Woodstock-raised, Nashville-honed, & Laurel Canyon inspired, 22-year-old Stella Prince creates soul-baring indie folk-pop representing the next generation of artists. The prodigious 21-year-old from Woodstock, NY, first began voice lessons at age four and hasn’t looked back since, and now ranks among the most exciting young voices in music. Already a veteran of touring circuits, Prince is readying a debut album—due in Fall 2026—to follow a string of critically acclaimed singles, which earned praise from outlets like No Depression, Forbes, and Nashville Scene. Over the past 6 months, she has walked the red carpet at the Grammys, Variety Hitmakers, Billboard Women in Music, Elle Women in Entertainment, Americana Music Honors, CMA Awards, Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Hollywood Gala, and performed at events with Elle Magazine at Cannes Lions, CNN x Honda New Years Eve Live 2025, Music Row Magazine’s Rising Women on the Row, NPR’s event at Folk Alliance 2026, Spin Magazine’s “Road to Austin” showcase during SxSw 2026, and was part of a commercial that aired on the 2026 Golden Globes. Now based in LA, Prince has emerged as a torchbearer for a style Forbes dubbed “Gen Z Folk.”,By the time she turned 20, Stella had booked over 1,000 shows entirely on her own, playing restaurants, bars, and listening rooms across the USA and Europe. “I just knew that if I worked harder than anyone, I’d make it happen.” She said. The sky is the limit for Stella as she strides into 2026. Check out the exclusive Interview below:
1. Your roots can often shape your journey. Can you share a story or moment from your early life that had a significant impact on your path into music?
Stella Prince: My first concerts. I was born and raised in Woodstock, NY and was completely surrounded by all this incredible music from a really young age. Having my first concert be Levon Helm- and my second concert be Pete Seeger- hugely impacted me and the musical path that I saw for myself.
2. Did your musical journey begin with formal training, or was it more of a personal exploration? How has that shaped your unique approach to your craft?
Stella Prince: It began with formal training. When I was 4 years old, I decided that “this was it”, and now was the time for me to begin my career in music. I went to my parents and asked for voice lessons, and began studying with a teacher at 4. I was very curious about piano quickly after that and began begging for piano lessons when I was 6. Finally, guitar followed at 9. I started very intense training at a conservatory program when I was 7 years old all the way up to 14. That single-handedly shaped my childhood and my love for music, and I was lucky enough to study music theory, music history, ear training, choir, etc, for 8 years.
3. Who were some of the most influential figures in your early musical life, and how did they inspire your sound? Also, what’s the story behind choosing the name ‘Stella Prince’?
Stella Prince: I was actually born with this name. It’s funny most people think I made it up- but no. I was born with it. My biggest influences growing up were female singers like Karen Carpenter, Judy Garland, and Patsy Cline. I’ve been obsessed with those 3 since I was in third grade, and I still have all of their photos on my bedroom wall. In terms of songwriting, Joni Mitchell and Carole King I studied endlessly. I still do. And, of course, growing up in Woodstock, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Emmylou Harris’ voices were everywhere.
4. What do you believe sets your music apart? How would you describe your sound to someone discovering you for the first time, and what emotions or experiences do you hope to evoke in your listeners?
Stella Prince: When people hear my music, I hope that they think of me as a friend. As a peer. I’m just a 22-year-old trying to figure everything out for the first time. I love writing about day-to-day things, like how I can’t drive and avoided LA highways for 9 months before finally working up enough nerve to try it, and being an adult isn’t what I thought it would be. I call my music Gen Z Folk, because it’s a mix of both classic 70s sounds and contemporary folk-pop.
5. Do you feel the rewards of your musical career match the energy and passion you invest in it, or are there different kinds of fulfillment you’re still seeking?
Stella Prince: Absolutely. You receive what you give. If I do something really quickly and my mind is somewhere else, it’s not going to be done well. When I focus really hard on something and actually take my time and spend weeks preparing for something, that’s when the results come in. I really have to remind myself not to rush through everything.
6. Can you walk us through your creative process? From the first spark of an idea to the finished track, what’s the most essential part of your process, and how do collaboration or external influences shape your work?
Stella Prince: Collaboration has meant everything to me. Having the honor of cowriting with songwriters like Liz Rose, Stephanie Chapman, and Matraca Berg have been highlights I will never forget. I just spent 10 days in the studio recording my debut album, and I loved the process of working so closely with two producers for the first time- Dr. Blum and Derek Van Mol. The aspect of working with other creatives has been life changing. On my 22nd birthday, I spent some time at Diane Warren’s studio in LA, and I just recorded one of her songs for my upcoming debut album. Now that… is an experience I will remember forever.
7. What’s been the most challenging hurdle in either your personal life or music career, and how has it shaped you as an artist?
Stella Prince: This past year and a half has been the most amazing time period for many reasons-one of the biggest reasons is because I now have this incredible team. Manager, agent, label, etc. It is so wonderful to be able to work with people that are family to me. The hardest part of my career prior to finding my team was having to do literally EVERYTHING myself. It was lonely. And it was hard. And it was 7 years of building and grinding on my own and developing myself. That was the hardest part. But I do think it was important to go through.
8. On the flip side, what moment or achievement in your career so far has made you feel the proudest, and why? And let’s talk about your latest release and future plans.
Stella Prince: Sometimes when you’re working so hard and you’re in the day-to-day of it you don’t see the progress that you are making. And then it suddenly hits you when something happens. Being on the Recording Academy’s Grammy House NYC panel last month was one of the greatest honors of my career so far, and I felt emotional thinking about how far I’ve come when I experienced that. I am also about to embark on an upcoming tour- which is only my second headlining tour I’ve ever done- and some of the venues have been on my bucket list for years. LA’s Moroccan Lounge and San Diego’s House of Blues, for example. It feels like such a long way from the open mic nights I first started playing at. It’s definitely starting to sink in this week the progress I am making in that area of my career as well- touring.
9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
Stella Prince: One of my favorite pieces of advice I’ve received is that success is the best revenge. And it’s so true. When someone has something negative to say, it actually drives me to be more of a go-getter. I swear it makes me work so much harder. So, for that I’m grateful.
10. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
Stella Prince: Live performance will always be “it” for me. Dolly Parton always says that she’s a songwriter first. I’ve always felt that I am a performer first. It’s the #1 thing that made me fall in love with music in the first place. Just being on stage brought me so much joy. I remember my face actually physically hurting because I would smile so big anytime I could get up on a stage at school. It is still the single greatest experience of my career- getting to perform- and I think it always will be.
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