Victoria Justice is back, and this time, the Zoey 101 and Victorious star is focusing on making her music career entirely her own. “I was 17 and 18 when I recorded my first songs, but I’m 31 now, so it’s inevitable that I’m going to grow and change and learn,” Justice exclusively tells Her Campus. It’s cool to evolve as a person and have that reflected in your art.”
Justice first won the world over with her acting skills, but as a vocalist, she recorded hits like “Freak The Freak Out” and “Best Friend’s Brother” during her time on Victorious. She then released her debut single “Gold” in 2013. And now, Justice is making her biggest comeback yet: with four new singles released in February (“Tripped”), April (“RAW”), May (“hate the world without u (maddy’s song)”), and July (“Down”) of 2024 that blend her pop sensibilities with some seriously personal lyrics. “I think I still have yet to show the full range of what I can do,” she says.
While Justice is definitely not shy about bringing her old hits back into the spotlight, her songwriting has also matured. “When I was 17, I went into a room with Savan Kotecha, who’s an amazing songwriter, and we were banging our heads against the wall, thinking, ‘What are we going to write a song about?’” Justice recalls. “And I was like, ‘Well, I have a best friend, and her brother is a really hot drummer, so we should write a song called ‘Best Friend’s Brother,’ or something like that. It made sense for me at that time. But now, it’s been really fun getting to step into this new era of music for myself. It’s been very empowering.”
[Going independent] is my way of being like, ‘I’m going to do this regardless, and I’m going to do what I love and make it for the people who love it. And for those who don’t, that’s OK too. I’m just going to keep doing me no matter what, and no one’s going to stop me.
After a brief period with Columbia Records in 2013, Justice decided to carve her own path, creating music that truly speaks to her and her fans. She chose to go independent, realizing she needed to find the right place to nurture her artistic vision. “It has definitely been a grind, and it comes with its challenges,” she says. “But at the same time, it’s really nice to have creative control over what I’m doing — whether that be the songs that I choose to write, what I choose to put out, or what I want the visuals to look like.”
In her career, Justice has faced numerous challenges, including “people seeing [me] one way and putting [me] into a certain box,” she says. his was apparent during her time at Columbia Records, when, (according to Justice,) the Columbia team offered her a “good pop song” that didn’t really resonate with her personal experiences and felt like it could have been a hit for anyone, rather than reflecting her unique voice and story.
“That’s really the most important thing to me, is being able to connect with people from an authentic place and a place of truth and just kind of having that lay the groundwork for everything,” Justice says.
Justice’s new music appeals to a new generation, particularly young people who are also looking to break the mold and seek independence. “[Going independent] is my way of being like, ‘I’m going to do this regardless, and I’m going to do what I love and make it for the people who love it,’” she says. “And for those who don’t, that’s OK too. I’m just going to keep doing me no matter what, and no one’s going to stop me.”
Justice’s return to the music industry is more than just a celebrity comeback — it’s a powerful lesson for anyone charting their own path. “But throughout this road and journey, no matter what, I think I’ve always stayed true to who I am,” she says. And as Justice navigates her journey to independence, she hopes to inspire others to do the same. “The most important thing to me is being able to connect with people from an authentic place and a place of truth,” Justice says. “I want to leave some sort of positive impact on the world if I can, whether that’s through my music, or through film, or TV.”
I feel like that’s where your power lies: when you really step into your individuality, because we’re also unique in our own ways.
Throughout her journey, Justice has evolved into a more self-assured artist. And in her new partnership with Arm & Hammer, Justice is embracing the power of a clean slate — literally and metaphorically. “The best way to remove old ‘stains’ is to continue to ground yourself in the present moment and love yourself,” she says. “I feel like loving yourself is really the best gift we can give to ourselves.”
Justice is proudly still in the building phase of her artistry. “I don’t think I’m ready to release an album yet, but that is absolutely the goal and what I’m working towards,” she says. “That might come in the form of an EP first and then kind of stepping into the album territory.”
So as Justice makes her comeback into the music industry, she has some advice for college students who are looking to make comebacks of their own on campus this fall. “Don’t be afraid to take risks and trust yourself, trust your gut, and trust your intuition,” she says. “I feel like that’s where your power lies: when you really step into your individuality, because we’re also unique in our own ways.”