Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Kyla Carter

Kyla Carter is one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars. Whether she’s lending her voice to projects like Trollstopia, releasing her own original music, or crushing it on the Broadway stage, Kyla Carter’s talent knows no bound. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to catch up with Kyla to learn more about the exciting year she has planned!

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts?
Kyla: I’ve always been a very artistic and creative person, ever since I was a little girl, and I’m only fourteen. When I was about four years old, my parents were trying to put me in a thousand different things, and they just happened to put me in musical theater class. I was in gymnastics, soccer, and every other sport in existence. I really found that I gravitated towards musical theater and singing in general.

Another thing that led me to the arts was my role model, Shirley Temple. When I was little, I was watching TV and I saw all of her DVDs pop up on the screen. I asked my parents for them; I needed every single one. I watched them over and over. I decided I wanted to do what she was doing, which was singing, acting, and being a part of a cast and part of the arts.

PC: That actually may be the answer to this next question, but when you look at your career, who or what has had the biggest influence?
Kyla: I’ve worked with so many wonderful people throughout my life, but I feel like my parents being so supportive brought me to where I am today. Of course, Shirley Temple influenced me, but without my parents, I wouldn’t be where I am now. There are so many other people that have encouraged me to keep going, but I definitely would say my parents.

PC: You’ve got a lot of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Kyla: My first musical theater job, which was when I booked The Sound of Music with Jack O’Brien and the Broadway National Tour. That’s when I really thought, “I’ve made it. I made it to where I want to be.” I feel like from that point on, even though I still loved doing theater and everything that had to do with the arts before, that’s when I decided, “I’m not joking anymore. I really want to do this.”

PC: You’re currently starring in TrollsTopia, can you tell us about your character?
Kyla: My character is named CJ Suki. She’s a spitfire hip-hopper who loves pop music and loves to make beats. I always say this, but she’s a lot cooler than I am. She’s really funky. She’s really out there. I love getting to play her because she’s so different from me. I’m so happy that I’m part of the cast and get to become a whole new, different person.

PC: The Trolls franchise is huge. Did you feel any pressure heading into this project?
Kyla: I was so scared! Trolls is a huge name. I booked this role when I was eleven. Of course, I knew what Trolls was; I wasn’t oblivious to it. But I found out that I got the role in a pretty easygoing way. I auditioned for it over a voice memo. I sent a voice recording that I did in my closet, and they were like, “You booked the job.” I think that’s what scared me more—that it wasn’t a big audition. I booked this gigantic job recording something in my closet! That was scary. The creative team is so wonderful and supportive. They’ll guide you. There wasn’t really any pressure when it came to that. I had experience in voiceovers before, but the Trolls name was intimidating!

PC: In addition to being an actress, you’re also a singer and dancer. How have those forms of expression made you a stronger actor and vice versa?
Kyla: They’re all connected. I didn’t realize that at first; I thought they were all separate, but really in order to succeed in this business, you need to have all of them. I always find connections through dance and acting, with feeling the movement, feeling where you are. With singing, it’s the same thing. You’re feeling out the song through notes, lyrics, and words. It really draws back to the same thing. With acting in general, you need the movement that you have in dance, and you need the energy that you have in singing. They’re all connected—that’s why I love them all equally.

PC: You released your debut single this year. Tell us about “Average Puzzle Piece” and the inspiration behind the song.
Kyla: I wrote “Average Puzzle Piece” back in the summer of 2020. It was one of the first songs I’d ever really written and wanted to produce professionally. I always felt like I stood out. I was always working with adults since a very young age, so being around kids my age can sometimes be confusing. A bunch of people constantly look at me because I’m always leaving school. I’m in and out everywhere. I’ve never really fit in, and that’s where the puzzle piece comes in. I think of the whole world as a big puzzle and how everybody’s supposed to fit together, like little puzzle pieces in order to make the world. But I don’t really fit in that puzzle that society has claimed to be “normal”. That’s what I really wrote “Average Puzzle Piece” about. It’s about being myself and being okay with standing out—that’s what makes me me. I’m not going to change myself to be what anybody else wants me to be.

PC: This is your debut single, what was the process like deciding what would be your musical introduction? How did you know this was the right song?
Kyla: That was really tricky. I’ve written a lot of songs, especially after “Average Puzzle Piece”. What really drew me to wanting to produce this song was the message it had. I feel like a lot of kids, especially girls my age, are very insecure in themselves and their body image and who they are. I know that I would love to hear somebody my age say, “I’m going through the same thing. Just keep being yourself because that’s all you can really do.” That really drew me to the song.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: Favorite TV show?
Kyla: That’s a hard question. There are so many wonderful shows. This is going to sound very cliché, but I really love Stranger Things. It has such an interesting take. Again, it relates back to my song; all those kids are oddballs, and they all fit together, which is great. I love watching that show. Eleven is trying to figure herself out and Mike and the rest of the gang are trying to help her.

PC: Favorite movie?
Kyla: The Princess Bride. I know it’s an old movie, but I’m a sucker for romantic comedies.

PC: Favorite book?
Kyla: I’m very interested in history. My favorite subjects are English and History, so I’d probably say Night. It’s about World War II, the Holocaust, and the effects that it had on one family. I read that book last year, and I always think back to it because it’s such an interesting story. I love learning about history and how people’s lives were back then and how technology has advanced since then.

PC: Favorite play or musical?
Kyla: These are really hard questions. There are so many answers to this question. But I probably have to say, though it pains me to say it, Wicked. It was the first Broadway show I ever saw. I used the first paycheck that I ever got. My parents asked me, “Kyla, what do you want to do with all this money?” I said, “I want to see Wicked.” I saw it at five years old, and it was the best experience of my life. I’ll never forget it.

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Kyla: Paramore.

PC: Dream role?
Kyla: I’d say my dream role is Zoe Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen. I’m actually getting to the age where I could play her. She gets to sing “Requiem”, and it’s so beautiful. It would be a great challenge to portray what she’s going through, meeting Evan, the loss of her brother, and trying to balance and deal with all the lies that are spewing out of everybody’s mouths.

To keep up with Kyla, follow her on Twitter and Instagram. Listen to her latest single below!

Photo Credit: Melissa Cohen