Saleka Channeled Rihanna & Rosalía For Her Acting Debut In ‘Trap’

On Aug. 2, with the release of M. Night Shyamalan’s latest movie Trap, a new pop idol joins the ranks of Ashley O from Black Mirror, Jocelyn from The Idol, and Hannah Montana. Lady Raven, the singer at the center of the new film, is portrayed by Shyamalan’s daughter Saleka — the director has previously used his daughter’s talents to contribute music to his films, but Trap marks Saleka’s on-camera debut and first time creating a whole album for a movie, which is available to stream now.

While the Philadelphia-based artist has been around red carpets and Hollywood her whole life, stepping in front of the camera was a new experience. But with her inhaler and lip gloss, she made it through the New York premiere and Boom Boom Room afterparty with grace and ease. Below, NYLON caught up with Saleka and chatted about channeling Rihanna for Lady Raven, working with Kid Cudi, and staying hydrated on marathon nights.

How was the premiere and the afterparty?

It was surreal. The going-to-the-premieres part is normal for our family, so that didn't feel different, but I didn't think I would be nervous getting into the theater and watching [Trap] with everybody. It was nerve-wracking having such a huge audience and seeing everybody react to it and feeling it that it's real, that it’s actually going to be out in the world. It was just a overwhelming thing. But at the reception, so many people were coming up and having such incredible, positive reactions to it. I felt very grateful.

Who gave you positive feedback that you were surprised by?

It was beautiful to reconnect with all the cast and the crew that I hadn't seen in a long time. Hayley [Mills] said a few very sweet things to me, and coming from this incredible female actress and icon, it really, really meant a lot. You never expect somebody like that to take the time to tell you they believe in you, so that was a super special moment. As Josh [Hartnett] was leaving, he was so sweet and complimentary of the project and me. I was like, “No, no, it's you.” And he was like, “No, no, no. Take the compliment. You're incredible.” That was also a very special moment I'll keep with me forever.

Do you think there's more acting in your future?

We'll see! I hope so. I love the intersection of music and film, and especially being able to write for film and TV. Whatever the role might be, if it's just creating original songs for a score or being part of the production, I love all of it, so I'm excited to explore all of that.

You're playing a singer, so the approach had to be different from writing a song for the score of a film. What was your mindset? What were the first conversations you and your father had about how you wanted Lady Raven to sound?

He came from the perspectives of the characters and what the film is supposed to feel like. What I was trying to figure out is what is a sound that can function as a pop concert — so when you're watching it, you feel like you're really at a pop concert — but also feel with Cooper's character as he's going through these crazy and intense things, and add to the eeriness, suspense and mischievousness of the plot? It was a balancing act within each scene. That balance was different and leaned more towards Cooper as the movie went on. It was an interesting challenge to place each song.

Tell me about getting to work with Kid Cudi on a song for the movie.

It was so incredible. He's the sweetest person and a true artist. He cares about the music first and foremost, and you feel that when you're working with him. He was so gracious; he came to Philly and brought the producer he works with on all his songs. The three of us sat in my studio and crafted a song from nothing, which was totally unique to anything I had ever done before. This song feels like a mixture of us, which is cool and hard to do. When you're featuring or having somebody feature, it usually leans towards one side of somebody's taste and the other person fits into that, but this one feels like a combination of both of our tastes. We went back and forth after finishing the production of the song, working on the lyrics and doing Zooms, and he was so open.

You also worked with Amaarae, who’s also incredible.

Me too. I'm a huge fan of hers. My sisters and I listen to her music all the time. I feel like she's going to blow up.

You have such a global perspective on music, and she's got so many different influences too, so I'm really excited to hear that song.

I had this song I created and wanted a feature for, and had a specific spot for it. The album has a lot of influences, and sometimes it's hard to find the perfect artist to feature on a track that has Indian and African influences. She was a dream artist for that song, and I was so happy she was willing to work on it with me.

You said you wanted to channel Taylor Swift with Lady Raven. Was there anyone else that you were picturing on stage?

When it came to the character on stage and even backstage, I was trying to channel these artists that do this all the time. So Taylor Swift was one, Rosalía is another, especially her stage presence and culture, and her blend of flamenco music with pop. I love how she blends that but still puts down a massive pop concert. Rihanna was another one; my dad and I were looking back at old performances of hers and the amazing stage presence she has, the dance moves, and the confidence.

Adele was another one. There are a couple of stripped-down moments and ballads that are important points of the movie, and so we used Adele as an inspiration for those. The integrity she has in her shows and the way she connects with her fans through these vulnerable, raw, lyric-driven moments is amazing. But Taylor Swift we also talked a lot about, in the sense that she's not just a performer. She's a CEO of her company, she's this ultimate boss woman who runs everything. She's not just the face you see, she's doing all of this work behind the scenes.

When you're out on the town in New York, what’s in your bag?

I'm not out on the town in New York often, but last night, my inhaler was a key element, and my lipstick. I was insanely dehydrated, and I should’ve have had a water bottle with me the entire night. I'm not a person that goes out of the town that often, so I have to learn what things I need. Definitely lip gloss for after I use my inhaler.