taylor Momsen Reflects on Past Roles, Battles with darkness, and Rediscovering Joy
Los Angeles, CA – Taylor Momsen, frontwoman of The Pretty Reckless, is embracing all facets of her artistic journey, from her music to her early acting roles, after confronting a period of intense personal struggle. Momsen, known to a generation for her portrayal of Cindy Lou Who in How the Grinch Stole Christmas, is now finding peace by revisiting and recontextualizing her entire body of work.
Momsen recently shared that she reached a critical turning point several years ago, acknowledging a path that led toward self-destruction. “Living in that space, I had to make a very conscious decision at one point of I was on a very bad path, and I was going to die. I had to choose if I was going to live or die, and I made a very conscious decision to move forward,” she revealed. This decision sparked a journey of self-discovery, rooted in reconnecting with the passions of her youth and accepting all chapters of her life.
The process began with a painful silence.Following personal losses, Momsen found herself unable to listen to music, a longtime source of solace. “To lose an outlet like that, where this music has been such a solace for me, to not have that anymore was terrifying. I felt like I really lost myself,” she explained.She then began systematically reintroducing elements of her childhood that brought her joy, starting with The Beatles. This extended to revisiting her film and television work, “accepting them and seeing them in a new light.”
Momsen’s reflections come after the release of The Pretty Reckless’s fourth studio album, Death by Rock and Roll (2021), which was inspired by the difficult years she navigated. She describes a shift from striving to become someone to simply being herself.”I was always very me, but…you go through phases.I had my rebellious youth, where I was extra angsty. I wanted to be something and was fighting for that, and now I just kind of am and that’s just a really nice place to be,” she saeid.”I just feel very comfortable in my own skin and all aspects of myself, and I’m not living in a place where I’m shutting off any part of me. I’m firing on all cylinders, and it’s good.”
Ultimately, Momsen feels a renewed connection to her core self. “I’m still that little girl humming, walking up the mountain. I really am.”