Interview: Kylie Cantrall Tells All about ‘Valley Girl Problems,’ Y2K, and Tour
- Michelle Leung
- 15 minutes ago
- 4 min read
“This is the music I’m drawn to make,” says Kylie Cantrall about her newest EP, Valley Girl Problems. In recent years, Y2K has been all the craze across social media platforms, but the aesthetics, styles, and music catalogues of the 2000s are more than just a fleeting fad to Kylie. Her parents’ music taste has always been a continuous influence on her, and now she’s excited to reintroduce sounds and stories from the 90s and 2000s to newer generations.
Starting off as a YouTube content creator in 2014, the actress-turned-singer played pivotal roles in the Disney classics High School Musical, Gabby Duran & the Unsittables, and Descendants before releasing original songs. Kylie’s acting experience lends itself to the “theatrical” way she views the world and creates her music: telling a story chronologically and using interludes, climaxes, and catalysts that help transition through the EP.
Valley Girl Problems laments a classic story of betrayal with a refreshingly rebellious honesty. The Venezuelan American singer-songwriter explores heartbreak and disappointment during the most difficult time in her life so far, pivoting from her original idea of the project being “uptempo, fun, baddie anthems.” As she began to collaborate with other creatives in the studio, she realized her real life wasn’t reflecting that girl power narrative. Kylie instead embraced the “vulnerability and sensitivity” of her tumultuous emotions, using the album as a much-needed outlet during her healing process.
Kylie emphasizes the importance of all the talented producers and writers—many of whom were trusted friends she’s known for years—who helped her even beyond realizing her musical vision. She spent a lot of time in the studio venting about her complicated emotions, sharing, “the conversationalism of the lyrics were soundbites from my journal, diary entries, and conversations from the studio.” Working with her dream collaborators, Tayla Parx and Tricky Stewart, was smooth sailing as instant chemistry sparked between them. Tricky’s “truly the G.O.A.T. in my eyes,” praises Kylie with a laugh, explaining that she always felt empowered throughout the exposed process of creating her music while working with the tastemaker.
Released ahead of the album, “Carrie Bradshaw” served as the introduction to Valley Girl Problems, and the iconic Sex and the City character the song is named after was an essential symbol for the project. “She seems to always have it together on the outside, curating herself to look a certain way. But she’s actually going through it—she’s a mess, she doesn't make the best choices,” says Kylie. This juxtaposition defines the album and lends itself to the use of the term “valley girl” in the title.
A California native, Kylie aims to redefine the cliché of being a valley girl, listing “the vocal fry, sitting in traffic, going on hikes, coffee shops on every corner, [and] matcha.” While the visualizers and music videos were packaged with glamorous aesthetics, she also wanted to show the dichotomy of genuine struggles hiding just beneath the surface of the act. After launching her “Life of a Valley Girl” short-form mini-series on TikTok and Instagram, Kylie knew that her fans wanted more insight into her life and who she authentically is.
Watch the music video for “Carrie Bradshaw” here:
Despite heading into the studio without a set genre in mind, she gravitated towards sounds that leaned sonically and melodically Y2K. Kylie points to growing up listening to artists like TLC, Brandy, Britney Spears, Aaliyah, and Janet Jackson, even including a Mary J. Blige sample in “Closet” as the song’s finishing touch. Valley Girl Problems is “fierce, sparkly, girly, [and] personal,” describes Kylie.
Watch the “Closet” music video here:
“Valley Girl [Problems] is probably the most honest I’ve ever been,” says Kylie, referencing how the music was extremely in-the-moment and raw. While Kylie reflects that the girl in Valley Girl Problems feels like a version of herself that she has now moved past, she’s ecstatic about her upcoming tour. Since she was young, Kylie always wanted to embark on her own headlining tour, and after performing as “Red” in the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide arena tour last year, she’s been inspired by elements from its lighting, props, and visuals. “It will give spectacle and show but in an atmosphere that is still personal,” she says. Beyond the new songs, Kylie can’t wait to have a nostalgic moment and bring back some of her previous discography, including “Goodie Bag,” “Denim,” and more on tour.
Kylie looks back on her recent show in West Hollywood at The Roxy Theatre fondly, recalling the intimacy of the venue and being able to see fans’ faces, interacting with the signs and funny photos they held up. She was especially taken aback by the extremely positive reception to “Space Between,” as fans sang along with her and became emotional. The song had unfortunately been leaked before it was released, so fans knew the lyrics, but the experience became cathartic as Kylie realized that the song wasn’t truly made for her—it was meant for everyone going through a similar situation of heartbreak and loss.
Watch the “Space Between” visualizer here:
As Kylie continues through different chapters of her life, she’s grateful for the true friendship and bond that has been forged between her and her fans as she shows more of her authentic, human self through her music. Her future bodies of work will showcase how she has become stronger because of everything that’s happened. But for those of you seeing her on tour, Kylie warns, “it’ll be an emotional rollercoaster,” so be sure to grab some waterproof mascara and get ready to party!
Which songs from Kylie’s new EP will you be adding to your playlist? Are you excited for Kylie’s next era? Let us know in the comments below or connect with us over X or Instagram.
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Edited by Martina Yee
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