Coco Jones
Coco Jones
A Real Life Hannah Montana
by Sami Spiess
Coco Jones is the real life Hannah Montana. She is a normal kid with a pop-star life. Jones has done it all. The very talented singer/songwriter/actress has been in films, television shows, modeled… and the most noteworthy thing is that she has a beautiful singing voice.
Starting at a very young age, Jones was performing live and making records. You can catch some adorable videos of her National Anthem performances at NFL games on YouTube. You can also check out one of her past videos like “Holla at the DJ.”
In 2006, Jones hit the small screen on the Disney network’s TV show N.B.T, where she became known for performing the song “Real You.” This helped launch her career. She then landed a lead role in the Disney comedy Let It Shine in 2012. Let It Shine turned out to be the most watched Disney comedy and movie of the year!
Recently we chatted with Coco Jones about life, graduating from high school, her career paths and dropping a song promoting self empowerment. She’ll also be hitting the road this summer so you might just have a chance to see this young artist first hand!
Sami Speiss, Coco Jones and Alli Simpson in Malibu, CA 2014.
We met last year in Malibu at a Pastry photoshoot.
What!!??
Yeah! I was there for Journey of a Lifetime, and it was pretty cool. We talked and it was a blast.
Oh my gosh! I remember you! There was another girl too. Like two people won the contest and then they got to come and take pictures, right?
Yes! It was a lot of fun. Speaking of Pastry, are you still involved with Pastry Shoes?
I am still working on something with Pastry, but now I work with other shoes as well. I am still looking into a deal with them though.
Are you still involved with the others who are with the brand? (i.e. Mattison Pettis, Cody Simpson, Alli Simpson, Jessica Jarrell)
Oh yeah definitely! We all keep in contact. When I’m at events with them, I try and see what’s up. I make sure I see them. Yeah we are still cool.
Coco Jones
Do you think you are going to work with any of them, as far as music?
You never know! I would work with any of them. They are all super talented. Just has to be the right place right time.
Tell us about yourself at the moment: what your plans are, what you are doing.
Right now on my regular lifestyle, I am graduating. I am super proud of that. It is a huge accomplishment. I am working on my music, of course. About to go on tour this summer. I know I have some dates lined up which you can check out on my Twitter, @TheRealCocoJ, because I do not remember them right now. But I am definitely going to keep you guys updated on my story.
Will you be opening for some bands? Or be a headliner?
Well, the shows I have lined up right now, I am headlining. But I am definitely looking into opening for either Austin [Mahone] or Cody [Simpson]. I am not sure.
Coco Jones
You mentioned that you are graduating this year, congratulations! Along the lines of high school, have you attended any proms this year?
I actually did go to prom with a group of my friends. When I am here in Tennessee, my life is really normal. I get to go to basketball games, pep rallies, stuff like that. All of my friends were going together as a group. I was like “let me get in this!” So we all went together as a group.
Was it a fun event?
Oh! It was so much fun. I really appreciate getting to have that normal part of my life. I feel like as you get into the business, it all kind of leaves the picture. I am glad I get to keep in touch with all of my friends. It was so much fun. We danced the whole night. It was awesome.
Did they make you sing at the prom?
No! Oh my gosh no. When I am in Tennessee, they know that I am just regular life. It would be weird, me performing at prom. Like come on, that’s not normal. (laughs)
Coco Jones
You are like a Hannah Montana.
Yeah! I really am!!!
So your name, Coco, is that a stage name or a birth name?
It is definitely a stage name. My real name is not as fabulous as Coco. My real name is Courtney. My mom would call me Coco as I was younger. As I got into music, my father had played professional football (ed. note: Mike Jones, who played nine seasons with the Cardinals, Patriots, Rams and Titans), so they knew that they did not want all of the contracts and legal stuff attached to my birth name. So they gave me Coco as a stage name. So I really am like a Hannah Montana, like for real.
Is it difficult to date with your career?
I think, it is difficult to date, in general. Just because I think it is so much drama and unneeded confusion. So for me, I really don’t make dating a priority. I have goals that I want to accomplish. I have my girlfriends, I have things that I enjoy to do. Maybe when I am older and everyone is on the same level of maturity. But right now I don’t feel like it should be a part of my life.
Your Sia cover was wonderful. Do you admire Sia? Is she one of the artists that you like?
I really do admire her. I think she is very creative and she really goes against the grain of whatever artists typically are supposed to be. She is exactly who she wants to be, and no one really knows it. It is really cool that she has taken that route. She is very individual.
Coco Jones
Who are some of your favorite artists?
I really like Selena Gomez, Tinashe, Demi Lovato… I just really like people who have not been changed by this industry. Also people that can write about topics that I can relate to. I feel like Taylor Swift is a perfect one for that, she’s like reading from her diary and I really love that originality. I also really love, of course, Beyonce. Oh really love her hard work ethic. People like that, who work hard and I can relate to.
Do you write your own music?
I do. I try to write a lot of my own music. Just because I want it to seem like it is from me. I have to sing it, I have to perform it, and I want it to seem like it is from me. I never really like people who are told who they have to be and what they have to sing. I always try to have my personal style on everything that I do. As well as for my fans who listen to it. I feel like we can all relate to it. Something that I have been through or they have been through.
You have done so much in your 17 years. Everything from television to movies to music, what are you most proud of?
Hmm, that is a great question. I really can’t say that I am more proud of one thing than anything. Just because I know where I have come from. My whole career has come from all of the success that I have had. I deserve to be proud of it all since I have worked really hard for it all. I cannot say I am proud of just one thing. Everything that I have done, even little things, I am proud of and grateful for.
Coco Jones
Is there a direction you would prefer to go professionally?
Well, I like acting, but singing is my passion. It’s my number one thing that I love. Something I will always continue to do. Even if I stop acting, or I am not doing that as much, I am always creating. It is like second nature. So singing is my number one passion.
Have you taken any lessons or were you involved in any theater schools? Or was this all natural?
I did take lessons for a little while I was younger. But, my mom said that it was starting to change the way that I sang. She said that was the one thing that she did not want to do. So I stopped for a long time. Actually, now I do take singing lessons just to keep my voice strong. Especially when I am not touring, you are not using your voice as much. It is really important to keep those muscles strong and to keep using them. I do take lessons with this guy. I am always looking forward to taking lessons and learning as much as I can.
So, tell us about your song “Let ‘Em Know.”
I really wanted to put a song out there that everyone was itching for. Everyone was looking for some new music from me. I wanted to have a summer song that everyone could jam to, something fun and energetic. I really like the message of the song, “Let ‘Em Know” because I kind of think of it as two ways. One way is saying let the guy know that you like him. But, I feel like I can relate to it by letting the guy know that you do not like him. When a guy is trying to make it more than friends, sometimes you have to just “Let ‘Em Know” that it is not the way that it is going to be.
Will there be an EP or album coming up?
I have a lot of music in my pocket right now, a lot of songs that I created. A lot more that I have got to work on. It just has to be the right place right time. I want my music to be the best that it can be. So just put something out there, I don’t know if I would regret it later because it would have been rushed. I really want to take my time with it. Now being older, there is a lot more that I have learned and a lot of more that I have to say. So you never know.
What genre do you feel more comfortable in? How would you categorize your music?
I would say that my genre is more pop. But I like to stay in touch with my urban side. I never would like to get rid of that. So a balance I would say.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
I would love to go on a world tour. I think going and traveling to all of these crazy beautiful places because of your music and the people that love your music is amazing. I would love to have a #1 debut album because that is a HUGE accomplishment. Those are the things that I know for sure I probably won’t change my mind on. The other things, I might change my mind.
Do you have any backup plans in case the music does not work out how you like?
Yes. I am actually going to a music school to work on getting my degree in production. I really do enjoy that side of creating the music more than just singing it. So I think that if it didn’t work out I would go into making music. I really enjoy it and I am good at it too.
You’re in Tennessee so you are right in the center of all of that.
Right now I am in Tennessee, yes. I might move to California to go to a school out there. Of course they have great music schools here it is just wherever my path takes me.
What do your parents think of your career? Do they support it?
Oh yeah, my whole family is super supportive. Like I said, my father played professional football. He knows what it feels like to wake up and do something that you love and have a passion for. That’s the one thing they wish for, for all of their kids. So they stand by all of us, I’m one of four. They sit down with us and try to make it happen.
So you are one of four, where do you fit in the birth order?
I am the second oldest. My older brother is adopted. He was adopted when he was fourteen. He just turned thirty so I am second oldest but I would rather think like I am the oldest.
Are any of your siblings musically talented?
I mean all of them can sing, except for my dad and my older brother. They have their own paths that they want to do. My youngest sister loves volleyball. My youngest brother loves football and he is going to be a football star, obviously. But we all have our own paths. Everyone can kind of sing though.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just that I would like to keep you updated. My social media is @TheRealCocoJ, my Instagram is @CocoJones. I would like to say to anyone who is reading this, if you guys have any questions or would just like to say hey, I love to comment back on my Twitter!
Copyright ©2015 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: June 5, 2015.
Photos ©2015. Courtesy of Coco Jones. All rights reserved.
Except for photo #2 Copyright ©2014 Danielle Speiss. All rights reserved.
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