15 Minutes With ...
Miranda Cosgrove is only 17 and doesn't even own a driver's license, but already she has compiled a showbiz resume many would envy.
For three seasons the L.A. native has starred as the title character in "iCarly," Nickelodeon's top-rated live-action series. This summer she contributed voice work to the animated big-screen hit "Despicable Me," and recently she did a guest turn on "The Good Wife."
Lately, Cosgrove, who learned to play guitar while shooting "School of Rock," has turned more of her attention to music. She released her debut album, "Sparks Fly," last spring and will launch a national concert tour early next year. Tonight, she'll be at the San Jose State Event Center as part of the "Triple Ho Show" sponsored by KMVQ (99.7 FM).
But life isn't all lights and cameras for Cosgrove. A home-schooled senior, she's boning up for the SAT exam and working toward that driver's license. Recently, she took time to field a few questions by phone from New York while preparing for an appearance in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Q: You're still relatively new to all this concert stuff. Do you experience stage fright?
A: During the last five minutes before going on, I really freak out. But once I'm out there, I calm down. It helps that I'm getting more familiar with the band. I know they've got my back.
Q: Your taste in music reportedly is very eclectic.
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You enjoy contemporary artists, but you also like a lot of the old stuff, too. Can you explain that?
A: I get it from my mom. She loves the Beatles. And I think we've seen the Rolling Stones something like nine times together. Tonight, we're going to see Bob Dylan (in New York). I love Bob Dylan!
Q: Is there a rocker in you just waiting to bust out?
A: It would be really cool to be some kind of mixture of Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler and Stevie Nicks. Maybe, as I get older. ...
Q: On your album, you've cowritten some of the songs, including your single, "Kissin U." Is writing something you enjoy?
A: Yes I do, but it can be weird, too. With "Kissin U," I wrote about a guy I really liked, which was super scary. I had to really get my nerve up to tell him that it was about him. It was a little embarrassing, but he was flattered.
Q: You're about to take the SAT. Any college plans?
A: I've applied to five colleges, including USC, which is close to home, and NYU, which is across the country and would mean a whole new life. Right now, I'm trying to figure out a major and I'm kind of all over the place. For a long time, I thought it would be film. Now, maybe musical theater. I've even thought about psychology. I keep changing my mind.
Q: Do you ever find yourself missing the experiences you might get at an actual high school?
A: Sometimes, when my friends call and tell me stories about what's going on in their lives. It kind of makes me want to go to high school for at least a few weeks. ...
Q: Will you get to go to a prom?
A: There is actually a home-school prom, but no one knows each other so I'm really not interested. A couple of years ago, I crashed a friend's prom. Maybe I'll have to crash another one this year.
Q: A lot of people have compared you and your career trajectory to Miley Cyrus. How does that make you feel?
A: Well, I definitely have my own thing going on. I'm my own person. But at the same time, it's flattering because she's super successful. I've also met her a few times and she's really nice.
Q: Several kid stars in recent years have had their troubles and become tabloid fodder. You have managed to avoid that. What's your secret?
A: First of all, I sympathize. It's hard enough growing up, period. ... It helps that I have parents who are extremely supportive. They travel with me. And I have good friends who are always there for me. I've also lived in the same place my whole life. I may work in Hollywood, but I go home (outside L.A.) to my own little world.
