Saweetie on New Album, Dating, Acting, and More for INSTYLE Magazine

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Saweetie is embarking on her reinvention era and stepping into her power. For INSTYLE’s latest cover story, the viral hitmaker opens up about going through a public breakup and why she’s not dating now, lifting up female rappers (like Doechii, Nicki Minaj, and Cardi B) rather than tearing each other down, auditioning for an upcoming Netflix role, and reveals when we can expect her seven-years-long awaited debut album to drop.

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On finding herself as an artist and confirming that she’s finally ready to drop a new album:

She confirms she is finally—finally!—ready to drop the album and describes the new music as “feel-good” and “more global.” “It will address some misconceptions about myself,” she says, “and be authentic to the magical woman I am today.”

“I’m showing women what it looks like to make a diamond under pressure,” says Saweetie, looking at me intently. “As you mentioned before, I come off as very unbothered. And I don’t want my fans to commit to that fantasy: ‘If Saweetie’s like that, then I have to be like that.’ No!

“Saweetie’s a human,” she says. “She cries. She breaks down. She shuts down. I go through a lot of emotions. This is the moment when I’m able to finally speak, in a full project. A bad bitch got feelings too.”

On why she’s not dating right now:

“When I reflect on certain points in my career, I did allow myself to get slightly distracted,” she says. “But I’m thankful for those lessons because they’ve made me wiser. Anything that may be trying to compete with my goals, with my ambitions, with my priorities… I no longer second guess my career and if you can’t understand it, then respectfully, get out of my way.”

On why she’s more keen to collaborate with women than to beef with them:

“I’m rooting for all the girls,” says Saweetie. “I like Nicki, Doja, Doechii, Meg, Cardi… Because, girl, we have it really hard behind the scenes,” Saweetie admits. “As rap girls, sometimes our resources are inadequate [compared] to other genres.”

On going through a great heartbreak following a very public breakup in 2021:

“I went through such a traumatic time in my life. I just wanted to start over.” “I thought life would get better, but girl, life just kept life-ing… Surrendering to God and the universe has actually gotten me places. I used to be a control freak. I used to try to micromanage everything. I think we resort to micromanaging everything because we feel helpless.”

On letting herself become more vulnerable to benefit both mental health and her songwriting:

“As a child I was very, very sensitive, but told I [wasn’t allowed to] cry,” she says. “It gave me a cold heart. But the more I discover spirituality, and being in tune with myself, I’m slowly becoming more vulnerable again. And I feel like the best music is made in a vulnerable state.”

“I’m a workaholic. But I no longer take pride in that. Now I tell my team, ‘I do need some time off. I do need to rejuvenate. I do need to sleep. I do need to drink more water.’ I do need to do whatever I need to do to refill my soul and myself.”

On her future in acting and goal to be cast in a Netflix project this year:

“After I drop this album, I can foresee myself going into complete acting mode,” she says, noting that she auditioned for a semi-music-related film in December. “I sent in my audition tapes before the new year, so I’m looking forward to hearing back from them,” she says. “[I’d] be playing the protagonist. So I’m really excited for this.”

[Photo Credit: Emman Montalvan/InStyle Magazine]

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