XO Diva D

If you’ve been rooting for Slayyyter since the SoundCloud days, this interview is going to hit you right in the heart.

Fresh off the massive success of WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA, the pop star graces the latest cover of V Magazine, where she opens up about the decade-long journey that brought her to this moment, and just how close she came to walking away from music altogether.

Long before the sold-out tours, a Jimmy Kimmel Live! performance, her Coachella debut, and major Billboard chart success, Slayyyter was just Cathy from St. Louis, making music in her mom’s closet while working at a hair salon; she built everything herself.

“I’ve been doing so much myself for so long,” she admitted, revealing that she often funded costumes, stage outfits, music videos, and merchandise out of her own pocket, even when the finances simply weren’t there. And of course there were moments she wondered if it was all worth it.

In one of the interview’s most emotional moments, Slayyyter revealed that she viewed WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA as her “swan song,” her final attempt at making a career in music before potentially giving it all up.

“If this career doesn’t work, I don’t have a college education. I don’t know what the f*** I’m gonna do,” she said. Thankfully for all of us, she didn’t have to find out. Instead of chasing radio hits or trying to fit into the industry’s idea of what a pop star should be, Slayyyter decided to make the album she wanted to hear.

“I really approached this album just being like, ‘You know, f*** it. I’m gonna make this for myself.’” Ironically, that decision became the breakthrough she’d been waiting nearly a decade for. WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA became the biggest album of her career, earned her first Billboard chart success, introduced her to millions of new listeners, and completely changed the trajectory of her career.

She also spoke about embracing the very things people once criticized her for. Rather than running from labels like “trashy” or “messy,” Slayyyter turned them into the foundation of the WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA character, reclaiming those insults and wearing them like a badge of honor; it’s exactly what makes her so compelling.

Even now, with more eyes on her than ever before, Slayyyter insists she doesn’t see herself as some untouchable celebrity. “I am not a fancy person. I’m a real person. I’m from St. Louis.” That authenticity has always been one of her greatest strengths, and it’s a huge reason why fans connect with her so deeply.

Reading this cover, it’s impossible not to feel proud. This isn’t the story of an overnight success, it’s the story of someone who spent years believing in herself when almost nobody else did.

Now she’s selling out shows around the world, landing magazine covers, and proving that betting on yourself can sometimes be the best decision you’ll ever make. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, no one deserves this moment more than Slayyyter.

Read the full interview + order your copy here!