The key to making the most of Coachella is preparation. Not sure where to get started? Victoria Justice is here to help. From her go-to beauty must-haves she’s been using for years to her ultimate self-care essentials for those moments of relaxation amidst the excitement, Victoria has you covered.

In an exclusive E! interview, Victoria opens up about releasing new music, navigating her 30s, and teaming up with International Delight. Victoria’s insights are just what you need for Coachella and beyond.

E!: You always stun at coachella. What are your tips for creating the perfect, unique festival look?
VJ: I would say for Coachella, anything goes. The brightest, craziest colors, patterns and prints, anything you want to do. Just go for it and have fun with it. It’s also so important to wear shoes that you’re comfortable in because of all the walking!

E!: What are you looking forward to from Coachella 2024?
VJ: This year at Coachella, my go-to spot to beat the heat and find shade will be at the International Delight Cold Foam House. I’m so excited to partner with International Delight this year. They’re bringing an immersive multisensory flavor experience to festival grounds.

E!: Do you have any plans to releasing more music. Are there hints you can give your fans about what we can look forward to?
VJ: Yes, absolutely. My focus is on music right now and I will be releasing new music very soon! As far as musical direction, I feel like I’m always going to stay true lyrically and sonically to what feels authentic to me. I have a song coming out that’s very, you know, stripped down with guitar and vibey, and one that’s dancier. Sonically, it still sounds like me and under the pop umbrella, but lyrically they’re all very honest and true to where I’m at.

E!: Do you have any goals you would like to achieve in your 30s? What are you most looking forward to in the rest of your 30s?
VJ: I would like to put out a full length album, that’s a goal of mine. I want to make more movies and do more acting projects that I think are cool and stretch me in different ways. And traveling more, definitely something I want to do! I’m really looking forward to being a mom— which sounds so crazy, and starting my own family eventually.

E!: What makes you smile the most? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received that has helped inspire you in your journey?
VJ: Friends & family make me smile the most. And also the people who have been supporting me for a long time definitely make me smile, with the love that they’ve shown me over the years consistently. I wanna make them proud. They mean a lot to me. Music, art, fashion, being in nature, and good food all make me smile. Best advice, I would say is “Stay true to you. Follow your own gut and own intuition.”

The thriller stars actress and singer Victoria Justice (The Tutor), model and actress Devon Ross (Irma Vep), Taylor John Smith (Where The Crawdads Sing), Sasha Luss (Anna) and Dermot Mulroney (Hanna).

Pic follows three residents of an old apartment building who suspect their creepy neighbor is a serial killer and after acting on their suspicions, stumble upon an art heist worth millions.

The project marks model Ross’s first ever movie after recently making her screen debut in HBO Max series Irma Vep.

Tamasy produced the film alongside Dorothy Aufiero, Jordan Gertner, Scott Clayton, Wych Kaosayananda, and Gary A. Hirsch.

Sejin Croninger negotiated the deal on behalf of Paramount Global Content Distribution with producers Clayton and Gertner.

The project was shot at Baang Rig Studios in Thailand, with the Southeast Asian country standing in for the U.S. We’re told backing comes from Thai sources and a U.S. company which wasn’t disclosed.

Tamasy previously worked with his producing partner Aufiero on The Fighter, Patriots Day, and the The Finest Hours.

[source]

Paid for by Arm & Hammer
armandhammer.com

Like most child actors who can hold a tune, Justice was encouraged to branch into the music industry during her Nickelodeon days. She put out two commercial singles called “Gold” and “Shake” in 2013 that clearly sound more like her character, Tori Vega, than Victoria. She vows that she’s changed as an artist since her debut singles boomed through tween clothing store speakers a decade ago.

“I didn’t even really want to record ‘Gold.’ The label that I was with at the time really wanted me to do it. It’s a fun song and I’m glad that I did it, but it wasn’t my first choice for a single,” she admits. “The things that I’m writing about now are much more personal, honest, and emotional. As I’ve gotten older, I’m willing to share more parts of myself.”

That transparency comes through while scrolling through Justice’s social media accounts. Her Instagram feed is full of digital postcards from her summer in Thailand spent shooting her upcoming thriller Sic. Her time abroad reinforced her commitment to protecting the environment. “No matter where I go, I still try to have a conscious routine. I carpool when I can, recycle, use Arm & Hammer’s Power Sheets to reduce my plastic bottle waste, and use reusable grocery bags.”

While she’s sharing more and talking about the environmental causes she believes in, Justice does choose to keep her love life private. She describes herself as someone who’s “always been a hopeful romantic” behind closed doors. “One of my favorite shows is The Bachelorette. I always daydream about love,” she laughs.

Her love for the show bleeds into her music. She wrote her latest single, “Only A Stranger,” after watching a particularly dreamy episode. “I went down to my music room and this little piano melody just came out of me. Then I just started singing those lyrics: ‘I want someone to think I’m special / Give me flowers for no reason.’ From that, the whole song was born,” she says.

The song’s lyrics are her daydreams put to paper. “I’m obviously longing for love in this song, but I’m also hopeful. I’m wondering, What is my future love like? I wanted to put my thoughts in musical form,” she says, a true departure from the palatable pop songwriting that drove “Gold.”

Justice’s evolved approach to songwriting has been shaped by artists who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable with their feelings. The cover art for “Only A Stranger” pays homage to one of her favorite albums of all time: Billy Joel’s The Stranger. “My mom introduced me to Billy Joel at a young age, and we’ve always bonded over our love for him and his music,” she says. “When I wrote ‘Only A Stranger,’ I felt like it was only right to honor one of my favorite albums ever. It just seemed to really work creatively for the song.” Justice may have grown up in the spotlight, but she’s still a fangirl at heart. “The fact that [Joel] posted about it, acknowledged it, and knows that I exist is the craziest thing ever,” she says.

“Only A Stranger” is the latest in a row of five singles Justice has released since 2020. She’s not worried about how many songs she’s putting out; she’s focused on enjoying the process behind making them in the first place. “The fun thing about songwriting is that it’s a puzzle that you’re slowly piecing together,” she says. “You don’t always know where it’s going to go or even what it’s going to be called. Somehow, at the end of the day, you’ve created an entire song out of a thought or a sentence.”

Justice is taking her time to work out her latest puzzle: her upcoming debut album. There’s no release date on the horizon, but she assures her fans that the album is “definitely in the works, slowly but surely. I just want it to be the most honest representation of me and who I am as an artist today. It’s going to be vulnerable with a lot of that singer-songwriter vibe. But I also love fun and sexy songs that empower women, and I love songs that people can vibe and dance to. I think it’s going to be all of the above. I’m excited to keep experimenting and fleshing it out.”