Grammy Nominee Coco Jones Unveils Plans for Early Summer Album Release

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Renowned singer-songwriter, actor, five-time Grammy nominee, and our Nov/Dec cover star Coco Jones graced the Teen Vogue Summit 2023 stage to perform her most popular hits. Following her performance, attendees enjoyed a candid conversation with entertainment news editor Kaitlyn McNab, unveiling Coco's remarkably relatable journey to stardom.

She delved into her experiences, discussing the journey from her inaugural tour at the age of 15 with Mindless Behavior, in contrast to her current experiences on tour. "My first tour, I was really big on rest. So that I could give the same energy and effort to every crowd." Even today, she maintains the same approach. However, after spending extensive time in the studio and on film sets, she's had to rediscover the nuances of performing on stage. Coco's hard work and dedication have afforded her five Grammy nominations. She mentions how this was no overnight success, "I look back at my childhood self, and it's been a very long journey. I go back and forth between knowing this is something I've worked for and other times, in disbelief, wondering if this is really my life?"

Looking back on her formative years, she reminisces about two invaluable lessons that she will never forget: 1. To always have delusional confidence. 2. Remain resilient. "I just knew I was Hannah Montana! Nothing could ever convince me to walk away from my dream," she asserted. In which Teen Vogue editor Kaitlyn replied, "When something is for you, it won't miss you."

Instead of letting minor setbacks hinder her, Coco persevered and found inspiration in the experience, prompting her to redefine her understanding of success. "My understanding of success and failure is being booked or not, but it shifted over time," she started. "Success is not giving up, and it's doing something every day toward your end goal. Doing something is much better than doing nothing."

It's been quite the year for Coco Jones. Recently, she released her major-label debut EP, What I Didn't Tell You, with the hit single "ICU." And she owes it all to her fresh perspective on success. She urges anyone chasing a dream to "give yourself grace, rather than being insanely hard on yourself." Noting that she often has to remind herself that she is meant to be in the position she's in today.

Reflecting on her journey to fame, Coco has not one regret. However, there is one thing she wishes she had tried sooner: learning to engineer. Fortunately, she embraces the idea that it's never "too late." The Teen Vogue cover star shared with editor Kaitlyn McNab, "It's annoying sometimes because I had the time to learn to record my own songs and even learn instruments, which could have crucially changed my life. But I'm actually learning to produce my own songs now." Coco attributed her steadfastness to the fact that she feels more herself than ever. "I'm in competition with myself, so every idea I have has to outdo my last," she explained. "Right now, I'm charged up with so many new ideas that I'm determined to get this album out as soon as possible," she stated. In response to inquiries about the timeline, Coco mentioned that she's aiming for an early summer release.

Coco then offered sound advice for the rising generation, emphasizing the importance of hard work, unwavering passion, and consistency in pursuing their dreams. "The 'when' used to stress me out, but you have to let go of that and trust that you're right on time," she said.

Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue