Few artists arrive with as much performance experience as Seanna Pereira, but Love Department feels like the moment she’s truly introducing herself on her own terms. Across six emotionally charged pop songs, the Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter transforms heartbreak, self-discovery and growing pains into a debut EP that’s polished, vulnerable and instantly relatable.
When we last caught up with Seanna in April, “Arsonist” had only hinted at where she was heading. A few months later, that vision is much clearer. While continuing to balance music with an acting career that includes 24: Legacy, Valor, and several feature films, she’s writing with greater confidence, sharper storytelling and a willingness to let listeners see the person behind the songs.
In this catch-up edition of 18 Questions, Seanna reflects on making Love Department, learning to embrace vulnerability, balancing acting with music, and why, at just 21, she feels like she’s only getting started.
1. When we last spoke in April, “Arsonist” had just introduced a new side of you. Now you’re releasing your debut EP, Love Department. Looking back, what feels most different about you as an artist today?
When I released “Arsonist,” it was only my second single, so I was still trying to find my sound and figure things out as I went. Now, after releasing the EP, although I still don’t have a lot of it figured out yet, I’ve had a lot of personal growth through this period, and I feel more confident today than ever and ready to continue finding my way and releasing music!
2. Why did Love Department feel like the right title for this collection? At what point did you realise these songs all belonged together?
When I made the song “Love Department,” it quickly became one of my favorites, and I knew I wanted it on the EP. When I was thinking of titles for the EP, it immediately clicked that Love Department was the title. The EP explores my relationships, whether it’s in romance, friendships, or self-love. It’s all different aspects of the love department, which is why I felt like it tied everything together perfectly.
3. The EP explores complicated relationships, independence and self-worth. Was there one experience that became the emotional starting point for the whole project?
I honestly think it was a buildup of multiple experiences I was dealing with as a young woman, such as heartbreak and struggles with self-confidence and finding my purpose, but I’m so grateful I was able to take those experiences and turn them into something as meaningful and beautiful as music.
4. Your songs are very personal, but they also feel incredibly relatable. How do you decide which parts of your own life you’re comfortable turning into music?
As a singer-songwriter, the actual making of the music comes naturally to me, as it’s always felt like a safe space where I’m able to be vulnerable. But actually putting it out into the world has been the most terrifying part. I got to a point where I realized that if this is what I want to do, I need to be comfortable sharing it with the world, and ultimately I want fans to be able to connect with my music and relate to the experiences I’m writing about. In order to do that, I try to be my most authentic self when creating these songs. I think the beauty of songwriting, though, is that not everything is literal, and there are ways to turn experiences into music that don’t necessarily mean you’re sharing your whole life online.
5. Fans have already heard “Options,” “Arsonist,” and “Chemistry.” Which of the unreleased tracks do you think will surprise people the most, and why?
I would say the song “Love Department,” because it’s a ballad, and you see a different, more emotional side of me come out. It took me releasing those first few songs to really get comfortable digging deep and starting to get even more vulnerable with my music, which is something I’m going to continue doing going forward, and I can’t wait for fans to hear it and learn more about me through the process.
6. If someone could only hear one song from Love Department, which would you choose to introduce them to Seanna Pereira in 2026?
Probably “Arsonist.” It’s actually the first song I wrote for the EP and ended up being one of my favorites. It’s deep and emotional but still pop and catchy, which I love. I also think it’s a song a lot of people can relate to, whether that’s dealing with a toxic relationship or wanting to be with someone even though you know it might end in heartbreak.
7. Your music has this polished pop sound, but there’s still an emotional rawness underneath it. How do you stop the production from overpowering the honesty of the lyrics?
I’m such a perfectionist, and I go back and forth with my producers in the studio to really find that sweet spot where I feel like the production and vocals are perfect. So depending on the song, whether that means going in ten times or only a few, I really try to make it as good as it can be, but it also depends on the song. When I want real vulnerability, I definitely love a more stripped-back production where I’m just focusing on the lyrics and the vocals.
8. Has making this EP changed the way you think about love, or did it simply help you understand your own experiences better?
A hundred percent. Reliving past experiences while writing this has allowed me to look at them through a different lens and really dissect the situation, which may or may not have changed my perspective. It’s also allowed me to better understand my own emotions, and it’s taught me that it’s okay to not be perfect and not have everything figured out. I’m only 21, but I’ve always felt a lot older than I am, so sometimes I have to take a step back and remind myself that this is only the beginning.
9. You balance acting and music so naturally. Are there moments where one creative outlet teaches you something that directly improves the other?
Yes, my acting background gave me such a love for storytelling and creating connections with people, which I’ve now been able to bring into my music, whether it’s through vulnerable songwriting and telling a story through the music, or an actual music video where I’m able to play a character or create a story to go along with the song and build a visual representation that makes people feel or see the song more deeply.
10. Every release so far has come with strong visuals. How involved are you in shaping the visual identity of each song, and how important is that world-building to you?
The visuals are everything to me, and when writing a song, I’m already thinking of the visual world and story I want to build around it!
11. You’re writing about young adulthood at a time when so many people are trying to figure themselves out. Do you ever feel a responsibility knowing listeners might see their own lives reflected in your songs?
Yes, which is why I try to be as honest and authentic in my songs. I hope listeners can connect with my music and use it as a way to cope with whatever they may be going through, and also as a reminder that they’re not alone, even though when you’re in the midst of something, it can feel like no one around you understands you. I hope my music can be a way to help them through it.
12. Has there been a piece of advice you’ve received over the last year that’s genuinely changed the way you approach your career?
I think the biggest thing I remind myself of day-to-day is that everything happens for a reason, and the people around me remind me of that a lot, which definitely helps, especially when I’m going through a low moment. You just have to realize that something better is coming. It’s hard, especially being young and having such a passion for something, I tend to be so hard on myself. But I’m trying to focus on the art and just the creating, because that’s all that matters at the end of the day.
13. What part of releasing music still makes you the most nervous, even after everything you’ve accomplished in film and television?
I’ve gotten better at it as I’ve gotten older, but I really care about what people think. With something as personal as my music, it can be hard not to let other people’s opinions dictate the way you feel about yourself and your art. It’s definitely something I’m trying to work on, and at the end of the day, I’ve realized that as long as I love it and want to put it out into the world, whether one person likes it or a million people like it, if I can help even one person, that’s all that matters to me. It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks, because we all have our own opinions.
14. If you could go back and give the version of yourself who released her very first single one piece of advice, what would it be?
I’d tell her that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. As you go, everything will fall into place the way it’s meant to.
15. Is there a lyric anywhere on Love Department that still catches you off guard every time you sing it?
In my song “It’s Never Enough,” the line in the bridge:
“I’m gonna do whatever it takes
Give you my all
I’ll bend till I break
Wherever you are
I’ll run through the rain
I’m not gonna lose my twin flame”
It really simply describes the feeling of wanting to do whatever it takes because you love a person so much and want to be with them no matter what, which I think a lot of people can relate to.
16. Your music feels made for repeat listens, but what does a perfect first listen look like in your mind? Headphones, a late-night drive, dancing with friends…?
When I’m listening to music, I immediately get in my car, even if I’m not driving anywhere haha. Just being in that atmosphere with the music blasting is how I feel like I’m really able to listen to something for the first time.
17. If you could collaborate with one producer or artist who would push you completely outside your comfort zone, who would it be, and what kind of song would you want to make together?
Definitely Dan Nigro. I love the dynamics his production brings to every song! It really feels like taking a journey, not just through the lyrics themselves but through the music too. I love when a song feels like it has a bunch of different parts within it, and I think that’s true artistry. Being able to collaborate with him would be amazing, and I think it would push me really outside my comfort zone both sonically and lyrically.
18. This EP feels like the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. When people finish listening to Love Department, what do you hope they understand about who Seanna Pereira is becoming as an artist?
I hope after listening to the EP, listeners are able to feel like they took a step inside my world and the struggles that a lot of people deal with while navigating young adulthood. It feels like it was the perfect debut project for me, and start to finish, it really describes all the emotions I was going through at the time. But I’m also excited for that chapter to close, and for me to grow and create more music while continuing to develop my audience.
Love Department is out now, follow via @seannapereira
