

We have witnessed Zendaya’s career consistently rise over the years going from a Disney Channel darling to an Emmy award-winning actress and style icon. Her range in Hollywood is both equally praise-worthy and inspiring and at just 25 years old her future looks brighter than ever. Starring in HBO’s Euphoria, Zendaya took on the challenge of playing a drug addict named Rue, in which she made history in 2020 by becoming the youngest person to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and she has even teased about possibly directing sometime in her career.
But with so much success in Hollywood, the possibility of the Dune star focusing on music full-time may be slim. The former childhood actress starred in the Disney Channel hit show Shake It Up where most people were first introduced to Zendaya and from there she starred in K.C. Undercover. The Disney Channel showcased Zendaya’s singing and dancing skills and in 2013 she released her hit song “Replay” from her debut album. She later followed that up with the buzzing 2016 single “Something New” featuring Chris Brown.
Since then, she would drop singles here and there for soundtracks on TV shows and films that she has starred in such as the powerful ballad “I’m Tired” along with Labrinth on the Euphoria soundtrack. So, that begs the question, will we ever get to see the young queen become a music superstar? Zendaya answered that question from her Spider-Man co-star Andrew Garfield in the cover story for Variety’s Actors on Actors issue.
Zendaya & Andrew Garfield | Actors on Actors - Full Conversationwww.youtube.com
"I was talking to Sam [Levinson] about this earlier. I was like I don't know if I could ever be a pop star," she said. "It's because as an actor, there's a level of anonymity that I get to have, which I really like."
"And I get to sort my stuff, whatever that is, through a character and nobody needs to know about it. Whereas in other forms and other mediums, it's all you all the time. I like the idea that somebody else, meaning Rue, gets to take on that stuff and I can–"
"Boundaries," Andrew added.
"Yeah, boundaries. Learning what's for me," she said before they began talking about Spider-Man.
Further along in the interview, Zendaya gushed about being an actress and how she wants to help others through her work. “I have the coolest job. I love my job so much,” she said. “But sometimes you’re just like — I dress up for a living, and I don’t want to take myself too seriously because I feel like there’s people who do far more important things than we do.”
She added, “I think for me being in service of other people’s healing through my work means that what I’m doing makes sense.”
This isn’t the first time the multi-hyphenate talked about her music and walking away from the industry. Back in March, the California native thanked fans for the support she received after releasing music for the Euphoria soundtrack.
I stepped away from music quite a while ago, for a number of reasons, but I still really love it, so the kindness and support I’ve received the past few days just for a little tiny toe dip back into some music means the absolute world to me..thanks<3
— Zendaya (@Zendaya) March 4, 2022
“I stepped away from music quite a while ago, for a number of reasons, but I still really love it, so the kindness and support I’ve received the past few days just for a little tiny toe dip back into some music means the absolute world to me..thanks<3."
Even though she might not ever become the pop star her "Replay" days suggested, in honor of her love for music, below are 7 times Zendaya's singing blew us away.
When Zendaya had us all on "Replay"...
And then wowed us even more with the live acoustic version of "Replay"...
When she sang "The National Anthem"...
And when Zendaya gave our inner child a voice for the 'Finding Neverland' soundtrack...
When Zendaya and Mario performed the "Let Me Love You" duet we didn't know we needed...
When she surprised us with "All for Us" on the 'Euphoria' Season 1 finale...
When she gave us an unexpected reprise with the help of Labrinth for the song "I'm Tired"...
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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I Tried It: 3 Low-Maintenance Wigs That Will Elevate Your Look This Season
There's nothing like the feeling you get when your hair is done. It can instantly boost your confidence and put you in a great mood. I've never been a stranger to hair trends and I often experiment with the latest braided styles and colors.
But there are moments when I just don't feel like doing my hair. I'm natural and a lot of times I will braid or twist my hair up and cover it with a scarf or turban. However, when I crave a different look without the hassle of styling, I reach for a wig.
I've always had a love-hate relationship with wigs. Sometimes, I struggle to get them to lay flat and don't get me started with the bonding glue process. So when it comes to wearing wigs, I like to keep it nice and breezy around this b--- (word to Katt Williams), especially in the summertime.
That's why I jumped at the chance to try these three versatile wigs from Luvme Hair. Each one offers a unique look and is surprisingly low maintenance, which aligns perfectly with my philosophy that wearing wigs should make life easier. Let’s dive into the three styles below.
Headband Wig
Courtesy
This was the first wig I tried on, and I instantly fell in love with it. So much so that it took me weeks to even consider trying the other two. I’m partial to colored hair, especially blonds, browns, and reds, so I was skeptical about the jet black hair. However, I think the color, combined with the curl pattern, worked surprisingly well for me.
One of the things I really liked about this wig was that I didn’t have to braid my hair down first. I could simply throw it over a low ponytail, which is the epitome of a low-maintenance style. The headband has combs inside and velcro on the ends, ensuring a secure fit.
Half Wig
Courtesy
I had never worn a half wig before, so I faced some challenges. I cornrowed the bottom half of my hair where the wig would sit, but I believe this made it more difficult to use the combs. It might just be me though. I straightened the top part of my hair to blend it with the wig, which looked cute for about five minutes.
Firstly, I have a brown/blonde color mix on the ends of my hair, and the half wig is black. So, I had to hide some of the color (I didn’t have time to dye the wig). Secondly, straightening my hair myself is always a hassle because it never lasts long. Add to that the summer humidity, and you get a hot mess. Despite all this, I managed to get some cute pictures before things got out of control, and that’s all that matters, right?
Would I consider this a low-maintenance hair style? Yes and no. I think it’s unrealistic for me during the summer, especially since I enjoy summer activities. However, when the weather cools down, I’ll definitely rock it, dyed, of course.
Bob
Courtesy
Now, this is the wig I was nervous about. I never had a bob and I didn't think I would like it. But once I put bobiana on, my mind instantly changed. I finally understood why the gworls rave about the bob so much. It was giving boss. It was giving grown woman. It was giving the bob means business. Iykyk. It was the ultimate statement.
I will say when I first put it on, one side of my wig just would not lay flat. It took some trial and error, but I finally managed to get it to look good. With the bob, I highly recommend braiding your hair down first as small as you can so it can lay as flat as possible. I really liked the ash blonde color, which is perfect for summer. The length also makes it a great low-maintenance style for the season, so you don't have to worry about the hair making your neck sweaty.
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