Musician, model, and actress Taylor Momsen was born on July 26, 1993!
So let us share a little bit about this multi-talent...
1. Her full name is Taylor Michel Momsen and she was born in St. Petersburg. Louis, Missouri.
2. It may sound a bit weepy to you but Taylor did not have an easy childhood, her parents registered her with the modeling agency Ford Models when she was only two years old !! Yes, two years old !!
3. She not only modeled at the age of two but she already acted at the age of 3 !! Initially in an advertisement for the Shake 'n Bake brand and in the same year in the TV series The Prophet's Game.
4. Taylor said that as a child she had a very difficult time, she did not decide on her own that she wanted it, but her parents registered her and pushed her to do so. She went in and out of school and was not in a regular social environment, so she had no friends either.
5. In 2000 she starred in Ron Howard's film "How the Grinch Stole Christmas", a role that actually brought her the breakthrough into the film industry. In the same film, she also recorded the song "Christmas, Why Can't I Find You?" which was one of the first songs she recorded. Two years later she starred in the movies "Hansel and Gretel" and "Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams".
6. Although she's happy about it today, in 2006 she lost the coveted role of Hannah Montana to singer and actress Miley Cyrus. A year later she starred in the films "Underdog" and "Paranoid Park".
7. Her last appearance on screen as an actress was on the "Gossip Girl" TV series where she starred in the first four seasons until 2010.
8. In 2008 Taylor signed with the modeling agency IMG Models and became the face of the British clothing chain New Look.
9. In 2009 Taylor decided she wanted to start a music career and started working with producer Kato Khandwala, they added guitarist Ben Phillips and the three began writing and working on materials together.
10. That same year Taylor added more musicians and began performing and recording a number of demos in order to attract an audience and distribute her music. After a few months, she signed a contract with Interscope Records.
(Photo: imdb.com)
11. The band that initially bore the name "The Reckless" changed it immediately to "The Pretty Reckless" upon signing in light of legal issues.
12. In early 2010, Taylor became the face of Madonna's clothing collection called "Material Girl". She has represented other brands such as: John Galliano, Samantha Thavasa, and more.
13. In the middle of that year, when she was only 17, Taylor and her band released their first EP bearing the band's name, the EP received very moderate reviews but the song "Make Me Wanna Die" gained momentum and became a hit that was frequently aired on radio stations.
14. Two months later the band's debut album called "Light Me Up" was released. The album was a commercial success and in addition to the song "Make Me Wanna Die" which appeared on the album, two more singles "Miss Nothing" and "Just Tonight" were released. Unlike the EP the album also received positive and supportive reviews from the critics and gave the young girl and her band a boost towards success.
15. The band's first tour was as an opening act for the band "Evanescence", Taylor who grew up on their music and adored them was very excited about the event and it became one of the most important events in the band's career. From there they went on tour as the opening act of the "Guns N 'Roses' Chinese Democracy Tour". Both of these rounds gave the band international exposure and increased its fan base.
16. In 2012 the band released their second EP "Hit Me Like a Man". The EP contained three new songs and two live performances.
17. In 2014, the band released their second album "Going to Hell". The album was a huge success and reached number five on the Billboard 200. Five singles came out: "Heaven Knows", "Messed Up World", "Follow Me Down" (all three reached number one on Billboard), "House on a Hill" and "Going" To Hell ".
18. In 2016, the band's third album "Who You Selling For" came out. The band's two previous albums were a spring maturing process and this album is a completion of the process, in terms of sound, production, and lyrics this album is mature and even better than the other two. Also from this album, two singles emerged to number one on Billboard and the album itself reached number 13. Singles released from the album: "Take Me Down", "Oh My God" and "Back to the River".
19. Interesting fact... the band was the open act on "Soundgarden's" tour in 2017 and was actually performing in Chris Cornell's last show before he passed away.
20. In February 2021 the band released their fourth album "Death by Rock and Roll", the album was written and created out of two tragedies that impacted Taylor, one is the death of the band's veteran producer Kato Khandwala and the other is the death of Chris Cornell. This album features guest appearances of Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron in addition to Tom Morello. Three singles were released from the album: "Death by Rock and Roll", "And So It Went" and "Only Love Can Save Me Now".
21. Although she is a multi-talent, Taylor said that music is her most natural and authentic place...
"Acting is easy. I've been doing it for so long and I totally love it. But you're playing a character instead of yourself. Music is more personal because you're writing it and you're involved in every step of it. "
Listen to the album "Death by Rock and Roll" on: Spotify, Apple Music