Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with American Housewife’s Meg Donnelly

Disney Channel has been the springboard for some of the most popular pop stars and actors of our generation—many of whom have gone on to build illustrious careers in film, television, and music. And Meg Donnelly can definitely add herself to that list.

Best known for her leading role in the Z-O-M-B-I-E-S franchise, Meg is embarking on the next chapter in her career. She continues to impress on the small screen as Taylor Otto on American Housewife and recently dropped her debut EP, Trust. Pop Culturalist caught up with Meg to chat about all her exciting projects.

Career

PC: You’re an actress and singer. How did you discover your passion for the arts? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Meg: I grew up in New York City, and when I was younger, I was terrible at sports. I tried every sport known to man. Then I started doing musical theater because it’s very prevalent in the city. It was something a lot of kids did. I did it after school, and I fell in love with it. I was around five or six, and it was just a hobby. It’s still my hobby, but then it turned into work as well. I’m incredibly blessed that I get to do something I love for work.

I don’t know which one I gravitate towards because musical theater is a bit of everything. It’s acting, singing, and dancing. I would say right now probably more music because I’ve been trying to do more of that. It changes a lot though. But right now, it’s music.

PC: How challenging has it been to juggle your multi-faceted career?
Meg: It’s definitely really hard. On set, I’m still writing lyrics in my journal and humming melodies the whole time, and then I’ll go to the studio with any free time that I have. Then when I’m at the studio in between takes, I’ll be looking over my lines. So it’s definitely a balance of everything, but it’s so worth it. I love doing both of them so much.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Meg: I would say Zendaya. I look up to her a lot because she was a Disney kid as well, and the way that she graduated out of it and started her adult career inspires me because she did it so gracefully. She’s a great role model in who she is as a person and the way she speaks in interviews. She also does music, so I definitely would say her. Then I would also say my mom. Growing up, she worked a full-time job and was also my mom. She had to balance work and home life, and it was inspiring to see.

PC: You’ve had tons of success already in your young career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Meg: There have been so many. I feel like when Z-O-M-B-I-E-S came out, that was probably the craziest moment. I grew up watching High School Musical, The Cheetah Girls, and all the Disney Channel original movie musicals. They were my everything. So the fact that I was a part of one of those was mind-blowing to me. It didn’t really hit me until it came out, and then people were watching it and knew the lyrics to the songs. It’s still unfathomable to think about. That was the moment where I was like, “Wow. This is surreal.”

American Housewife

PC: You’ve been a part of the cast of American Housewife since the beginning. Has anything surprised you about Taylor’s journey?
Meg: When we first started the show, she had brown hair and she was this jock, which is really challenging because I have no athletic ability. It was really funny to play. Then she started gravitating towards musical theater and singing, and that’s what I like to do, so that was really cool. She’s matured so much and so have I, as have all the siblings. It’s insane. Taylor knows a lot about hard work. When she’s had challenges in life, she’s pushed through. It’s inspiring to see that. I love playing her, and I love everybody on American Housewife. It’s not even like going to work. It’s like going home.

PC: The back half of Season 4 just started airing. What can fans expect?
Meg: Trip [Peyton Meyer] is in the show a lot, so there’s definitely a lot of storylines about their relationships. It’s really cute, and they’re really funny together. It’s very sweet. She’s working on her life skills because there’s a lot that she doesn’t know, like laundry or how to change a tire, how to cook food—all of those things. She’s very clueless on that. Her parents are making her do a whole laundry list of things before she goes to prom or else she can’t go. Her arc is trying to figure out how to finish everything in time—plus going to college.

PC: Which of Taylor’s relationships has been your favorite to explore and why?
Meg: She has a lot of different relationships with everyone, and each is really special, but it’s been really fun to navigate the one with Trip because they’ve gone through a lot of ups and downs as a couple. I feel like it’s going to get really interesting because there’s a lot of rocky waters ahead for them because she’s going to college. They’re going to have to do long distance if she goes, and they’re trying to figure that out. I think it’s very relatable, especially when you’re in a high school relationship during senior year. It’s very difficult to navigate what the future’s going to be and if it’s worth it or is it just a high school relationship.

Trust

PC: You recently released your debut album. Tell us about Trust and the inspiration behind the collection.
Meg: Trust is a bunch of songs that I’ve been working on for two years. Then I revamped them and put them out there. I’ve been dying to make music, so I really wanted to put a body of work out there that I’m proud of and that I want to put out there. When people ask the genre, I’d say it’s a mixture of R&B and pop in one. I’m heavily influenced by R&B music, but I guess my voice sounds more poppy, so I wanted to do a fusion of both of them at the same time. I’ve been exploring my sound even more since then. I’m so happy with Trust, and I hope people can just listen to it and dance to it and vibe out.

PC: If you had to choose one song off Trust that best encompasses you as an artist, what would it be and why?
Meg: It changes all the time, but my favorite right now is “Just Like You.” It’s super jazzy and reminds me of Musiq Soulchild, which I love so much. It reminds me of being home in New York as well as just being on the footsteps of an apartment. The song is about being yourself and how everyone overthinks everything. You’re worrying about what other people think, especially with phones and social media now. But it’s really about being true to yourself and not worrying about what other people think. I definitely need to take that advice more often. It’s a special song to me because it has a great message.

PC: What was the biggest lesson you learned about yourself putting together the album?
Meg: Going back to “Just Like You,” I was really scared to put out music because I didn’t know what the reaction was going to be. I was so proud of what I created, and I was confident in it, but releasing music for the first time is so scary—or even being on a TV show. When the first episode airs, you’re like, “Ah, it’s so scary.” But you have to be confident in yourself, and as long as you’re proud of it, that’s all that matters.

PC: What does the rest of 2020 look like for you?
Meg: Honestly, I have no idea what my schedule is going to look like. It depends on when things get back to normal. I’ve been working on music at home, recording melodies on my phone, writing lyrics, and a lot of the producers from back home in New York have been sending me songs, so I’ve been testing out everything. I’ve been trying to work as much as I can from home, and I can’t wait to get back in the studio.

To keep up with Meg, follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify. Catch new episodes of American Housewife every Wednesday at 9/8c on ABC. Pick up or stream Trust today.

Photo Credit: Riker Brothers