Childstar is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Grace VanderWaal, consisting of nine original tracks. It is VanderWaal's second full-length project and follows her EP Letters Vol. 1 (2019).
The album was released on April 4, 2025, by Pulse Records,[1] with most tracks produced by Eren Cannata. In advance of the album's release, VanderWaal released several singles from the album and promoted it with various live and broadcast appearances, and she promoted it with a tour to major North American cities in May 2025.[2] VanderWaal co-wrote each song on Childstar.
Production
Producers on the album include Eren Cannata, who produced five of the songs. VanderWaal co-wrote each track.
Along with the album, VanderWaal released on her YouTube channel a choreographed short film, Childstar: Final Act, a short film co-directed by VanderWaal with Luca Renzi and Jacob Boehme, and co-choreographed by VanderWaal and Renzi. The video features performances of five of the songs from Childstar: "Proud", "Brand New", "Homesick", "Behavioral Problems" and "Fade".[3][4]
Reception
Of the album's second single "What's Left of Me", one reviewer wrote: "Driven by her gripping vocals, it's a raw track".[5] Upon the release of Childstar, Olivia Hogan of Melodic magazine wrote: "I was astonished by the album’s production and lyricism. Grace ... used it as a powerful vehicle to tell her story ... with a wide range of sounds that keep listeners engaged throughout. ... The album is vulnerable, courageous, and authentic."[1] Khushboo Malhotra of CelebMix wrote: "Childstar is a hauntingly poetic excavation of identity, autonomy, and the aching complexity of coming of age under a spotlight you never asked for. ... VanderWaal doesn’t just sing here – she aches, whispers, and claws her way".
Of "Childstar: Final Act", a reviewer for CelebMix wrote: "it’s part performance art, part soul exorcism."[3] A reviewer from Prelude Press called the accompanying film "Heartbreaking, captivating and cathartic all at once, Grace bares her soul, sharing her experiences growing up in the public eye through song, dance and raw emotion in each of these five performances."[4] The album and its accompanying film were a staff pick by The A.V. Club.[6]
Tour
VanderWaal promoted the album with a U.S. tour in May 2025 with shows in Chicago, Toronto, Washington, DC, New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The concerts included songs from Childstar as well as VanderWaal's previous releases.[2]
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