At a Glance
- Genevieve Hannelius releases five-track EP Girlhood after stepping back from Hollywood to attend Sarah Lawrence College
- Songs chronicle college romances, friendships, and the messy limbo between adolescence and adulthood
- Why it matters: Fans who grew up watching her on Dog with a Blog now get an unfiltered update on her twenties
Former Disney Channel lead Genevieve Hannelius has returned to music with her debut EP Girlhood, a diary-style project that captures the years she spent away from cameras and red carpets.
From Sitcoms to Sarah Lawrence
Hannelius, 27, left Los Angeles after more than a decade of steady acting to enroll at Sarah Lawrence College in 2017. She graduated in 2021, trading auditions for term papers and late-night train rides into Manhattan.
“It’s a weird transition between childhood and adulthood,” she told News Of Los Angeles over lunch in New York City. “Like, you’re smoking cigarettes, but you’re also going home and you have stuffed animals on your childhood bed.”
The EP’s five tracks trace that in-between space: legal adulthood, emotional adolescence, and the mistakes that come with newfound freedom.
Writing Through Heartbreak
Two songs directly name ex-boyfriends she met while studying north of the city.
- “Reckless” chronicles a fling with a metal-band drummer
- “James” (his middle name) covers a four-year relationship that ended during college
“I told him. I was like, ‘Look, I did write a song about you…'” Hannelius said.
Producer Matthew Bobb, who first collaborated with her during the Dog with a Blog era, reunited with Hannelius to craft the soft pop-rock sound that threads the project together. “It really is a full-circle moment,” she noted.
Watching Peers Rise While She Studied
During her college years, Olivia Rodrigo and Sabrina Carpenter became global pop stars-something Hannelius observed from dorm rooms rather than recording studios.
“I’m huge fans of both of them-like major, major fans,” she said. “Their songwriting is so brilliant.”
Far from jealous, she calls their success “inspiring,” adding, “Everyone helps each other. It’s like the tide rises with all the pop girlies reigning supreme.”
Friendship as the Core
The EP’s title track shifts focus from romance to platonic love, celebrating the girlfriends who outlast boyfriends.
“Those are your soulmates,” she explained. “You’re going to date all these people, and it’s like, who’s there after all that stuff? Your friends.”
Hannelius formed that tight circle outside the entertainment industry, intentionally choosing classes, part-time jobs, and bars where industry talk rarely surfaced.
Next Up: Live Shows and a Cat
Though Girlhood marks her official re-entry into music, Hannelius never fully stopped creating-she simply swapped public releases for private voice-memos and bedroom demos.
“I haven’t really performed,” she admitted. “I’m nervous, but that is my next goal for myself.”
Long-term, the artist wants to keep writing across mediums and, eventually, adopt a cat. “That’s my five-year goal,” she laughed.
Key Takeaways
- Hannelius prioritized college over capitalizing on her Disney fame, a decision she doesn’t regret
- Girlhood distills four years of friendships, heartbreaks, and self-discovery into five tracks
- Fans who once watched her on family sitcoms now receive an unfiltered look at her twenties
- Live performances are planned, marking her first on-stage appearances as a singer-songwriter
