Changing Lanes

Bridgit Mendler is taking her genre-fluid sound on the road.

- Keryce Chelsi Henry

The kids’ movie circuit may have been where Bridgit Mendler broke into the entertainment industry, but her music career is what has people buzzing these days. Her debut solo single, “Ready or Not,” samples the Fugees’ hip-hop classic of the same name and transforms it into a straight-up pop hit. Nemesis, the EP that she dropped last year to a ravenous response, further showcases her range of influences with its glitchy electronic beats and computerized vocals. “I tried to make whatever I wanted without fear of expectations with Nemesis,” she says. “To see people actually respond to that is just fuel to the fire.” From the sounds of her latest singles, “Snap My Fingers” and “Temperamental Love,” the blaze will still be burning on her next project, due out later this year. But before then, she’ll be hitting the road for the NYLON Music Tour this spring. As she preps for the 13-city trek, she discusses her ever-changing sound, what to expect on her next album, and her admirable humanitarian work.

Nemesis has quite a different sound from your debut album, Hello My Name Is. How do you describe your evolution as an artist?