As a collective, members of Gen Z are dynamic trendsetters and culture shifters.
Twelve years ago, the world was introduced toCoco Jones’powerful voice via Radio Disney’s Next Big Thing.
Now 24 years old, Jones is continuing to make waves in music.
As if her singing success isn’t enough, Jones also showcases her love for entertainment through acting.
You just performed on the 2022 BET Soul Train Awards' Amplified Stage.
What was that experience like for you?
Coco Jones / Design by Tiana Crispino
I was nervous and thinking about how far I’d come.
It’s just crazy how full circle this moment was.
I felt like I was 14 again, andLet It Shinejust came out.
Coco Jones / Design by Tiana Crispino
The journey has not been easy, but I’m grateful.
So many little pieces had to fit together for me to be here again.
You were also nominated for a Best New Artist award.
What does the nomination mean to you?
It means the things I’ve been praying for are coming to fruition.
All these years, one of my goals has been to be noticed for singing first.
Acting is something I could always do, and it was more consistent.
But music was always what Ineededto do.
I want to be recognized as a singer who’s on a TV show.
You recently got to collaborate with Teyana Taylor on a music video.
What was it like working with another music industry powerhouse?
She directed my “Caliber” music video.
They’ve made their name in the world, and it’s something no one can take away.
Watching how Teyana operated, her creative choices, and her confidence was inspiring.
When I saw that my EP was number one on the R&B charts, I was crying.
Even when I talk about it now, I feel [my emotions] overtake me.
It’s validating to have all of these people who believe in me and have seen my journey.
They know I’m not just here for fun.
I’m here to stay.
What do you hope to communicate through your music?
What do you want listeners to know about you?
I want them to know we all live the same human experience, just through different lanes.
I want them to feel like they can have whatever they want if they work toward it.
It’s about getting on my caliber or moving aside because I have goals.
Many people have said R&B is dead.
What are your thoughts?
It seems unrealistic for any genre to be dead.
As long as there’s music, it can be categorized into all different genres.
R&B stands for rhythm and blues.
How can a feeling be dead?
How can rhythm be dead?
That doesn’t make any sense.
I think R&B is evolving and doesn’t look like a big ballad.
It’s fluid and fits in different channels.
How has your role onBel-Airchallenged you?
What has your journey been like reemerging as an actress?
Playing Hilary has taught me a lot about myself.
Because I play a character in a TV series, it is a huge commitment and the first priority.
Before working on this EP and signing with Def Jam, I was working onBel-Air.
I thought,Okay, great.
Everything else will fit into this perfectly.But that’s never how anything goes.
So, I was in the studio after I’d been on set for 15 hours.
I’m learning a lot about balancing things to ensure nothing clashes with my schedule.
How do you believe colorism shows up in the beauty industry as well?
Things have gotten a lot better as far as colorism.
There are so many beautiful, dark-skinned women all over your favorite campaigns, magazines, and shows.
But every shade should have plenty of platforms so that nothing is a surprise.
It’s not surprising to see a typical Eurocentric-leaning woman in a campaign.
But when I see a dark-skinned girl, I’m like, Hey, Okay!
Yes!I want it to feel normal because it should be normal.
That is where we still have a ways to go.
What does diversity look like to you in entertainment and beauty?
This world would be much more diverse if the people at the top didn’t all look the same.
When you look at your Gen Z peers, what do you love the most about them?
We are hilariousfrom our memes to our sayings.
Seeing young women and men advocating for mental health, inclusion, and all those things is dope.
What are some of your favorite beauty products to use on set?
My brows are the most important thing.
If I don’t draw these things on, I’ll look like I’m always confused.
I like the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Pencils.
I also really love the Too Faced Born This Way Concealer.
I also use Fenty Beauty productslike their Match Stix Contour Stick and Gloss Bomb.
When you have a day off, what does self-care look like?
I might do nothing, depending on how much I’ve been running around.
That is self-care to me.
I like to cook and try new recipes when I have free time.
I might go out with my girls or stay in.
We’ve been having “girl’s nights in,” where we talk and play card games.
I also love to journal.
I have a running email thread that’s like my journal.
I’ll be like,“Hey, girl.
It’s been a long time.”
And the next time, I’ll be like,“Girl, why would you do that?
“I’m talking to myself, but it’s fun.
