It is no secret that Hailee Steinfeld has a packed schedule lately. The 20-year-old just finished filming Pitch Perfect 3 in Atlanta, is churning out hits such as “Starving” (featuring Zed) and her newest collaboration with Machine Gun Kelly “At My Best” is burning up the charts, not to mention she is prepping for the Met Ball, the fashion world’s annual extravaganza. “I’m going, but I don’t think I can say with who, it’s a secret!” laughs Steinfeld. The Oscar-nominated actress is adding one more item to her résumé: It was announced on Thursday that she is the new face of Mission women’s athletic wear, the brand that has counted on top athletes Serena Williams and Mia Hamm in the past.
Steinfeld (rocking the label’s high-waisted leggings and sports bra) and her choreographer Amy Allen celebrated the milestone by teaching a private dance class in Hollywood on Thursday where journalists and influencers got a taste of how the hitmaker preps for performances — and yes, it involved a lot of twerking.
Pret-a-Reporter: Why did you want to partner with Mission?
Steinfeld: Well, apart from Mission being an all-around amazing brand, I spend a lot of my time exercising and dancing, especially when I am touring. And when I have performances coming up, I spend most of my time in dance rehearsals, so I am always looking for something that I not only look good in but feel good in. I have had more situations where I wake up and I am frantically getting dressed and I’m like, “OK, I look cool, I am going to go dance,” and then all of the sudden I’m burning up and uncomfortable. There really is something so amazing about the cooling mechanism in these clothes. When you’re burning up and you’re heart is pounding, that’s really a bonus.
Besides dancing, how else do you like to stay in shape?
I love anything outdoors, whether that is running on the beach or walking, riding a bike, taking a hike, anything that doesn’t necessarily feel like you are working out. If you go to the park and are playing basketball or kicking a ball around and hours into it you’re crazy tired and didn’t realize how much work you put into, I love that sort of activity!
Is dancing new for you since you started singing?
I like to think I have always been dancing, I grew up dancing, but it’s definitely become more about discipline and conditioning. I’ve taken it a lot more seriously since I started singing, and that has been in the last two or three years.
How would you describe your everyday beauty routine?
When I am not doing anything, I like to keep it very fresh and simple. Sometimes it is the best feeling in the world to not have any makeup on, and I have learned to love that. I love that as much as I love putting makeup on and having my makeup done. But for everyday I keep it very simple.
Is there anything in the beauty world you are newly obsessed with?
I am obsessed with rose water — I have been for a minute. It is the perfect little refresher, I put it on my face. I feel like everyday I find out you can use it for something new or different, though.
What songs are on your workout playlist?
I like to change it up. Especially if I am doing similar workouts, I like to keep what I am listening to new and fresh and different. I live for Today’s Top Hits on Spotify. That’s my go-to. It’s such a good mix of everything you know and love and hear on the radio. I feel like when I am working out, the music really takes me out of it and I guess being involved in music it makes me think about how that certain song is making me feel in that certain moment. Whether I feel empowered or I am running on the treadmill and am looking for that extra bit of motivation, that inspires me when I go to make music.
If your song comes on Spotify, do you keep it or change it?
Oh, gosh! That rarely happens! It depends on what kind of mindset I’m in. Sometimes I’ll listen to it and I will think about what I can do onstage differently. But if I am almost done with my workout and I’m over it and tired, I’m like, “I cant hear this!” It just depends.