Over a year ago, ICARLY star Miranda Cosgrove released her debut album, SPARKS FLY! Since then, she’s been renewed for a fifth season of ICARLY and she’s released an EP called HIGH MAINTENANCE, while balancing potential college opportunities. Here’s what we published in the August 2010 issue of THE MAG when we got a chance to speak with Cosgrove herself!
Her favourite songs off her debut album, ‘Sparks Fly’:
I really like “Kissin’ U,” which was one of the first songs I got to co-write. When I had to pick the first single, I had all my friends over and we had a big listening party. They helped me through the whole album, but [“Kissin’ U”] was the unanimous vote. I really like “Bam” a lot; that’s probably the most fun song on the album. I like “Disgusting” because Ke$ha wrote that song and it’s probably the funniest one. Ke$ha actually wrote [“Disgusting”] with her mom, which is kind of cool.
The people she’s worked with on the album:
I’ve met Ke$ha before, because she came to my 16th birthday party…. She’s really nice. I thought she was going to be totally crazy and partying on the dance floor and she was like, completely normal and laid-back. Avril Lavigne wrote one of the songs on the album, too. Chantal Kreviazuk did one of the songs and she’s really cool.
The hardest part of the recording process:
Probably the co-writing, because it was my first time ever doing that. Even though I’ve written songs, I was always embarrassed to play them for people other than my friends and my mom and dad…. But after I did it once or twice, I kind of got the hang of it, and it turned into something that was really fun.
Her musical favourites:
I love the Beatles and my mom really got me into the Rolling Stones. I also like the Strokes, the Clash, and then I like a lot of the Top 40 stuff, like Rihanna.
Her biggest musical inspiration:
I love Gwen Stefani. She’s probably my all-time favourite. I’ve loved her ever since No Doubt.
Her advice for up-and-coming musicians or actors:
I guess I got kind of lucky, because an agent asked my mom for me to try out when I was little, but I have lots of friends in L.A. who want to be actresses, and they got into different acting classes, so I think that helps a lot. Getting into acting classes, or doing plays. I did a lot of plays when I was little and it helped me break out. And the whole auditioning process is kind of fun because you’re being judged by people, so it gets you used to that. If you’re a musician, you have to practice a lot. I don’t think I’m naturally good at guitar, but I’ve been playing for so long that I have all that practice.
GETTING TO KNOW MIRANDA!
The song I could listen to on repeat is…
“Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I play it all the time on ROCK BAND, and “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”
My all-time favourite movie is…
MEAN GIRLS and THE NOTEBOOK. I love Rachel McAdams.
I can’t miss an episode of…
16 AND PREGNANT. I like that show a lot. I’ve seen every episode of SPONGEBOB, and I watch DEGRASSI all the time, too. Also, PARENTHOOD and MODERN FAMILY.
If I weren’t a musician or actress, I would be…
An astronaut. I’m just kidding! A writer, maybe? I love English, so I would probably be that.
Thank you Miranda Cosgrove!