Victoria Justice’s talents catapulted her into the spotlight as a child star.
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Growing up, Victoria Justice had two posters pinned up in her bedroom.
The other was of the bouncy punk band No Doubt, fronted by Gwen Stefani.
So this years CoachellaJustices sixthwas particularly meaningful: Justice was able to catch the high-octane Stefani performing.
Its energy that Justice is summoning on this particular day.
A fact that she apologizes for; not that she needs to.
In them, Justice sheds her pop-princess persona and wades into edgier territory as an independent artist.
Justices new soundhyper-personal, straightforward, provingis distinctly Stefani-esque.
Its one of the bestif notthebestbreakup song ever written."
“Well, you’ve written amazing [breakup songs, too],” she laughs.
Gad and Justice describe themselves as “family,” first working together onVictorious.
The chorus comes directly from the pages of her journal, a composition book she carries around.
The song, which debuted in April, is sparse and pretty, succeeding because of its simplicity.
With Raw Justice had done just that.
She had just started dating someone and found herself already anxious about the future.
“It’s a snapshot of your life, Gad continues.
It has a message, and it says something about youthat’s what I love.”
It’s not mixed or mastered, and she’s still sifting through some background vocals.
Gad presses play, and he and Justice start jamming, nodding their chins perfectly in tune.
Justice was born with a view of the ocean, in Hollywood, Florida.
Her parents divorced before she could remember.
By the time her mom remarried, though, she was old enough to be the flower girl.
But she didn’t realize thatshecould do any of thatsing, dance, act, make people feel somethingtoo.
Her mom was immediately supportive, taking headshots of Justice in their front yard and driving her to auditions.
Her first professional gig was a commercial for Ovaltine, the powdered chocolate-drink mix.
Even though she only had two lines"It’s chocolate-y!”
and “Ovaltine is amazing!
“she was hooked, delighting in the feeling of being part of something bigger than herself.
By the time she was 11, Justice was itching to break into something slightly tricker: TV.
She was 12 when she landed an audition, and then a callback, and eventually a screen test.
Hell, it even had hernamein the title.
(Schneider later sued the makers of the documentary for defamation.)
In hindsight, Justice says there were certain moments that “were in poor taste.”
“I would say I’m definitely one of the people on that list,” she says.
He completely changed my life.
For that I will always be grateful.
She knows how to mine the comedy, and knows how to mine the emotion.”
But over the pandemic, the drive to record music started creeping back in.
She and Gad got back in touch.
Part of that choice was to maintain musical integrity.
“But it was just handed to me; it wasn’t personal to me in any way.”
It could’ve been a hit for anyoneand that was the problem.
There is some poetry to it all, Justice growing up just as her fanbase has, too.
Still, it was a difficult transition, but Justice shrugs her shoulders.
“Life goes on!”
Still, she acknowledges the challenges.
If the right deal came along, she would take it.
“Being independent is hard because I’m fully self-funded.
There’s pros and cons to it.”
It’s the big sister in her, that tendency to lead the way.
She responds whenever she can.
She may be making the music, but shes listening, too.
Photography by Agata Serge.
Styling by Ashley Furnival.
Hair by Ericka Verrett.
Makeup by Tasha Reiko Brown.
Manicure by Kimmie Kyees.
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