Molly Santana Talks ‘Molly & Her Week of Wonders’ & Hollywood Goals

Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan impressed a era of filmmakers within the twenty first century, however who would’ve anticipated his affect to achieve a 20-year-old style student-turned-rapper?

Enter Molly Santana. In an period the place Gen-Z rappers appear to have a disregard for album rollouts, Santana wished to ask followers to be part of one thing greater. After discovering Nolan had made his first function movie, Following, with a frugal $6,000 funds, Santana felt there was no excuse to not deliver her directorial desires to life.

Santana starred in a week-long collection of trailers making up a short film main into her Molly & Her Week of Wonders album. Pulling on the dreamy horrors of 1971’s Valerie & Her Week of Wonders and Nolan’s Momento as inspiration, Santana settled on an eerie artwork movie that has drawn comparisons to rap’s Midsommar.

“You may depart a lot extra up for interpretation,” she tells Billboard of her dialogue-less plot. “I wished to ensure individuals had been speaking concerning the album and check out my finest to ensure individuals felt like they had been in it. I wished you to really feel such as you’re on the earth. That was my predominant objective.”

Previous to the brief movie’s origins, on the high of 2025, Santana traded the intense lights of Los Angeles for the plains of Wyoming, the place there was nothing to do however make music. Molly & Her Week of Wonders started to take form as she escaped the artistic shackles and pressures of L.A. for the stillness of Wyoming.

“I believe it actually helped me have the ability to let every part come out,” Santana says of her Wyoming journey. “If I might’ve recorded every part in L.A., it might’ve been manufactured. We might’ve been approach much less artistic and I might’ve had approach much less management over it.”

Crammed with 19 tracks, Santana’s sophomore LP arrived on Might 30, increasing on her maximalism of rage rap. At occasions, her timbre is harking back to Rihanna with a stream that would make her the First Girl of Playboi Carti’s Opium crew.

Dive into our interview with Molly Santana as she dishes on her Hollywood aspirations, Venture X-inspired twenty first birthday plans and hopes to work with Dej Loaf and Hayley Williams.

What was the artistic course of for the album?

I recorded it in Wyoming. It was in January to February. We did just a few extra classes in L.A. after. I had met up with just a few extra producers. I met up with WondaGurl — we made music too. I really feel like my subsequent album is gonna be totally different, however this one was very heartfelt and private. The extra I transfer into totally different phases of my profession, it’s gonna get rather less private. This one, I used to be tremendous weak. We had been so far-off from all people. There was nothing to do. There was not a single Black particular person. I don’t know what I obtained myself into.

I loved the roll-out with the brief movie. What was your intention there?

My advertising solely goes up to now placing my face on stuff and being like, “Take heed to this music.” I’m only a lady. After I lastly selected the album identify, I simply randomly was like, “I ought to do every week of trailer.” The truth that it was primarily based off a film was an enormous a part of me doing it. First, Valerie & Her Week of Wonders, and Momento. He all the time be speaking about Christopher Nolan and the way he did his first film for $6,000. Then we obtained no excuses if he may do it for $6,000. I met this director who shoots 35mm. Speaking to a director helped me notice if I wanna make one thing about me or my artwork, then I’m gonna should steer the entire thing. He was like, “You must inform me precise methods of the way you need me that can assist you write this out.”

I used to be like, “I’m gonna go write [it] myself.” I wished to make on daily basis associated to the planet that guidelines the day. That was the inspiration. I had no concept what I wished the story to be like. The thought was first to make it of me and a little bit model of me following me all through the entire week. I used to be like, “We’d like a director and a toddler actor and it must have dialogue.” Then I believed to make an artwork movie then as a result of it’s a lot simpler.

I noticed a bunch of chatter about it and somebody known as it rap’s Midsommar. A number of artists don’t take rollouts significantly anymore. It’s simply, “Right here’s the music.”

I might try this, nevertheless it’s so unhappy that approach. It’s like birthing a toddler and no child bathe. No one will get to come back rejoice it. 

Do you wish to do motion pictures sooner or later or appearing?

For certain. We be speaking about how we wish to be administrators so unhealthy. We wish to be a director trio and the subsequent film is gonna be us within the director’s chair. I might love to try this. It was so enjoyable. There’s so many alternative issues you are able to do in movie. I wish to put my hand in every part and paint in numerous methods. Nothing was extra enjoyable than that. 

You loved the brief movie greater than making the album?

No, however I believe the results of it was far more refreshing to look at than listening to the album. I really like listening to the album and I used to be so pleased after I was achieved with it, however there’s one thing concerning the movie. You may put music in it, fashion all people, have individuals you care about in it and it was enjoyable to look at. It was a brand new factor for me. It’s like a brand new toy. 

Do any tracks have a cool backstory tied to them from the album?

There was imagined to be a Don Toliver music on this album. S–t simply be altering final minute. Yeah, we solely did one music, although. I’m making an attempt to get one thing quickly. 

I noticed individuals asking, “The place is ‘Backstabber?’”

It’s simply arduous to clear. It’s a Kesha pattern. I don’t even know if she will do it for us. Kesha actually stated she likes my music. She stated she actually likes “Chain Swangin.” I used to be on the telephone along with her on the finish of the Don Toliver tour. I used to be randomly on FaceTime along with her. I have to attempt a little bit bit more durable, like, “Girly, please!” I believe she heard my music on her personal. My previous A&R [at Capitol Records] noticed Kesha within the airport and ran up on her and put her on FaceTime. That s–t was so humorous. I used to be getting an IV for the primary time in my life. They’re good, however they’re not that efficient if you’re sick. I used to be nonetheless sick after I used it. I positively had far more power. I believe that’s the way you’re imagined to really feel as a human with all these vitamins. I felt alive after it. 

How has the reception to the album been?

I haven’t seen anybody say nothing too loopy. I see individuals say these songs are misses and I’m like, “How?” All of them say totally different stuff so I do know it’s opinion-based. I haven’t watched any opinions but. I really like watching individuals’s opinions so I can hear what they really say in depth. I wanna see the particular person behind it and what else they evaluate. 

What’s the plan for the twenty first birthday this yr?

I don’t know. I wanna have the craziest Venture X get together. I wanna set a complete neighborhood on fireplace, secretly, in my wildest desires. I wanna go someplace the place there’s loopy animals or one thing I haven’t achieved that my baby self would wanna do. 

What made Victor Victor Worldwide the appropriate place for you?

After I signed there, all people I talked to was private. Labels are company and dealing a job for actual. Don’t actually care about you exterior of it. The individuals I met at Victor Victor have actual personalities. That’s why I gravitated [towards signing there], as a result of it’s actual people and never simply an workplace. 

What’s the most important distinction as an artist from if you weren’t signed to now?

You actually do lose a little bit little bit of freedom because you’re not unbiased. I don’t really feel like a lot has modified, however I discovered extra. Discovered easy methods to work a workforce and lead higher. If I by no means signed, it might’ve taken me three years to know what I do now. I believe I discovered an excessive amount of generally and I wish to return. Take me again earlier than the crimson capsule. After I see artists that don’t know what the f–ok is occurring, I’m like, “Rattling, keep over there. Don’t come to the label methods.” It’s enjoyable over there. The meme of Squidward wanting exterior his window. I’m just like the Squidward — you youngsters go have enjoyable. 

What’s been the hardest half being a lady in rap and being that younger? Has it been powerful to get taken significantly?

For certain. I really feel like I battle it on daily basis. I be wishing I used to be a man. I want I may roll up exterior and have my hair like I simply wakened and my t-shirt has a stain on it and ladies will nonetheless be like, “Oh my God.” I want, bro. Males obtained it actual good. There’s some guys I’m taking a look at like, the uglier they get, the extra the ladies like them. The dirtier they appear, the ladies are like, “Oh, I like this man.” I’m like, “Why?” Trying chopped and so they find it irresistible. I want I used to be a person generally. I be holding myself at gunpoint for actual, figuratively. 

What style developments are you messing with now?

Girls are dressing tremendous fireplace just lately. There’s a brand new surge of ladies, it’s like Yeezy coming again, however [for] ladies. The primary few seasons — season 4 and earlier than. The best way how ladies can costume proper now and so they’re making it look cool, I f—ok with. Even Billie Eilish and the big-ass [clothes] I f —ok with. 

How was it rising up between Cali and Japan?

I might go to Japan in the summertime. Rising up in California is fascinating. [New Yorkers] are far more sensible than Southern California. Southern California persons are very gradual and discuss like this. We’re actually laid again. Life is sort of a joke on the market virtually. They’re like demons on the market. You’ve gotten one thing on that appears cool, “Who’re you? The place do you’re employed? What automobile are you driving?” It’s so bizarre. It’s Instagram in actual life. I really like California. Good meals and nice climate, however lame socialization and partying. 

You’ve gotten so many alternative appears to be like and one among my co-workers requested in the event that they had been all the identical particular person. Does your driver’s license image look totally different to the purpose that you simply get stopped?

The one time I be wanting loopy totally different is that if I do know I’m gonna be on digicam or take pictures. My license proper now could be humorous and the woman at TSA requested if I drew on it with a Sharpie as a result of I’ve black grills in it. I used to be like, “Woman, this isn’t a yearbook photograph. I’m not gonna draw on my license like a five-year-old.” Somebody was calling me a shape-shifter the opposite day. It was my first time doing a magnificence shoot and so they had my photograph hung up with black hair and black grills and I confirmed up with blonde hair and blonde eyebrows. They had been like, “That doesn’t even seem like you, you’re a shape-shifter.” Someday I’ma get like a chameleon and stroll round and be twins. 

How was Paris Style Week?

So nice. I felt like a little bit lady. I by no means been to Europe or nothing. It was my first time being in Paris and my first huge Style Week. I by no means been to any exhibits. I had simply give up going to high school for style just a few months earlier than adjusting to music. I obtained to Style Week faster doing music. How does that work?

Who would we discover in your playlist proper now? Do you take heed to your self?

I’m not gonna lie, I be streaming myself. I been listening to this one music by Future, “Unimaginable.” It’s on HNDRXX. I simply listened to the brand new Rico [Nasty] album. I listened to a number of the Plaqueboymax. 

I’ve been listening to the PinkPantheress tape rather a lot.

She’s so fireplace. Someday I actually wish to hyperlink up along with her. 

What do you wish to get into exterior of music?

Actually simply the movie. Actually wish to get into modeling. I wish to encourage individuals and use me as their muse. I don’t wish to be the particular person main every part. I simply wish to be extra concerned in different individuals’s worlds. Have extra creative connections. I discovered extra people who do stuff that I f—ok with like portray and inventive course. I’m realizing I could be buddies with these individuals now as a result of I’ve constructed myself as much as construct a portfolio and clarify who I’m so now they f—ok with me. After I was a little bit child I wished to be in a collective of individuals and now I can begin constructing it. 

Who else is in your dream collaborator record?

I actually wish to work with Dej Loaf so unhealthy. It don’t even gotta come out. I simply wanna meet her and see what she obtained occurring. Future and Chief Keef. We simply did a session with Bryson Tiller, however we didn’t do something. It was intros. I actually wish to work with him. I wish to work with Hayley Williams so unhealthy. 

The place do you see your self in 10 years? What’s the objective?

2035, oh my gosh. In all probability with a child and a household, hopefully. This nation isn’t wanting like there’s many good household contenders. In 10 years, hopefully I’ll have a film or be a part of a film ultimately. Government producer or one thing. I gotta have [my own] garments by then.