Coco Jones is always coming up with something new. Whether she’s doing a low-key audition for Disney’s live-action The Princess and the Frog via TikTok, performing original music on late night television, or starring as the confident, complex Hilary on Peacock’s Bel-Air, Jones is always creating. And with 2.6M TikTok followers and 2.5M Instagram followers, she’s bringing Gen Z right along with her.
In honor of the upcoming season two finale of Bel-Air, and a new Pure Leaf campaign that’s all about the power of saying “no,” we got an inside look into Jones’ process, as well as how she sets, and sticks to, her boundaries.
Brit + Co: This campaign with Pure Leaf is all about figuring out when to say “no” — How do your boundaries benefit the other areas of your life?
Coco Jones: Sticking to boundaries has always helped me stay true to my “why.” I think especially in an industry where you want to prove yourself, sometimes it feels like [the chances you get] are limited, so it's hard sometimes to stick to your boundaries. But I think for me, it always helps me when I'm true to myself. Because it helps me to remember why I even started in this industry in the first place — who I want to impact, how I want to be represented, and the legacy that I want to leave.
B+C: You've also talked about working on your album What I Didn’t Tell You at the same time you were filming Bel-Air. How do you approach balancing your boundaries while going after what you want?
CJ: It's really hard to find a consistent balance when I feel like my life in this industry is so inconsistent. I think for me, the best guide is my intuition. If I feel like, “Okay, this would be a great opportunity. But I have to sacrifice maybe something that I needed for my mental health or an important relationship that I already had promised something to.” Then it's kind of like, what does my intuition have to say? That helps me find that balance in an ever-changing career field.
B+C: What I Didn’t Tell You is phenomenal! It’s familiar yet brand new at the same time, and my favorite song right now is “No Chaser.” You’ve talked a lot about the idea of music being fluid and whether R&B is dead and all these different conversations happening in the industry — I'd love to hear your approach to storytelling in 2023 and how your music has evolved.
CJ: Honestly, my approach really goes back to my intuition because I feel like there are a lot of times where I can look left and right and see what the other girls are doing, and then maybe that would affect what I'm doing. But I do have to practice my boundaries because sometimes I do see something that's working for somebody else, and there's this pressure to also do that, to also jump on that bandwagon. But that's where I kind of lean back to my boundaries and the things that I know I have to stick to.
Being fearless really does help me with my creative process because this is a new generation, and some things that worked back in the day will not work today. And I know my fans, they know me. So, sometimes I have [to] choose a path that may be unconventional, but it feels right to me.
B+C: What do you hope people take away when they listen to your music?
CJ: I hope they take away self-love. I hope they take away honesty. I hope that they like me as a person and want to continue supporting and following my journey. I always want to leave my fans with something to uplift themselves, to speak highly of themselves. I mean, all of these songs have an air of “Don't play with me, don't play with my time. I'm valuable. I want big things for myself, I want the best for myself. And if you're not bringing the best to the table, then we don't make sense together.” You know?
Image via Peacock/Greg Gayne/Peacock TV LLC/IMDb
B+C: Your Bel-Air character, Hilary, is so confident, and you've talked a lot about maintaining your own confidence. Have you learned anything else from Hilary that you've brought back into your own life?
CJ: I think, especially with season two, I've learned a lot more about being vulnerable and being a boss woman, but then also, how do you be that same woman in a relationship? And what's important to you when you do get into a relationship? I think playing Hilary and watching her try to balance her relationship with Ivy and running the house and now her relationship with Jazz and then being public — it’s taught me to question my values too, and look at my life in the bigger scheme of things.
Because I don't want to be unsure of the person that I'm with…I want to make sure that everything I do is intentional and authentic. So, it's kind of taught me to think about that part of my life as well, where my life will go, and what's important to me in the person that I take with me on that journey.
B+C: Between your music and television and even your fashion presence, you have such a beautiful and consistent output. What do you do to kind of fill your own cup? What’s been inspiring you recently?
CJ: There are times where I don't do a certain job or opportunity because it doesn't fill me up, it drains me…And I have to be courageous sometimes and say no. And of course, I do it in a kind way. That's why I love [Pure Leaf's] Subtly Sweet campaign, because it is so similar to how I have to be as a business woman so that I don't lose myself in this industry. Sometimes you do have to disappoint people and maybe they won't get it, but it's not for them to get. It's for your own peace of mind.
B+C: I’m obsessed with Pure Leaf's Subtly Sweet Suggester. What is your mantra or piece of advice that has impacted the way that you live?
CJ: Man. Gratitude in everything. I have had so many times where I'm like, “Why? Why?” And I wish I could just go back and be like, “There's something in this, I'm telling you. Seriously, just enjoy the moment. You're putting too much pressure on yourself and you're too focused on what everyone else is doing. There's something. There's a reason for this. I'm from the future, so I can tell you."
B+C: I love mixing tea and lemonade. Do you like to add your Pure Leaf tea to any particular drinks, or do you just drink it straight out of the bottle?
CJ: I like to sing and I have to warm up my vocals, so I like hot drinks. So I'm the type that will drink tea any time of the day but it's always gonna be hot. It can be 100 degrees, but I just love hot tea, so I'm probably going to heat it up. And you don't have to wait for the tea to steep! It's like, right there.
B+C: What is your favorite way to unwind?
CJ: Favorite way is being with my friends or family eating ramen and watching The Office.
B+C: What is your favorite candle scent?
CJ: I love vanilla, and I love anything edible. Like cookies, chocolate.
B+C: What is your go-to breakfast?
CJ: I'm more on the salty, savory side, so omelet, breakfast sandwich or, like, simple eggs, turkey bacon.
B+C: What is a beauty product that makes you feel confident?
CJ: Well, no product makes me feel confident. I'm confident. But if I had to go without any of them, I would not want to go without my brows done. So I'm going to say a brow pencil. Because I just feel like sometimes it's really giving Shrek.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
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Lead image via Peacock/Greg Gayne/Peacock TV LLC/IMDb
