Grace VanderWaal shares her raw, cinematic sophomore album ‘CHILDSTAR’ alongside a powerful short film.
Grace VanderWaal returns with her highly anticipated sophomore album, CHILDSTAR, out now via PULSE Records. A powerful reflection on identity, vulnerability, and reclaiming self-worth, the 12-track project marks the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s most personal body of work to date.
The release is paired with CHILDSTAR: Final Act, a stunning short film co-directed and co-choreographed by VanderWaal, Luca Renzi, and Jacob Boehme. The visual features five emotionally charged performances from the album: “Proud,” “Brand New,” “Homesick,” “Behavioral Problems,” and “Fade.”
“I co-choreographed and co-directed this very vulnerable performance piece with Luca Renzi to tell the story of ‘Proud’ through physical storytelling,” says Grace. “It’s the desperate confusing inner battle between being controlled by the need for validation and being controlled by what instilled that need.” 
The new album arrives ahead of her first North American tour since 2019, CHILDSTAR – ON TOUR, launching May 4 in Chicago and hitting six cities including Toronto, NYC, and two nights in L.A.
“This album gifted me something I’m eternally grateful for, and that’s my power,” she explains. “To you reading, thank you endlessly for listening. I hope this album grants you a gift as it did to me.”
Grace reflects on fame, childhood, and autonomy with aching honesty, from the weaponized praise in “Proud,” to the societal commentary in “Brand New,” and the nostalgic pain of “Homesick.” She fearlessly confronts the pressures of growing up in public—and finds healing in her own voice.
CHILDSTAR is now streaming worldwide.
