Call Her Daddy
Call Her Daddy
"I don't want to be someone else's tool. I need to be my own person." — Taylor Momsen
"Music is my therapy. And it was finding the right partners musically for me was everything." — Taylor Momsen
"The pain never goes away and that feeling of missing them and all the things that come with grief, the intensity does. It's kind of like when it happens, it's your slice down the middle, you're bleeding everywhere... and as time passes, that wound heals and you're left with a massive scar. And that scar... is a part of you." — Taylor Momsen
The episode features a candid conversation between Alex Cooper and Taylor Momsen, tracing Momsen's career trajectory from her early roles as Cindy Lou Who in The Grinch and Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl to her current success as the lead singer of The Pretty Reckless. Momsen reflects on the challenges of being typecast and the public's perception of her as an actress, particularly the difficulty of separating her personal identity from her on-screen characters. She details how this disconnect fueled her drive to establish herself as an authentic musician, facing initial skepticism from the music industry due to her acting background. The interview delves into the profound impact of her formative years in the spotlight, including experiences with bullying and the overwhelming nature of sudden fame.
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around Momsen's personal struggles, including the immense grief she experienced following the deaths of Soundgarden's lead singer Chris Cornell and her band's producer and best friend, Kato Kandwala. She describes these losses as a "dark period" and a significant turning point, detailing how music, once her solace, became too painful to engage with due to its association with her lost loved ones. Her journey to healing involved re-engaging with music by returning to its roots, finding joy again through foundational artists like The Beatles, and ultimately channeling her experiences into the creation of The Pretty Reckless's album "Death by Rock and Roll."
Momsen also touches upon the double standards faced by women in the music industry, though she personally chooses to focus on the quality of music itself rather than gender. She shares personal anecdotes about dating, including non-negotiables like kindness, humor, intelligence, and shared musical taste, and recounts a significant experience of betrayal. The conversation concludes with a hopeful outlook on her future, including upcoming tours with AC/DC and a continued focus on creating new music, emphasizing her passion and fulfillment in her current career.