Hailee Steinfeld Is Riding High With New Music

Hailee Steinfeld is aiming high. The Marvel star, who portrays Kate Bishop in Hawkeye and Gwen Stacy in the animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse films, recently announced her return to music. “Coast,” her first new song in two years, will signify the start of her next musical era. And as Steinfeld tells Elite Daily, she is also working on her debut album.

A full-length record from Steinfeld is a notable feat for the singer, who shot to fame as an Oscar-nominated actor at age 14 in 2011. She has maintained a critically-acclaimed acting career with projects like The Edge of Seventeen and Dickinson while establishing herself as a successful pop star thanks to bubbly tracks like “Love Myself” and “Starving,” as well as her EPs Haiz and Half Written Story.

“Coast” isn’t a single, so it’s unclear if the track, which doesn’t have a release date, is tied to the debut album. Regardless, Steinfeld has her sights set on music in what’s turning out to be another busy year. In addition to new music, she’s also working on two Into the Spider-Verse sequels and Season 2 of Netflix’s animated series, Arcane.

Recently, Steinfeld also celebrated the launch of Heineken’s global “When You Drive, Never Drink” campaign, which encourages people to drink responsibly. As part of the campaign, Steinfeld attended the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix from May 6 to May 8 with her brother, Griffin Steinfeld, a racing driver.

Below, Steinfeld chats with Elite Daily about her time at the Grand Prix, all things “Coast,” and her multiple roles in the Marvel Universe.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Elite Daily: You partnered with Heineken to kick off the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix this weekend on May 6. What inspired this collaboration?

Hailee Steinfeld: I'm a huge fan of all types of racing. Growing up with my brother Griffin, who has dabbled in a few forms of it, it's just amazing. I'm here with him, and we’ve already been having the time of our lives, and the weekend has barely gotten started.

ED: Who is your favorite driver?

HS: Griffin Steinfeld!

ED: Switching gears, you teased a new song, “Coast,” on TikTok. What inspired you to return to music now?

HS: It is a return to music, but it's sort of a constant with the music for me. Music is a huge passion of mine, and it's something that I really love. [I] feel so lucky that I get to collaborate with amazing artists and writers and producers, and make the music that I'm really excited to share with people. I actually am back in the studio because I've had a few more ideas that I really want to get out and make sure that this is exactly what I've always dreamed of it being. So it's been a long time coming. It's still in the works. I can tell you I just absolutely cannot wait to get it all out there.

ED: What has the recording process been like this time around?

HS: Rather interesting and a little bit different, given the circumstances over the last few years. I did a lot of it from my room. I had the opportunity of putting together this home studio. I've always wanted to do that. I got all the equipment and set it up in this space that I love, and I feel really inspired by it. I was kind of on my own for a minute, cutting my vocals with my producer over Zoom, and then [I had] an amazing local producer come in and help me. We're sort of fine-tuning and doing all of the finishing touches still from home, which I actually love. It's kind of now my choice to do it that way.

ED: You've said “Coast” represents a new era. How would you describe this new musical direction?

HS: I think the beauty in music and creating a project [is] you get to reinvent yourself. That's one of my favorite things I've seen with artists that I love. It's like, with each album, it is a different era. It's a different part of them. This is my first album, so I'm excited to sort of create this world and live in it. It's much different than what I've done in the past. It's still me though. I'm still the same person. I'm super excited to create this whole thing. It's my first time doing it.

ED: Who are your biggest musical inspirations for your next era?

HS: It always feels like a random collection of artists' songs. You can see the sort of consistency throughout, from The Eagles and the Beach Boys [to] Tame Impala and Daft Punk. When I made this home studio, I hung records on the wall that I’ve had forever [and have] always been inspired by but have never really let influence my music directly. Those are some of the artists I just named, along with Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, Madonna, and the Beatles. That's kind of what I've just been living in as far as what I've been listening to and kind of been inspired by all over again, along with all of my favorite artists that I listen to today that are putting out music that I love. So it's a big combo.

ED: How would you compare “Coast” to Haiz and Half Written Story?

HS: Other than telling you it's very different, I think I'm gonna have to leave it up to you and anybody who listens.

ED: You’re returning as Gwen Stacy in the upcoming Into the Spider-Verse movies. How does it feel to be a part of this universe?

HS: I am constantly pinching myself over being a part of this whole process and being considered to be a part of it in the first place. I get to work with an incredible team on these films. It's really, truly an honor, and I just get to geek out every time I'm in a room with all of these brilliant creatives who are bringing this to life. I didn't think that it could get any better than the first [film], but I was absolutely wrong. To see this come together this time around, it's just on another level. It's so exciting. Shameik [Moore] also is amazing, and we've had sessions together, which is just so much fun. The rest of the cast makes up for more than half of my favorite actors, so it's very exciting to be a part of it. I'm excited that they get the time to make it absolutely perfect for everyone.

ED: You also play Kate Bishop in Hawkeye. What is it like playing multiple roles in the Marvel Universe?

HS: Oh my gosh. I mean, how cool is that? I didn't even know that was possible but that's such an honor. To be a part of what is called the Universe, it feels like some little planet when you get to become a part of this family. It feels rather intimate, and it's so full of love and passion and excitement and good times. I've never been kept on my toes more than [I have] been through working with the Marvel Universe, but it's been a dream. I'm so lucky I get to play two incredibly witty, badass, smart women who have a point of view and can go toe-to-toe with anyone there and accomplish pretty much anything and everything they set their mind to do.

ED: What are your goals for the rest of 2022?

HS: Seeing as I'm finishing up the music, that's very much at the top of my list of goals. To get that right [and] to get that done. It's one of the most beautiful and creative processes I've ever been a part of. You sort of get into it and you think, "Oh my god, I'm almost done,” and then realize there's still a world of ideas and opportunities left within what we've started. So it's hard. I need to be cut off at some point, but I'm really excited about where it's going and where it's at. My goal is to get that right, however long it ends up taking.

Steinfeld’s upcoming song, “Coast,” is now available to pre-save on Spotify and Apple Music.