“I’m taking over the world!” says Katelyn Tarver (she / her), the singer / songwriter / actress that went from Big Time Rush star to big time artist. Her raw and relatable debut album is all about navigating change, exploring triumph and loss, and learning how to deal with life’s challenges.

Here, the Georgia native describes her experience at Nickelodeon, what she’s been listening to lately, and how her journey in the entertainment industry helped inspire her powerful lyrics.

Why did you transition from actress to singer?
Growing up, I was always singing. I even did this show called American Juniorsthat was like American Idol for kids. Lucy Hale and Keke Palmer were on it. That’s what got me to LA and into this world of show business. I started to pursue it however I could, and put out an album when I was 15—don’t Google it! [Laughing.] I did Big Time Rush for a bit and then got signed [as an artist], so I like to take opportunities as they come my way.

What was the set of Big Time Rush like?
It was the best show to start out on. I didn’t have a lot of experience before I worked on it, so it was nice not to be thrown into a super stressful, high-pressure situation. I learned so much from being there, and it was fun because we were doing a lot of over-the-top comedy. There was always something weird happening, like a llama being on set, getting covered in slime, or wearing insane Halloween costumes. It was a really special time in my life.

How did it feel releasing your first official album?
I was obviously anxious to see the response, but so far it’s been really sweet. It feels good to put a lot of time, energy, and heart into something and get that reaction. It’s been super rewarding on both the professional and creative side to prove to myself that I could do it.

What’s the inspiration behind your lyrics?
There’s a heaviness to them, and a lot of vulnerability. I’ve had a lot of hopes and dreams in life thus far. I did the classic move from small town to big city and got lucky early on with Big Time Rush, but I wasn’t really paying attention to the fact that like, “Oh wow, this is really happening,” and instead I was just like, “Cool, I’ll get to where I want to go.” But life rarely pans out how we think it’s going to. I had a lot of expectations about what I wanted my career to look like, what I thought life would bring, and over the past few years, I’ve been curious about why I thought what I thought, did what I did, and wanted what I wanted. These songs are born out of that process of self-discovery and self-examination.

What are you listening to right now?
Kacey Musgraves, Phoebe Bridgers, Sasha Sloan… a lot of female singer-songwriters that do a lot of storytelling. There’s this artist named Madi Diaz that I really love, and I actually got to write one of my songs with her. I really like Lennon Stella, too.

Now that you’re focusing on music, are you going to continue acting?
Yeah, I would love to find the right project. I feel like I’ve been able to create exactly what I want in music, and I would love to do that on the acting side as well. It’d be cool to find something that feels as exciting to me as my music does.

So what’s next?!
I’m taking over the world! [Laughing.] That’s my plan. I’m opening up for Johnnyswim in several cities from the end of March to the end of April, so I’m excited about playing this album live. I feel really proud of these songs and I hope they connect with people.