Coi Leray Is Aiming for Icon Status and Defying Doubters: 'Always a Villain in Every Superhero Movie' (Exclusive)

The Billboard-charting Trendsetter opens up to PEOPLE about body positivity, working with Pharrell and her two new singles, "Bops" and "My Body"

When Pharrell Williams says you're a disrupter in the music industry, nobody can tell you otherwise.

At the top of the year, when Coi Leray shared studio time with the producer, fellow Trendsetter and one of her "biggest inspirations" to record four still-unreleased tracks, he made his perception of her clear: "He looked me in my eyes and he told me, 'You're a problem. And it's over,'" Coi tells PEOPLE of her session with Skateboard P. "He's like, 'You are it. Nothing is stopping you but you at this point, because you are it.'"

"It," for 25-year-old Coi Leray, means plenty. She's a chart-topping Jersey-raised hit maker, responsible for the Grandmaster Flash-sampling anthem "Players," which recently graced the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. She's also known to string together sticky melodies and is no stranger to achieving virality online — from 2021's "Twinnem" to last year's "Blick Blick" with Nicki Minaj.

As she approaches her sophomore LP with two new singles released Friday, Coi sees herself as an icon-in-the-making, and beyond that, a real-life "superhero" — who despite misogynists and doubters on the internet — has continued to rise above unwarranted criticisms to create great music and encourage fans to set their own trends.

"I always told myself like, 'Yo, I'm a superhero.' And at the end of the day, no matter what, there's always a villain in every superhero movie and I'm ready for whatever," Coi says. "I know that I have the ability to make amazing songs, be one of the biggest artists. And on top of that, be one of the biggest influential artists — whether it's in mental health, body positivity, fashion."

Related:Melle Mel Talks Coi Leray's 'The Message' Sample: 'A Real Hit Record Never Goes Bad' (Exclusive)

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Being influential often comes with consistency, just as Coi has proven over the last year since the release of her April 2022 debut album Trendsetter. With her recent feature run — including a verse on Sabrina Carpenter's "Nonsense (Remix)" and David Guetta's "Baby Don't Hurt Me" — as well as her two latest singles "My Body" and "Bops," Coi has never been more present.

"This album that is about to drop is about to be so insane because I'm really embracing my versatility," Coi tells PEOPLE of her upcoming sophomore effort.

"At the end of the day, I know them numbers matter and people care about the numbers. But I really love music and I really do this s--- for myself," she later adds. "This isn't something to just go get clout off and get validation if I'm on the top charts or not. No, I make music because I love making music and it's something that I enjoy doing, and I wouldn't want to trade it in for nothing. So I appreciate being on the charts. I appreciate all the blessings that come with it, but at the end of the day, there's nothing more that I love than actually just being in that studio and creating and just being the creator."

Coi caught up with PEOPLE on the eve of "My Body" and "Bops" to discuss the two new tracks, promoting body positivity, what she's got in the vault with Pharrell and plotting her own superhero story.

Firstly, congratulations on the success of "Players" and what you're moving into now with these two new singles. You've had hits before, but do things feel different now at all?

I feel like hard work is actually finally paying off. I grinded every single day for the past, what, five years, when it comes to my music. Ever since I signed my deal and told my label, I promised them that I'm going to be one of the most hardworking people, and this is going to happen. I'm going to become one of the biggest artists in the world, especially one of the biggest females in hip-hop.

And I want to become one of those icons, like the ones that were here, well that are here. For example, like Lil Kim, and Eve, and Missy Elliott, and Queen Latifah, and Madonna, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears. I always looked at myself on that level. So I never knew it would happen this fast. I hate to say that, but everything just happened so fast. But I did know it was going to happen. So it just feels good to know that everything that me and my team manifested and worked hard for is actually finally showing to the world.

I spoke with Melle Mel about "Players" a couple weeks ago, and he told me, essentially, that a hit record never dies. To have guys like Melle, Grandmaster Flash, and real legends who were there for the earlier days of hip-hop give you a nod of approval, what does that type of encouragement feel like?

It means a lot. I feel like one of the most important parts of hip-hop is the ones who started it. The ones who were here first. And being in my generation, I realize a lot of kids don't show respect when it's due. They're not really educated on a lot of, for example, Grandmaster Flash or even — it blows my mind — like Busta Rhymes. I see kids so young and they don't even know Busta Rhymes. And I'm like, "Oh s---, how don't you know Busta Rhymes? Well, let me remind you." Now once you listen to "Players," I'm about to remind you on how this s--- even started. So I feel like I'm part of history now and yeah, I'm super, super, super honored.

When it comes to choreo during these performances of "Players," I remember after the first live performance on TV for Kimmel being so impressed. Who do you look to as live performers that inspire that side of things and has choreography always been something that's important to the craft for you?

Choreography has always been important. I remember when I first started, it was just me on the stage and I was always known for my energy. I have a lot of energy on stage. I grew up around boys, so I always looked at myself like I could be one of the boys, but even 10 times better. You know what I mean? I always thought that growing up.

But when I started doing the music, as I started elevating, I'm in the studio more, I'm getting more inspired. I'm starting to do magazines, I'm getting nominated, I'm doing red carpets and all this stuff. So it just motivates me. Why wouldn't I want to elevate in every single way? And people like, for example, Britney Spears, who got a young generation. Doja Cat, one of the best performers. Teyana Taylor is an amazing performer. You have Beyoncé, of course, Madonna, Lady Gaga, just everything as far as aesthetic, even when it comes to Kanye West and his major performances and his major production. The Weeknd, Kid Cudi, Drake, all these people, all these icons and stars are stars for a reason. And I just feel like I am that next star, that icon.

Before we get into this conversation about "Bops" and "My Body," what do you personally think makes a hit record these days?

I feel like when I record, I don't really think about a hit. Being blessed to work with some amazing people in the industry and just learning from what I learned. I've learned proper structure of songs and stuff like that. But when I go into the studio, the point is to just vent, get off what I feel off my chest. I'm so talented — since "Twinnem" people used to ask me like, "Yo, how did you come up with that hook?" Even just with the chords. And yeah, I don't know, it's just something I was born with. I was really born with a gift and I can't wait to... this year when I drop this album, you will see a lot more of me and my process and instead of a lot of the glitz and glams — of course you'll see — but just more on the personal side. Just how I creatively am as an artist.

Your next hit is about to be "Bops." I listened to it all weekend, and got sent back to the heyday of The Neptunes, Pharrell. How much inspiration do you take from the early '00s era of Pharrell hits?

I mean, Pharrell, first of all, he's one of my biggest inspirations. Shout out to Pharrell. It was a blessing that I actually got to work with Pharrell. Me and Pharrell made four songs and I can't wait until you guys hear those. Pharrell is such a big icon and the fact that he's also now a creative director of Louis Vuitton — that just goes to show you that the sky is the limit. There is no ending to this s---. At the end of the day, people like Pharrell when it comes to not just music, but just even fashion, aesthetic, just working with so many different people, so many different genres, so many different cultures. I feel like Pharrell also was one of those, the first Black man to really bring hip-hop and the Asian culture together. You know what I mean? I admire him in so many ways.

With "Bops," does that song feel like a response or a reminder to those waiting to see how you follow up a smash like "Players?"

I mean, yeah, the lyrics are definitely self-explanatory. "These bitches mad, they blame it on TikTok and these bitches mad, I got all these big bops," very, very self-explanatory. And even just the hook, "bitch, I got bops," it's in your face. Come on, I don't care what nobody say. I got hits, I got hits, I got people moving. I got people coming together, I'm making real-life changes. And not only just in mine but to a lot of my fans and everybody that supported me and just the world in general.

You've also got "My Body." Two singles in one day is a big move. Do you think each almost offers a different side of Coi Leray?

One thing I always manage to do when I'm doing records is I'll do, I'll sing but I'll make sure I'm always bopping at the same time. And one thing "My Body" is giving is both of that. It has a dope, singy, catchy hook. And then we also have some rappy verses and some aggressiveness and some fear. So I feel like it just has a balance. It's going to definitely demolish the f---ing charts.

What's the importance of two singles in a day?

It's like you can hear the versatility in the two. But also just proving to people, I'm here. I'm not scared of nothing. How about this? Take this. You don't even know what to expect. You thought I was coming with one song, f--- that. Here's another one. And that's not even, wait until you hear the more songs I have coming out leading up to this project, it's going to be f---ing insane. And I'm just so excited.

"My Body" follows the conversation about bodies in general that you had on your Rap Caviar episode. Do you see this song as an extension of that conversation in a way?

I mean, feel like since I started my career, my body has been a conversation because in reality, from the conversations that I've had with a lot of people that I look up to and are well respected in the industry, they'll tell me, "Before it was kind of hard for women your size and that small to really prosper in the industry" because at one point there wasn't no woman [of] my size. So I feel like that became something that a lot of people noticed in hip-hop and brought to my attention. And also too, just having a lot of young women hit me faithfully, always on a day-to-day telling me how much my body inspires them, how much that I inspire them and how much more that, they wear small little... They wear booty shorts, they're wearing skinny jeans, they're wearing low-waisted, they're just telling me all this s---.

They're like, "Yo, I haven't put on a pair of jeans in over five years and I don't give a f--- since you started posting and being so confident. All I care about is being confident." So I just feel like naturally, I'm doing a great thing. I'm bringing awareness to something naturally or it's happening organically. And I say that because I'm the person living in this body. I am that thin person who does deal with being thin at the end of the day.

I don't give a f--- about the negative or what anybody has to say negative about my body. Because at the end of the day I really love how I look and I know I look good, but it's just if I have to be that person to bring awareness and to motivate and encourage the industry and just people in the world, then I don't mind doing that. And that involves me having to speak about it or talk about it, and I'm all for it, because I can relate.

And is that message one you feel you heard a lot of as a kid or even now, or was that something you feel was or has been missing?

I mean, I just feel like ever since I started being famous, being in the limelight, it's only a thing. If I was just a regular girl going to school, nobody would be saying anything. I mean, people probably would still call me thin, but it wouldn't be a headline. You know what I mean? It wouldn't be [on] a f---ing billboard outside driving by, "Hey, look at Coi's body." No. Me, being famous is why I feel like again, it's why it's bringing extra attention to it. And because I am that star, I have a lot of engagement. I have a lot of people watching. It's just a lot of conversation. So I just feel like it just all comes down to just being famous. Sometimes it's damned if you do, damned if you don't.

You offer so much insight to your fans — from encouraging them to be financially secure to encouraging them to be proud of their bodies. Did you go into this industry with that goal or hope of someday being that figure for someone?

Yeah... I came in this game having braces. You think I gave a f--- about having braces? Before I had braces, I had an overbite. I didn't give a f--- about having an overbite either. People made fun before, it was about my overbite. That was the main thing. People called me "snaggletooth," they f---ing made all kinds of memes. And it was always about my overbite. If you look at my very first videos, you'll see it, because it's very there. Then I got braces. People talk s--- about my braces. If I wore glasses, people probably talk s--- about my glasses. If I shaved my hair, people would be talking s--- about my hair. So at the end of the day, this is the s--- that comes with it. And I'm just always looking at it from a superhero's perspective. There's always a villain and I'm ready to just continue to change the world.

Even with what you said before, having kids come up to you and say these things and be thankful for what it is that you do and what it is that you offer... What is that feeling like for you when a kid, teenager, or even just someone your own age approaches you and thanks you for your music and what you represent?

It makes me feel like a star. It makes me feel like me when I was a kid and I was looking at Ciara on TV, or Beyoncé, or Rihanna. And I'm like, "Wow, you guys are just amazing." Even just, I'll tell you something personal, right? And this is probably the first time I've ever said this, but one thing Rihanna had said was she had forgave her father. And when she forgave her father, it changed her life. And ever since she did that, it helped their relationship. And me being younger, me being the one that looks up to her, being able to see that motivates me to one day, hopefully — you know what I'm saying — on a personal level with me and my people, we come to those circumstances.

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