Inside Zendaya's early singing career as Spider Man: Brand New Day hits cinemas
Inside Zendaya's early singing career as Spider Man: Brand New Day hits cinemas
Demetria Osei-Tutu Sat, August 1, 2026 at 3:10 AM UTC
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Zendaya is starring in Spider-Man: Brand New Day -Credit:Getty Images for Sony Pictures
Newer Zendaya fans may only know her as an actress, but she also had a buddingmusic career.
The 29-year-old actress has made a name for herself in the acting industry. Zendaya is currently in the fourth-highest-grossing movie of the year, The Odyssey, after 12 days in theaters, amassing over $700 million globally. She is set to be in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which releases in theaters on Friday, July 31.
The fourth installment of the MCU-Sony webbed-hero saga is projected to gross $1 billion worldwide (domestic and international combined). 2026 has been a busy year for the actress, who starred in the final season of HBO's Euphoria and The Drama with Robert Pattinson. The former child star also has the third Dune film to promote when it releases in December. Fans have been worried about Zendaya, who has been working nonstop this year so far, especially this month with The Odyssey and Brand New Day both releasing.
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Zendaya began her acting career on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up. And like with most Disney Channel stars, she sang. Zendaya did a few songs for the Shake It Up soundtracks.
Zendaya sang as a youth and featured in the Shake It Up soundtracks -Credit:Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
The Challengers actress also sang the theme song for her other Disney show, K.C. Undercover.
In September 2013, Zendaya released her only studio album, which was self-titled. The album came after she signed a contract with Hollywood Records, a Disney label, following her role in Shake It Up.
The album's lead single was "Replay," which is her best-known song from the album. Zendaya also released a music video to the track.
At the time, the song was her highest-charting, reaching a spot in the top forty in both the US and New Zealand. Zendaya went on a North American tour, called the Swag It Out Tour, in support of the album from August 2012 to November 2014.
The Oakland native was set to release a second album after moving from Hollywood Records to Republic Records. Notable music producer Timbaland and prominent songwriter Diane Warren were confirmed to be working on Zendaya's sophomore album.
After signing with Republic Records, Zendaya released a single, Something New featuring Chris Brown.
She first recorded the song as a duet with the iconic R&B legend Babyface (who co-wrote and co-produced the track). Babyface's verse was then later switched out with Chris and Zendaya rerecorded her verses.
Zendaya has only ever released one studio album -Credit:YouTube
The music video for " Something New was never released. It was reportedly said to be shelved by Zendaya following the controversial singer's uncompassionate and blame-y suicide rant towards Kehlani and her social media post about a suicide attempt.
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Zendaya also reportedly unfollowed Chris on Instagram as well. Zendaya and Kehlani are childhood friends who grew up together in California and attended the Oakland School for the Arts together. The two still maintained a bond.
Her planned second album was quietly dropped. Following the debut album and the canceled second one, Zendaya didn't embark further in an official singing career.
Although she did do the movie musical, The Greatest Showman, in 2017 and collaborated with Labrinth on three songs (two for Euphoria and one for Labrinth's album Ends & Begins).
Zendaya did a surprise performance with Labrinth at Coachella in 2023 -Credit:Getty Images for Coachella
She did a surprise performance of I'm Tired and All for Us from Euphoria with Labrinth at Coachella 2023
Zendaya spoke about the Coachella performance and her love of music on The Jennifer Hudson Show in April 2024.
She told Jennifer that music is "something that's been special" to her. Zendaya gave insight to why she isn't in the music industry.
"I think being in the music industry may not have killed the joy of music, but it's when you put music and business together. Sometimes, it cannot feel so good," she elaborated.
Jennifer inquired whether she would ever return to music professionally.
"You know, I think if the right timing and it came, because I like creating it for myself, but if there was a moment, maybe I would, you know, put out a little something," Zendaya said, as the audience cheered at the end.
In 2024, Zendaya said maybe to returning to music professionally one day -Credit:FilmMagic
"Don't get crazy! We'll see, but maybe one day." Zendaya said in response to the audience's applause.
In Variety's Actors on Actors series in 2022, she was paired up with Andrew Garfield. She expressed that she preferred acting and the anonymity it allows her.
"I was talking to Sam [Levinson] about this earlier. I was like, I don't know if I could ever be a pop star. It's because as an actor, there's a level of anonymity that I get to have, which I really like," Zendaya stated.
"And I get to sort my stuff, whatever that is, through a character, and nobody needs to know about it. Whereas in other forms and other mediums, it's all you all the time. I like the idea that somebody else, meaning Rue, gets to take on that stuff, and I can," she added, referring to her character in Euphoria.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
