Montana Tucker is a singer/songwriter, dancer, actress and social media sensation! Before our interview I did my research and she looked like a fun, cool girl who I assumed got lucky through the power of social media. To say I was in awe would be an understatement! Her drive and ambition from 8 years old had me feeling like a slacker; her tenacity and work ethic made me feel incredibly antiquated in my previous views on her social media rise. This is a woman with a dream who has worked for years and is finally getting the recognition she deserves. Her bubbly personality is infectious and I’m so excited to hear her new material. Enjoy this interview! 

How would you introduce yourself to people who are unaware of you

Well, I would say hi I am Montana Tucker, ahaha – I am a singer, dancer, an actress, and I am from Boca Raton, Florida. I live in Los Angeles now. Some people may have seen some of my dance videos that I have been doing online. I am super excited to be releasing my own music, I released my single ‘Hola’ a few months ago. Now I have my next single coming out ’Sunday Funday’, coming out on September 18th. So, I am really excited for everyone to hear my music. Yes! I have seen your videos on TikTok…Hahaha yessss!!!

How is ‘Sunday Funday’…is it similar to ‘Hola’ with the same upbeats, and same positive energy

Well actually it is kind of a different vibe, definitely it is an energetic song. It is more pop, it doesn’t have the Latin flare, influence as ‘Hola’ did. ‘Sunday Funday’ it’s a pop upbeat song, kind of has a house vibe to it, and it is a feel good dance song.

You are the only female signed to Pitbull’s record label – Mr. 305. That is such an amazing accomplishment! How did you feel when you signed with the label.. your first thoughts

Thank you, honestly it was really incredible. I have been singing for a little while, but dancing, and dance videos kind of took over; so I kind of put music on the back burner. And I actually opened for Pitbull when I was 15 years old, so it is really cool to see everything come full circle. When I met Pitbull and his business partner, Robert Fernandez, they each had the same vision as I did. What music I should be making, image, and everything. So it is awesome to have your team understand your vision, and be a part of it. I really feel it is the right team, I am so excited. The music we are making is awesome, and I will have music coming out with Pitbull definitely in 2021 maybe even before 2021….we shall see. He is just an awesome guy, and business man, so honored to be a part. I am also from Florida, so awesome that I am with him, who is also from Miami, Florida – it is great.

Please describe your single ‘Hola’, why did you choose to launch your single in Spanglish (my definition – English with notes of Spanish mixed in)

I think from being around Pitbull and his team, and he is Mr.305, King of Latin Music. So when I was working with his producers, we worked on a bunch of songs and really thought ‘Hola’ was the best first song for me. It made me really want to get up and dance. For me as a dancer I really wanted the first song that came out to be dance driven; and make folks want to get up and dance. It is cool we released that song, and it became a pretty big song on TikTok. Also, it was a dance challenge on there (TikTok). So, it is awesome for me to create a dance challenge to my own music, instead of doing it to other people’s music…so yeah. I swear if I could dance I would totally try it. You have to try it. Uuuhh no I will leave it to you

I was so impressed when I saw how much philanthropic work you do. Please tell us why you focus on Alzheimer’s, and how you got involved feeding the homeless in Los Angeles

Well, my Grandma, my favorite human in the world has had Alzheimer for over 12 years. So, I am very passionate about it, and finding a cure for it one day. I am doing as much as I can, I have done a bunch of walks. My Mom who is my manager, and the daughter of my Grandma, she is heavily involved as well. We have been speaking with folks from the Alzheimer Association on how to get more involved. I want to have my own charity one day for Alzheimer. But my Grandma is incredible, she has had it for over 12 years, and she is the most happiest person. She has her ups and downs. I actually posted a video of her the other day on my Instagram….Oh! my gosh yes! I saw it. I thought it was the most heartwarming thing. She is so nice. I just kept re-watching it, it was the cutest thing. Aaaaww…thank you, you know Alzheimer’s is just a terrible disease. It is hard, but that is why I am extremely passionate about it. Also, out in L.A, I do #Lunchbag. We get together and we pack the lunches for the homeless down on skid row. We write inspirational notes for them, and sometimes we give them feminine products. And then we actually go downtown to skid row and pass out the lunches. And that for me is the most rewarding incredible part. To interact with them, they are so thankful. I want to do more of that. 

What are your morning rituals

I start my day which is probably not necessarily the best way to start it…I immediately check my phone. I feel like the morning is the best, because I am very hands on with my social media. I respond as much as I can to all of my comments. No one else has access to my social media, it is only me. I am on there all day responding to everyone. So I feel like the morning is my time to check Instagram, TikTok, everything, and respond to people as much as I can. I also post at 9:00am L.A. time, so it is my time in the morning to do that. I got a trainer recently, so I have been working out in the morning. So starting off my day being productive. I film pretty much every day, or collaborating with people. So when I am not working I love to hike, and especially out here in California it is the best. I try to hike as much as I can, be outdoors, and at the beach. That is what I like to do.

What drives you. Opening for a plethora of people, all this from a young age, and now you are 27 years old (that is a long time to do your passion) – so what continues to inspire you

I think honestly being in the entertainment industry since I was 8 years old, this is all that I know. All I would ever want to do. I am truly so passionate about, and love entertaining, and performing. I literally found videos of me when I was 5 years old putting on shows, it is in my blood I love it. Now, even more with the power of social media – I have done a few different videos, one anti-bullying, and another body image videos. I get messages from kids all around the world that have watched my videos, they tell me…’I was about to give up today, and because I watched you and watching your videos I didn’t’. So getting messages like that, or kids saying they started dancing. And that kids use to make fun of them saying they were too overweight to dance, and now they are in dance class (because of my videos).  This is what drives me, truly. Seeing how these one minute videos can make such an impact, so that is why I love making them, and I am passionate about doing them. Your work just resonates with people, and that is what is really awesome. Yeah, thank you.

What advice would you give to your younger self

I would say…and I know it sounds pretty cliché, but do not listen to others. I think that it is really hard. Social media was not as popular as it is now when I was younger, so now it is harder (for kids in school, or kids growing up) with social media. Not to be so sensitive to what people say, and I know for me I am a very sensitive person. I use to take everything my Mom would say to me to heart. So, if you believe in yourself, and you believe in something, do not listen to what others think. If you believe in yourself and something, you can do anything. You can make it happen, and that is what I would tell my younger self. I would also tell this to others that are younger and follow me, and watch my stuff.

What are your thoughts on the current BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement

Oh wow, well hum….I definitely took part in a lot of the protests here in L.A. I think to me it was incredible to see so many people to come together to be a part of this movement. I think many years ago when something would happen to a particular group, then only that particular group you would see protesting (the ones that it affected). Now it is so amazing to see so many different types of people to come out and support. I went to the one in L.A. that had 30,000 people. It was so amazing to see so many people come together and fight for a good cause. There has been a lot of change that has been made and hopefully will continue to be made. I think it is really powerful that we have come together to support the cause. And hopefully some real change  can come about from this. Yes, kind of uniting for a common goal for everyone, regardless of the group.

Are there any upcoming projects you are able to share with us

The one that I am really excited about  is my new single, ‘Sunday Funday’ coming out September 18th. I filmed the video for it in Miami just last week. It is my first real big music video. Congrats - thank you!. We didn’t get to film the video for ‘Hola’ because of COVID19. So decided to put all our energies to this one, and the video is really amazing. It will show a different side of me. Everyone sees me just straight up dancing, and this video shows me as an artist. I have a lot of fun cameos in the video. I dress up as different characters and it will show a different side of me. Also music with Pitbull coming, and other great projects.

The last and most fun question, what is your favorite way to pamper yourself and get a boost

Well I just got my nails and toes done literally right before this call…. Bahahaha. I am all for that. That I love. I do love, and what is therapeutic for me is going on hikes, and going to the beach. The beach I realized this past year, just how important it is for me to be there. It is something about it, it is how I pamper myself - the sun and the outdoors. Everyone feels pressure to be doing more. I need to work on (not having to always be doing something), I have always worked 24/7. It is important to take time for yourself, and for me to slow down at night. To be able to watch a show, not to be distracted, and feel like I have to be doing something. That is the self-care that I do for me. Have you gone to Jessica’s on Sunset before? No!  I have been going there since I was 5 years old, the colors are fun. Yes Jessica’s Nail Clinic. OH I will have to check it out, thank you, I will have to check it out.

I will let you go and let your nails dry, and have a great weekend. Bye!