(39:07):
To really well done music video. I just yeah, I
just wanted like really pretty like shots of sun rays
and like all of that. So I think it definitely great.
It's just that was great, and I think I only
I said we only had three, but okay, this person
did not fall into the three top fans. But we're
gonna ask the question anyway because I want to know.
(39:30):
They want to know when a new EP is coming out.
And this is a selfish question because I personally love
your vibe and your music and i'd love to see
something come out. I know you have filming that's coming up,
so you're probably gonna be wrapped up in that. But
any plans for an EP there are, of course, I'm
really excited for it, but um, right now, I'm just
kind of like meeting people who like inspire me and
(39:52):
like I just kind of like want to help me
like fulfill Like what it's going on is that my
brain that I can't put out And I'm thinking in
the next year, six months a year, I'm going to
put out something like an EP or know them. I
don't know. I'm saying both because I think both are
really cool and I don't know what's going to happen.
(40:13):
Like I may like only be able to write five
songs or I may like be able to like just
have it. I mean, that's the writing five songs while
also filming a lot. So I mean to you to
your point that you made before, I mean, you're saying
you want to put out something in six months or
a year, but also you are really adamant about putting
out something that you're really proud of, and I respect that.
(40:36):
I think that's really awesome because you will see in
no shade to them, but you will see YouTube creators
who are just like every week putting out a new
song and it's not necessarily stuff they're proud of, and
I think that's what sets you apart. I think the
main thing that I was just really sad about is
that I was doing these concerts and I was just
so excited to perform because I love performing. But I
(40:57):
was almost just like, guys, I'm gonna have better songs
out later, like, don't think this is Like I was
just like, this is gonna be their first impression of me,
and I'm just not proud of like then putting this
music with my name, And I guess I was just
I'm just really excited to have more music that I
think like defines me a little bit better and like
shows off like my like vibe and all of that.
(41:19):
How would you describe your vibe? I have a whole
asthetic board and I love it so much because it
really describes me and I'm really proud of it. Um,
I don't know how described vibes. But like, sometimes I
meet people and like they are so cool and I
want to be their friend, And I don't know, Like,
I love your vibe. Your vibe was like super chill,
(41:40):
like like I didn't even brush my hair today. I
love you for saying that vibe is good, but I
just don't know how to describe. Like, no, I get it,
the energy, the vibe. But let's say, okay, you know
how everyone's like, well, she's like a Billie Eilish meets
the Lady Good meets Michael Bolton? But that was the
can we imagine that? But in a way, so like,
(42:01):
who would you compare yourself to artistically? Even if it's
not a perfect Maybe your style is like one person,
but your vibe is like Ellie Golding, which I love her. Yeah,
you tell me, I feel like you are just your
own vibe. I like it. I feel like you are
your own vibe because I have no I've interviewed literally
(42:22):
every artist Rammy winning artist. You know, people in your
position that are up and coming and like I know,
are going to do well. You have your own vibe
and it's not fake, like you're not trying to so
you're really down to earth and I think you're going
to be really successful in the music industry. Thank you.
I'm not kidding. I'm just saying no, I wouldn't say that.
(42:44):
I'm not fake. I have a child now, I have
no tolerance. I have zero tolerance for the bs. I
probably have poop under my hat. But a boy, his
name is Atlas, I love it, and he is the
My mom is waiting to talk about him. Do you
see do you see the grandma being like, let me
tell a story right now? None of you will think
(43:05):
is cute except for me. Nobody's awesome. But no, I
think you have your own vibe. And I think that
just you know, with your career, you haven't ever even
you saying like you didn't want to copy what other
people were doing. You're doing your own thing and you're
fine with that. I think that takes a lot because
so many people are just doing the exact same thing
and it's tired, I think. And you might not always
(43:27):
go viral for being yourself, but eventually people that's how
you get respect. I think you know what I mean.
So that's really cool. We're gonna end with what is
a piece of advice that you would give somebody who
wants to be in your shoes? Like someone is ten eleven,
twelve thirty, they want to do what you're doing. What
would they have to do to be in your position?
(43:48):
I mean this sounds like super like cliche, but like
I mean, just be yourself. Like you just said, you
said sometimes it doesn't always work, but in the long run,
you're going to be appreciated a lot more. And just
my thing was I was just scared that if I
were to produce music, people wouldn't take me seriously. And
I think just being like just yourself and also just
(44:09):
being genuine to everybody and like just not like not
being fake and not before I say anything, I'm like,
is this actually how I feel? And I think that's
a big thing. And once you do it, it's never
like you just have to think about it all the time.
It just kind of comes naturally. It's just the person,
the type of person you are. But yeah, I think
be that. And if you're planning on doing YouTube, you've
(44:29):
got to be consistent. That's like a big thing with YouTube.
It's about consistency and a lot of other stuff, and
also just being active and appreciating all your fans and
supporters and just kind of being with them. I guess,
like also interacting with them was really fun and it's
just a great experience. And also it's just yeah, I
guess I don't know if that was really advice, but
(44:49):
that wasn't kind of rambling, but it's you're you're saying,
be yourself and like be approachable, which I think you
totally are approachable. Well, I mean, are you really going
to come back when they're yelling your name? I promise
I will come back and I will meet your child,
I promise, And they'll be driving your card. I will
drive here in my car and I'm back, and you
(45:12):
better bring the whole posse to Annie will Blanc you guys.
It was so nice to have you. We'll see you soon.
I think you have a fitting to go to now
because you're so cool. So cool, all right, guys, I
hope you guys enjoyed it, make sure you check out
Annie and all of her platforms. It's just Annie Long.
Yeah yeah, check her out. She's kind of cool. Man,
I just said man bye bye. Behind the Influences, a
(45:36):
production of I Heart Radio and t DC Media
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