All Music Magazine UK - Interview With Chloe Star

Alan Bryce
58 minutes ago
9 min read

Article by ALAN BRYCE

Chloe Star Isn't Playing By The Rules On New Single Games

"You're playing games, I'm playing games. We're both good at it."

Some artists spend years searching for their voice. Chloe Star has spent the last few years confidently refining hers.

The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter has emerged as one of the more distinctive names within the alternative pop landscape, blending pop-punk energy, rock influences and unfiltered storytelling into music that feels entirely her own. While many young artists are still figuring out where they fit, Chloe has built her identity around authenticity, creating songs that embrace flaws, contradictions and the realities of growing up rather than hiding from them.

That sense of self comes in part from a unique upbringing. Born near her family's Native reservation before later moving to Los Angeles, Chloe grew up between two very different worlds. During our conversation, she reflected on the impact those experiences continue to have on her music today.

"I got to see two completely different ways of living and life," she explains. "I feel like I get to carry those specific traditions that I learned growing up as a kid. Music is so sacred, and music is healing, and music is medicine."

It's a perspective that helps explain why Chloe approaches songwriting with such honesty. For her, music isn't simply entertainment. It's a way of telling stories, connecting with listeners and making people feel less alone.

That mindset has helped her steadily build a loyal fanbase since releasing her debut material and has become a defining part of her artistic journey. Ask Chloe what she's learned from the past few years and the answer is simple: keep moving forward.

"I never really take no for an answer," she says. "I've got goals. I've got things that I want to get done, and I'm going to find it and I'm going to hunt it down."

That determination is all over her latest single, Games.

The track marks one of Chloe's most confident and energetic releases to date. Built around heavier guitars, driving drums and an unapologetic attitude, Games trades overthinking for instinct, capturing the freedom that comes from embracing mistakes, taking chances and refusing to live up to other people's expectations.

"It's basically about not giving a fuck," she laughs. "I want to have fun. I want to make mistakes, I want to make bad decisions and learn from them and figure it out."

While previous releases showcased different sides of her songwriting, Games feels like a statement of intent. Recorded with a full live band in New York, the song reflects Chloe's growing confidence both as a songwriter and performer. Rather than feeling confined by genres or formulas, she's now allowing emotion to dictate where the music goes.

"A couple of years ago, I was very 'this is how I need to write a song'," she says. "Whereas now I'm not so focused on staying in a box. I'm going to let the feeling and emotion go first, and wherever that takes us, that's going to create the song."

That approach has resonated far beyond the United States. Having already built a growing audience in the UK through previous visits and live performances, Chloe speaks warmly about the connection she feels with British fans.

"Everyone out there just loves to have a good time and loves music and loves to connect," she says. "People go to a show to have a good time. Period. And it feels good."

With Games arriving as part of an ambitious run of monthly releases throughout 2026, Chloe Star shows no signs of slowing down. More music is already on the way, alongside plans for further touring and a continued push to bring her music to new audiences.

Ahead of the release of Games, All Music Magazine UK caught up with Chloe to discuss her upbringing, creative evolution, relationship with UK fans, and why sometimes the best thing you can do is stop worrying about the rules and simply enjoy the ride.

INTERVIEW

Q: Coming from a Persian/Native American background, and growing u in LA, how does that influence the artist you’ve become and how does growing up in LA work with your background?

A: I felt like I was living in two different worlds. I grew up in LA but I was born near my family’s native reservation. I spent the first 7 years of my life on the reservation. My Mom then moved us out to LA. It was a very unique situation because I would go back and forth from Los Angeles to our family’s reservation. My whole family would be out there. My cousins, uncle, grandparents, everyone was out there, and it was just very different. I’m grateful that I had that experience.

I got to see two completely different ways of living and life. I think it’s definitely influenced me as an artist today because I feel like I get to carry those specific traditions that I learned growing up as a kid.

Which is how music is so sacred, and music is healing, and music is medicine.

We use music to tell stories. We use music to speak and that just plays a huge part in what I do today.

I’m really cautious about the whole point of why I do music because I want the listener to listen and relate in the hopes that they, after listening to a song, fell less lonely.

Q: Looking at your musical journey, being on the radar for 3 years with your first single released in 2023. What’s a lesson you’ve learnt that you wish you’d known earlier?

A: A lesson that I’ve learned now but I wish I’d learned earlier? I mean, there’s a few. I really try to like, I never really take no for an answer and I feel that’s something I live by. Where if someone tell me ‘No’ or something along those lines then I go and find it elsewhere because I don’t ever want to feel limited. In my head, I have goals. I’ve got shit I’ve got to do. I’ve got things that I want to get done and I’m going to find it and I’m going to hunt it down.

I would say that’s one of them. Another would be, keep creating. Keep creating, even if you don’t feel creative. I think that’s where the magic happens. And it’s very important, extremely important, to keep on working on your craft. To keep on developing new skills and learning and growing in that way.

Q: The new single ‘Games’. It seems heavier than your other work and the other work you have on Spotify. What is the song about and what can the fans and the fanbase expect from the song?

A: Yes, it’s one of my favourite songs. It is a little bit heavier, you know, with the guitar and the drums that come in in the chorus. It gives it a boost in the chorus section. The pre-chorus and the chorus. Yeah, I just absolutely love it. It’s basically about, and excuse my language, but it’s about not giving a fuck. It’s like, I’m going to do whatever I want to do and like, tell people I’m good at games. I’m down to mess around. Don’t have any expectation that I’m going to be perfect or that I’m going to walk into a room and just be proper or anything.

No, I wans to have fun, you know? I want to make mistakes, I want to make bad decisions and learn from them and figure it out and just like, figure it out by learning and growing.

It’s such a hard song. Every time I think about he chorus it just makes me want to bang my head against a fucking wall.

Q. So with that, when you were writing the track, what kind of message or feeling did you want the listeners to take from it? What would you want me to take away from it?

A. As a listener? After listening to the song, I want you to walk away feeling like ‘I don’t give a fuck’. But in a good way. In a positive way. Like, I don’t care what you think about me. I’m going to continue to be me.

I’m going to continue to do what I want. Be my most authentic self. Your judgement doesn’t matter. Because I’m going to mess around and do whatever I want anyways.

Q. So how do you think the new song ‘Games’ represents you as an artist now compared to your earlier work? How has that shifted?

So when I wrote ‘Games’ I was in New York. I wrote it with this producer named Alan Markley. When we recorded the track, we recorded it with a full live band. And I think that tells you just so much about the song because you can literally feel it.

And that’s something that I absolutely love, when it comes to the creative and recording process, is being in a recording studio with live musicians who are playing songs live. And it’s not just coming off a computer, you know? I do have songs like that, but, and no disrespect to anyone that does it that way, but when it’s just like – I don’t even know how to explain it.

When you’re paying attention to every single detail. We paid attention to every single detail on this song. We’ve gone through different versions of this song. And you know, with the chorus being so stripped down lyrically, and its just so focused on actual instrumental instruments, I think that just kind of shows a lot. I love these specific sounds. This is what I would want everything I make to sound like. Honestly, because I absolutely love this song.

So yeah, I don’t even know if that answers your question.

Q. So it sounds like you’ve got some freedom now in the way you create your music. From the beginning where it was structured to appoint and now there’s more freedom with live artists and live music. Is that more representative of your development that you’re now in a position where you are more free?

A. Yeah, completely. I fell like a couple of years ago I was very ‘this is how I need to write a song’. This is the system that works. This is how it goes. Whereas now I’m not so focused on staying in a box of a specific genre or, you know, a specific sound. It’s like I’m going to let the emotion and the felling go first. And wherever that takes us, then that’s going to create the song. You know? So the feeling, the felling and emotion and the ones wearing the pants in this relationship. Way more than the genre that I’m going to pick to write in.

Q. I know you’ve had a couple of trips to the UK. Earlier this year in May and you did ‘Pride’ Last year. What’s your relationship like with the UK audience? I know we’re different to the US audiences. So, how’s that relationship for you?

A, I love it. I love you guys so much. I love it out there.

I just feel so much support out there. Everyone out there just loves to have a good time and loves music and loves to connect.

And you know, there’s no ego with it. It’s just people go to a show to have a good time. Period. And it feels good.

I’ve built some relationships with some of my fans out there. And they’re just the most incredible people ever. The sweetest.

I really enjoy, after shows, talking to people and getting to know the people that are listening, like taking the time to listen to my music. They’ve all just been so special.

Q. So with that growing interest, are there any plans for future tours? Bigger tours?

A, Is that something we’ll have to wait, and see? Definitely a wait and see. I’m fingers crossed and hoping to get back out there. I believe sometime the end of this year.

Maybe do some shows too. I haven’t hit any other places other than London, so I definitely want to try and get out to Manchester and Brighton, you know? Hit a few cities surrounding London.

Q. The UK is small enough. You can do things like that.

A. Yeah.

Q. If the UK fans are seeing you live for the first time, and they could know one thing about you before the show, what would you want it to be?

A. I mean, if they’re on their way to the show. Or they’re going to a show. I would just want them to know that I would want them to literally have the best time of their life and to be in that room and to shut out everything. Shut out reality for the next hour or so and just connect with me. And be present in that moment and just vibe. I think if someone’s going to a show and they wanted to know, I would want them to know that. Like my hope is that they just literally have the best time ever and forget about everything else that exists except for that one hour I’ll be spending with them.

Q. And one final question. The single drops the 31st July. What’s next after this single?

A, What is next is another single! So I’m dropping a single a month. I’ve been on this single a month cycle.

So, starting this past January, I’ve been dropping a single at the end of each month. And so, this single drops July 31st, ‘Games’, is the July single and then I’ve got a couple more until December.

So just singles once a month and then? Once a month and then I’m hoping that I’m going to do some more shows at the end of the year. I’m working on an East Coast Tour, which will be out here in the States, hopefully sometime in October.

And that’s pretty much the plan right now. Shows and just getting the music out there.

Q. Thank you so much for your time/. Hopefully catch up with you when you’re over.

A. That’d be great. Definitely.