Page 32 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

The Mix

aMILA CABELLO last rebellious thing I did was
wwas thinking about when I was 16 years old.
Cperforming her new You’re dating Shawn
album even before she record- Mendes. When did your
ed it. After playing stadiums relationship go from
in 2018 as an opening act on friendship to romance?
her friend Taylor Swift’s Repu- During “I Know What You
tation world tour, the 22-year- Did Last Summer,” I really
old entered the studio to bonded with him as more than
record her upcoming second a friend. I think he did, too, but
album, Romance, with a goal: we were both really young, and
to record bombastic songs he was experiencing the pres-
that would sound great live. sures of his career. I don’t think
“I was really inspired by the we knew what to do with those
big sounds of the Eighties,” feelings. It was this awkward
she says, jet-lagged and calling thing where we both liked each
from London. “I just liked the other, but we weren’t together.
drama — like Queen, where It was just weird. An energy
everything is so intense. I was there from the beginning,
want these songs to feel amaz- but after that song, we didn’t
ing to perform.” spend as much time together.
While tracks on her self- Our paths just didn’t cross in
titled debut tackled her roots, that way romantically until we
relationships, and establishing started hanging out again and
herself as a solo artist separate writing. For me, it just brought
from her group Fifth Harmo- it back.
ny, Cabello wanted Romance On SNL, you paid hom-
to be more thematically age to Madonna’s Marie
focused. Helpfully, she fell in Antoinette-inspired VMA
love with a close friend, fellow performance, and dedicat-
star Shawn Mendes, and ed your 2018 VMA Video
channeled the newness of it of the Year win to her. How
all into singles like “Shame- does she influence you?
less” and “Cry for Me.” In her She’s such a badass. I want
conversation with rolling to be more like her. I think
stone, Cabello covered the everybody does.
love gamut, from Mendes to What was it like work-
Sex and the City. ing with Ed Sheeran on his
latest album?
What’s scarier: re- Sometimes, you go in with
leasing your debut solo people and you can tell they’re
album, or following up Q&A just trying to make a hit song
that success? or are phoning it in. He’s so
My personality is pretty enthusiastic about it. He, like,
extreme, so I’m either scared doesn’t stop: He’s just like, “All
of everything or scared of Camila Cabello right, what’s the next song?
nothing. With my first album, What’s the next?”
I would come to the studio You can see the influ-
super-overly prepared, with The pop star on being obsessed with early-aughts pop ence of romantic movies
every lyric of the song written in your music videos. Do
before I went in and 10 con- and why falling for Shawn Mendes was ‘awkward’ you have any favorites?
cepts and titles for [the next] I love the movie About Time.
songs. But with songwriting, By BRITTANY SPANOS Have you seen that?
the most magical moments I actually haven’t.
are the ones where you’re not ing in the bathroom to the want to make myself happy, — I just don’t have any Oh, you should! It’s with
trying. High School Musical song I just put that on and I sing memory of me being capable Rachel McAdams. It’s my fa-
You turned 21 before “Fabulous” and captioned at the top of my lungs. I’m of doing that. vorite romantic movie; super-
going on the Reputa- it “Welcome to adulthood obsessed with songs from my What’s the most rebel- underrated, in my opinion.
tion tour with Taylor Swift everybody.” Is that what childhood. It just makes life lious thing you’ve done? Do you have any favor-
and Charli XCX. Did you a typical night looks like feel simple and fun. When I was in the group ite fictional couples?
have any crazy nights with for you? You have a reputation [Fifth Harmony], me and one OK, Noah and Allie from The
them? Oh, my God, yes. My therapy for being extremely nice. of the girls snuck into this club Notebook.
I would go to Taylor’s dressing is listening to songs from the What’s the meanest thing on the first floor of a hotel for Classic.
room, but we didn’t really go early 2000s. I actually have you’ve ever done? a white party. We were, like, Rapunzel and Eugene from
out and party — only one time a playlist I found on Spotify: I’m sure I’ve been mean by 16 or something, and if we Tangled. I was going to say ISMAEL QUINTANILLA III /SHUTTERSTOCK
in the middle of the tour. We “Shut Up and Drive,” Rihan- accident, but I’m so sensitive wanted to leave the room, we Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big
should do that when we’re all na; “My Humps,” Black Eyed that I couldn’t intentionally had to tell the tour manager [from Sex and the City], but I
in L.A. again. Peas; “Fergalicious,” [Fergie]; hurt someone’s feelings. I’m so our security and our team feel that their relationship is a
You recently posted this “Complicated,” Avril Lavigne. not saying that to sound su- at the time were looking for bit toxic. But I still love them
video of yourself lip-sync- Whenever I feel anxious or perwholesome and pure us. It’s not a great answer: The in their early days.

34 | Rolling Stone | December 2019