The 19-year-old outspoken Disney star sat down with Hunger magazine in a candid interview, as she opens up about career, race and cultural appropriation.

"I don't like speaking about things that I don't know about," she said. "But cultural appropriation is something that I can understand, and something that I can appreciate people being concerned about. You witness it all the time, and for me at least, being someone who's very proud of where I'm from, I think it's important to be vocal. Obviously, both my parents are American, and were born in America, but America is such a melting pot - everyone's from everywhere."

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Actress, singer, dancer, producer and now shoe designer (with her stylist Law Roach), Zendaya, has been in the industry since she was 12, had commenced from smaller parts and a co-starring role to her Disney show, K.C. Undercover, which debuted early this year.

According to her interview with Hunger, her next venture is set to send her stratospheric: her sophomore album. Currently in the studio with Babyface, Diane Warren and Timbaland - who between them have contributed to the careers of the likes of Justin Timberlake and Whitney Houston - Zendaya is likely to be catapulted into the same league as Rihanna and Taylor Swift, the latter of whom is already a close friend and asked Zendaya to be in her "Bad Blood" music video.

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The K.C. Undercover star also reveals that at some point she was changed both as a person and as an artist.

"I think I've changed a lot," Zendaya stated. "I've grown up. I've learnt a lot about myself as a human being, and as an artist as well. I'm more independent now, and I've had to take on more responsibilities."

When asked about how she controls in dealing with projects, the star admits, "I try and have as much as possible, because I'm a control freak, and I'm a perfectionist" she says, "It's just in my DNA. I always got in trouble at school for being bossy. Some people like to say the word bossy. I prefer the word leader, or just boss, without the y at the end. That trait can be good! Obviously sometimes people take it too far, but I think it can be good if you harness the right power."

In fact, the young star is not affected with the label "child star," to her, it was somewhat a broadening of her career and can somehow relate to younger fans who likes her music.

"To me it's not a transition, it's just broadening my career and my fan base", said Zendaya. "Transitioning means you leave something behind and you start something new. I'm not leaving the Disney Channel behind, nor am I leaving behind the kid fans, because they still exist. I'm just opening up the door to all the other people that could be possible fans, or would maybe enjoy my music. If you think of it like that then it's more successful, because then you're not alienating any group of people."

Tags
Zendaya, Career, Race