Grace VanderWaal Redefines Herself with Powerful New Album “CHILDSTAR”

“CHILDSTAR” marks a bold new chapter for Grace VanderWaal, exploring fame, vulnerability, and healing.

Photo Credit: Ally Chen

Internationally acclaimed artist and actress Grace VanderWaal makes a fearless return with her sophomore studio album CHILDSTAR, out today via PULSE Records. A deeply personal and emotionally complex body of work, the project serves as a striking reclamation of voice, identity, and artistic autonomy.

The album is accompanied by CHILDSTAR: Final Act, a short film co-directed by VanderWaal with Luca Renzi and Jacob Boehme, showcasing five poignant live performances: “Proud,” “Brand New,” “Homesick,” “Behavioral Problems,” and “Fade.” These performances channel her growth and trauma into expressive physical and visual storytelling.

“I co-choreographed and co-directed this very vulnerable performance piece,” says Grace. “‘Proud’ is the desperate, confusing inner battle between being controlled by the need for validation and what instilled that need.”

Each track on CHILDSTAR sheds a layer of her former self. “Brand New” addresses the harsh reality of early objectification. “Homesick” captures the yearning for an imagined innocence. “I’m homesick for a day that never happened,” she confesses.

“This album gifted me something I’m eternally grateful for, and that’s my power,” she reveals. “To you reading, thank you endlessly for listening.”

Next month, VanderWaal embarks on her CHILDSTAR – ON TOUR run, her first headline tour since 2019, kicking off May 4 in Chicago.

From her groundbreaking debut to her recent role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis, VanderWaal now steps into her most fully realized era yet—fearless, introspective, and unshakably authentic.