Naomi Scott: From Disney Star to Solo Musician with Debut Album F.I.G
Naomi Scott, known for her roles as Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action Aladdin and in the horror sequel Smile 2, is stepping further into her musical roots with the upcoming release of her debut album, F.I.G. The project, slated for release on , represents a return to a passion she first explored as a teenager, and a deliberate attempt to define her artistic identity on her own terms.
Scott’s journey to this point has been marked by a successful, yet somewhat disorienting, rise through the entertainment industry. She began acting as a teenager, transitioning from commercials to roles in Disney television and then to high-profile film projects. The speed of that ascent, coupled with a young marriage to former professional footballer Jordan Spence, led to what she describes as a “quarter-life crisis” at age 27. “Worried that the path she’d taken had its destination already mapped out,” Scott felt a require to reconnect with her initial creative impulses.
That reconnection led her back to music. “I felt I had to go back to basics, to a childlike writing process,” she explained, describing a return to composing on the piano, allowing ideas to flow freely. Music had always been present in her life, through singing in a church choir and later collaborations with the production house Xenomania. However, acting had gradually taken precedence.
F.I.G., which stands for Fall Into Grace, is a sophisticated blend of R&B, new wave, and alt-pop, drawing inspiration from artists like Peter Gabriel, Janet Jackson, Jessie Ware, and Dev Hynes. Hynes, whom Scott supported at a concert in Alexandra Palace, contributed production to the track “Cut Me Loose,” a song exploring themes of paranoia and self-sabotage. Scott described Hynes as a “north star,” praising his ability to create “classic pop songs” with an unconventional presentation.
The album’s creation spanned and beyond, with work taking place in both Los Angeles and Norway alongside producer Lido. During this period, Scott balanced music with her acting commitments, notably her starring role in Smile 2. In the sequel, she played Skye Riley, a troubled pop star grappling with addiction and a terrifying curse. Scott characterized Riley as a defiant figure, “a motherfucker” who “doesn’t give a shit,” and found the role both challenging and rewarding, earning critical acclaim for her performance.
Scott was conscious of avoiding easy comparisons between herself and her Smile 2 character, despite Riley’s visual echoes of artists like Lady Gaga and Britney Spears. She emphasized a desire to approach music independently, questioning her motivations and defining success on her own terms. “I’ve gone through the whole process of: why do I even seek to do music? What does it gaze like in this climate? Where do I fit in?” she said.
This independent spirit is reflected in the DIY aesthetic of the music video for her single, “Losing You.” Filmed with a deliberately raw, almost home-video quality, the video features Scott in a frenzied state, culminating in a surreal image of her shipping herself off to her husband in a wheelie suitcase. Scott acknowledged that some might try to mold her into a particular image, but she is determined to remain “a girl-in-progress.”
Scott’s perspective on fame is similarly grounded. Having witnessed the pressures of the spotlight firsthand, she expressed concern about the dehumanizing effects of celebrity culture. “The way that we so easily talk about famous people…creating narratives around them and just completely dehumanising them,” she observed. She credits her parents, who continue to work at their local church, with helping her maintain a sense of perspective.
Scott’s path to music wasn’t entirely direct. After performing Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You” during a church service, she was discovered by Kéllé Bryan, a former member of the group Eternal, who signed her to a theatre agency. This led to early roles in commercials and, eventually, to collaborations with Xenomania, where she honed her songwriting skills. She described those early songwriting camps as valuable learning experiences, but similarly acknowledged the limitations of writing for other artists.
While her role as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin brought her widespread recognition, Scott noted that the experience didn’t drastically alter her life. She expressed gratitude for the demographic of fans who approached her, primarily young women of color, and often wanted to discuss her roles in Lemonade Mouth or Smile 2 rather than Aladdin.
Scott’s Spotify artist page currently reflects the diverse range of her musical performances, from “A Whole New World” to songs from Smile 2 and Lemonade Mouth, a jumble she jokingly acknowledged needs to be addressed. With F.I.G., she aims to establish a more cohesive and authentic musical identity, one that is entirely her own. “What we have is mine,” she stated. “When you’re acting, you really are like a colour in a painting…and with music, you are the artist yourself. You are the painter.”