Hailee Steinfeld has been busier than ever. After her hit song “Starving” soared up the Billboard charts, she’s been juggling a packed schedule with appearances around the globe. Her rise to stardom was on full display when she pulled off double duties in one night at the same event, showing just how unstoppable she is.
Hailee Steinfeld looks stunning with her long, wavy hairstyle and radiant smile, perfectly complemented by her bold winged eyeliner and soft pink lips at the 2016 Billboard “Women In Music” at Pier 36 in New York on December 9, 2016 (Credit: Dan Jackman / Ivan Nikolov / WENN)
Hosting and Performing at Billboard’s Women in Music 2016
In December 2016, the then-20-year-old hosted and performed her hit singles at Billboard’s 2016 Women in Music event in New York.
Hailee Steinfeld joined fellow young singers Bea Miller, Chloe x Halle, and Daya to celebrate Alessia Cara, who was honored with the “Rule Breaker” award.
Hailee glowed in a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti “Harmony” sandals on the carpet
Hailee channeled her salsa-dancing self by wearing an orange-and-black ruffled dress from Jonathan Simkhai’s Resort 2017 collection. Hailee’s version was customized since the original dress had white ruffles instead of her neon orange ones.
The singer finished her look with black Swarovski bracelets and a pair of Giuseppe Zanotti “Harmony” sandals in black patent.
She wore the same shoes in a different color with a bright yellow sequined and beaded dress from J. Mendel’s Fall 2016 collection for the 2016 Nickelodeon Halo Awards.
Hailee looked salsa-ready in a ruffled creation from Jonathan Simkhai’s Resort 2017 collection
Behind the Scenes: Hailee on Nerves, Success, and Inspiration
Interviewed before the event, Hailee Steinfeld expressed her excitement and nervousness about hosting and performing at the event. She said, “I always feel like my excitement overrides the nerves,” but admitted she was “quite nervous” since it was her first time hosting. However, she was also excited, describing the room as “filled with incredible people that I’m just incredibly inspired by.”
When asked about her song “Starving” doing well on the Billboard charts, she explained that she had been told early in her music career that “one chart matters very, very much more than a lot, and that being Billboard.” Being mentioned in connection with Billboard was an “incredible honor” for her, especially with a song she was “so proud of.”
A Shining Star Amongst Her Peers
Hailee Steinfeld shared that she is inspired by many people daily, saying, “I have so many people that inspire me daily, I’m so lucky to have that.” She explained that anyone who has a dream and follows it inspires her: “If you have a dream… you stop at nothing and you have no choice but to pursue it. It’s all about being passionate and prepared and persistent.”
Hailee also praised singer Alessia Cara, revealing how she first discovered her music: “I discovered your EP on Spotify… I was like, damn, I’m really into this.” After closely listening to Alessia’s lyrics, Hailee described her as “a true representation of what any girl should look up to and want to be,” calling her “aspirational and such a badass.” She added, “I love you, I think you’re amazing, and thanks for being you.”