We Used to Listen to Vinyl

“I was really scared to pursue putting out music for a long time because it means so much to me. It’s a deeply personal and emotional thing that I’m really invested in,” says Kira Kosarin who has raced forward in pursuit of her dreams, skillfully avoiding the sharp turns and loops life would throw at her. A classically trained ballerina who’s also dabbled in gymnastics, as well as a successful actress and musician, the 21-year-old “Love Me Like You Hate Me” singer has followed her passion for R&B and is already devoted to making her mark. The aforementioned tune and “Vinyl” successfully combine her soulful, smoky voice with modern pop beats and R&B harmonies. “Love Me Like You Hate Me,” especially, delves into the power in self-expression and confidence within a relationship while “Vinyl” recalls an old love in an unapologetic exploration of nostalgic memories. “It’s a fully R&B project that I’ve been working on for the last year and a half,” shares Kosarin, who recently released her debut album Off Brand (containing her latest tunes like “47 Hours” and “Take This Outside” too) and is a fast-rising fresh face on the music scene.

Growing up, Kosarin was exposed to many different types of music, ranging from gospel music to Stevie Wonder (“A lot of my influences right now have come from tropical music or acoustic R&B. I write what I love”). Coming from a family of performers, writers, and musicians, her diverse taste in music is genetic as she says, “I grew up in a family where my dad looked at me and said, ‘In this household, we speak two languages - we speak English and music.’” While most other kids were just starting to explore a diary, she was already creating and playing songs. As a child, she also started dancing, gymnastics, and acting. Although, up until last year, she was mainly known as the lead star on Nickelodeon’s The Thundermans, she’s now pursuing her favorite of all her diverse interests: music. “When the contract ran out, I was like, ‘Alright, time to pursue the thing I love most in the world,’” she recalls.

Needless to say, Kosarin’s dedication to music and acting is well documented. Before the show got extended, she was accepted to both Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles, eventually turning them down to continue focusing on both acting and music. “I make the art that I want to make, that I’m confident about, that I stand behind and that I love,” she elaborates. “I put it out into the world with as much honesty and authenticity as I can [present].”

Moreover, she is a vocal advocate in the fight against bullying: a cause that’s so prevalent due to social media. “I try to remind people that everyone on the Internet is a real person with real feelings. We need more people to get loud about the fact that being a nice person is cool,” shares Kosarin whose dedication to ending bullying is one that won’t be easily extinguished – to the same degree that her passion for music fuels her creativity and talent as she’s already on her way to being a multi-talented force.

Writer: Margaret Mallison 

Photographer: Catherine Asanov (@catherineasanov) 

Stylist: Katelynn Tilley 

Hair: Emma Willis (@emmawillismakeup) 

Makeup: Dillon Peña (for TheOnly.Agency - using Laura Mercier) 

Videographer: Trip Digital Radio (@tripdigitalradio) 

Editor: Eiko Watanabe 

Special thanks to Primo’s Donuts (@primosdonutsla - www.primosdonuts.com)