More than a year after Miranda Cosgrove released her debut album Sparks Fly, she moved forward with a renewed fifth season of iCarly and issued an EP titled High Maintenance, all while weighing college opportunities. This interview captures Cosgrove’s reflections on those milestones and the path that has shaped her early career.
Her favourite songs from Sparks Fly include “Kissin’ U,” which was one of the first tracks she got to co-write. When it came time to pick the first single, she hosted a big listening party with friends; they helped finalize the album’s direction, and Kissin’ U emerged as the unanimous choice. She also really enjoys “Bam” for its upbeat energy, and she finds “Disgusting” especially funny. Ke$ha wrote that track with her mom, which Cosgrove thinks is pretty cool.
The people Cosgrove worked with on the album are mentioned with warmth: she has met Ke$ha before, back when Ke$ha attended her sixteenth birthday party and proved to be friendly and down-to-earth rather than the wild party stereotype. Avril Lavigne contributed one of the songs, and Chantal Kreviazuk also wrote a track, which Cosgrove describes as really cool.
The hardest part of the recording process was the co-writing experience, since it was her first time venturing into that arena. Although she had written songs before, she felt shy about sharing them with people beyond close friends and family. After giving it a try a few times, she found the process became genuinely enjoyable and rewarding.
Musical preferences show a wide taste: she loves the Beatles, and her mother introduced her to the Rolling Stones. She also enjoys the Strokes, the Clash, and, increasingly, contemporary Top 40 artists like Rihanna.
Her biggest musical inspiration is Gwen Stefani, who stands as Cosgrove’s all-time favorite and has inspired her since No Doubt first caught her attention.
Her advice for aspiring musicians or actors centers on opportunity, preparation, and resilience. Cosgrove notes that she was lucky to have an agent notice her early on, but emphasizes that many friends in Los Angeles pursue acting classes and live performances to build experience. She recommends taking acting classes or doing plays, because those experiences help with breakout moments. For musicians, practice is essential; while she may not have been naturally gifted at guitar, years of practice have built the skill and confidence needed for auditions and performance.
GETTING TO KNOW MIRANDA!
The song Cosgrove could listen to on repeat is “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, which she plays on Rock Band, along with “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”
Her all-time favourite movies include Mean Girls and The Notebook, and she loves Rachel McAdams for her performances.
One show Cosgrove can’t miss is 16 AND PREGNANT; she also watches Spongebob Squarepants and Degrassi regularly, and she enjoys Parenthood and Modern Family as well. If she weren’t a musician or an actress, she jokes that she might have become an astronaut, though she humorously concedes she would probably be a writer since she loves English and would likely pursue that path instead.
Thank you Miranda Cosgrove!