90210 interview: Jessica Lowndes
Trouble might be looming for Adrianna, but Jessica Lowndes is exactly where she wants to be. Making music and playing a flawed yet relatable character on 90210 suits her just fine. We assume recording with artists all over the world isn't half bad either.
Read on to see what's in store for her character, as well as Jessica's budding music career.
It looks like Ade’s music career might be over before it began. Can you give us any spoilers on what might happen with Javier’s uncle?
It’s definitely going to be dramatic. From the second she stole the music there was this big lie hanging over her head, and now there’s this person that knows it and is going to use it against her and it’s going to continue to be a big problem. Victor is a very devious person himself. He has a very…interesting take on the situation. He’s got a little plan for Adrianna and you’re going to see that unravel and see her deal with that. She gets thrown into this new life and she’s definitely going to get consumed by it. She’s someone who is fame-driven; she’s this failed childhood actor and she’s trying to climb her way back up. She sees this as her second chance and she’s not going to let go of it easily.
Do you think Ade feels guilty at all for taking Javier’s songbook?
I think she feels extremely guilty. I think she felt guilty from the second she told Laurel, and when she sang it for Navid and when the video went viral. She definitely feels guilty and she knows she was doing something wrong, but again, she’s looking for her comeback. I don’t condone what she did -- and I don’t condone someone videotaping it at the memorial -- but this is something she’s going to struggle with.
Get the full scoop on the 90210 starlet after the jump.
How does the future look for Navid and Adrianna?
I love them together! I feel like they’re the Ross and Rachel of 90210. I have such a good time working with Michael, he’s such a terrific actor. As for their relationship, it’s definitely going to change. Adrianna’s new lifestyle is definitely going to go to her head, and she’s dealing with blackmail from Victor. Navid will be going through some crazy changes. Something really emotional will happen to him and Ade isn’t really there to help him. But at the end of the day I think they’ve got a history that can’t be matched by anyone else.
Adrianna can be a bit of a wild card but she’s so much fun to watch. Do you enjoy playing her? How much do you have in common?
I have so much fun playing her, it’s kind of a dream, actually. Originally I was supposed to be in the first two episodes and that was it.
I haven’t had a lot of the personal experience with some of the things that she’s dealt with, pregnancy, drug addiction, but I feel very blessed that the writers would give me the responsibility to tell that story and let people know that they’re not so alone with their problems. I’m glad I get to play someone that has problems that maybe others can identify with.
You also have your own music career growing alongside your work on 90210. How has your music changed since you first started singing on the show?
I wrote my first song when I was 15. That will stay in the vault, no one is ever going to hear that song! I did a demo when I was 16. My best friend and I wrote four songs and at the I was going through a breakup that I thought was this big deal and it was so not, it was completely cheesy. But I was heading down to L.A. and I was sitting next to a music producer on the plane. I didn’t know anything about him, we were just chit-chatting the way people do on planes, and he mentioned he was interested in music so I have him my demo. He ended up calling me six months later and bought one of the songs. So that was how I first started.
Now, I know more who I am. I definitely like the pop/rock genre, and I like to incorporate the piano. My mother was a piano teacher and I’ve been playing since I was 10.
You also recorded a single with the British artist Ironik. How did that come together?
I've been all over the world recording lately, and I was in London at a studio recording and he ended up coming in. He played me his track and asked if I wanted to record something with him. So I said sure and we recorded it -- I had no idea it was going to be a single! The video is already on YouTube and the single gets released in the UK on October 25.
It’s kind of funny, the narrative in the video is a lot like the Javier/Adrianna story, before the earthquake. I’m really excited about it.
Are there other areas or genres of music that you haven’t explored yet that you want to break into?
I’m all for collaborations! It’s so fun working with other musicians. Even with hip-hop -- like I said, I’m more into pop/rock, but I love all styles of music.
Do you feel more at home acting or singing?
That’s the hardest question! Everyone has been asking me that. I love them both. I’ve always just been someone who loves to tell stories. When I’m acting I tell someone else's story through the character and when I’m singing I’m telling a bit of my own story. At the end of the day I like helping people and affecting people, and I feel like you can do both in both fields.
Adrianna’s experienced a lot of writers’ block with her music. What do you do when you’re lacking inspiration?
I talk to my fiends! I talk to my girlfriends or my little sister. Or I read the newspaper or turn on the news. You never know where you’re going to find inspiration.