Tuesday Spotlight: Taylor Nicole Smith

This incredibly creative 2x NWSL champion, NCAA champion, USWNT SheBelievesCup champion, and 2x Challenge Cup champion is entering a new chapter in her life. Last week, Taylor Nicole Smith released the first single from her new EP, “VICES,” a dreamy pop/R&B project exploring Black lesbian love, healing, and self-expression under the name of Pretty T.

On the eve of the release of this 7-track EP, we sat down with Taylor to chat about the project, the creative process behind it, and the jump from soccer into the music space.

*Interview has been edited for brevity and clarity

Q: When did you first start to feel the inspiration for this music project?

Taylor Smith: I’ve always loved music, but for the past eight to ten years, my energy was fully devoted to soccer. That was my world.

The main inspiration behind this project came from wanting to show up as my authentic self. I really wanted to create a space for people like me — and to do that, I had to be fully present and unapologetic.

For so long, I was in spaces that operated within systems where people like me — Black, queer individuals — were often silenced or overlooked. Transitioning to music gave me an outlet to express myself and create that space not only for me, but for others, too.

The whole project is centered around Black queer love. When it came time to produce it, I was intentional about working with Black creatives. I partnered with The Content House, a Black and queer-owned production company. It was powerful to collaborate with people who look like me and share similar values, while also giving back and employing them.

At the heart of it, I wanted this project to inspire conversations, create change, and show people there’s a space for everyone.

Q: When we last spoke, we focused on your soccer career, and we touched a lot on how your journey with the sport started. Now, I want to go back and hear about your musical journey. Where did your love for music begin, and how has it evolved alongside your career as a professional athlete?

Taylor: I’ve loved music since I was young, but when you’re playing professional soccer, it takes up everything — your time, energy, and even your creative capacity. There wasn’t much room to explore music.

As I got deeper into my career, I faced a lot of injuries — I tore both of my adductors at Gotham FC, tore an ACL, and cracked an AC joint. During that time, I leaned on two things: healing my body and exploring creativity.

I actually got certified as a personal trainer because I love how taking care of your body can truly change your life. At the same time, I started to seek out another creative outlet since I couldn’t express myself through soccer in the same way anymore. Music became that outlet.

I started small, just researching “how to make music at home.” I learned how to create beats, write lyrics, and slowly began collaborating with other creatives who helped me expand my ideas. Over time, the songs evolved so much. The first version of a track is completely different from the final mastered version people will hear.

For a while, I didn’t even tell my friends I was making music. I kept it private, like this little seed I needed to protect. When I finally shared it, it felt amazing to see the support I had — friends showing up, people believing in me. That meant the world.

Now, I’m already working on my second EP, and it feels incredible to know how far I’ve come.

Q: A lot of people dream about pursuing something creative, but it can feel intimidating to actually take that leap. How did you move from dreaming about making music to actually doing it?

Taylor: Fear holds so many people back.

I’ve always been creative — I’ve had a YouTube channel, done streaming, podcasting — but I struggled with being seen. There’s this fear of judgment, or of your art not being “good enough.”

Eventually, I realized people are going to have opinions no matter what. Everyone experiences life through their own lens. The only thing I can control is showing up authentically. When I live fully as myself, it encourages others to do the same.

We’ve been conditioned to believe success looks a certain way — a steady job, a family, financial security. But success isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s a spectrum, and everyone has access to it.

For me, making that leap meant saying: I’m going to define success for myself. I didn’t want to just exist in systems that didn’t serve me. Instead, I wanted to inspire others to speak their truth and express themselves.

Everyone has the ability to create their own life. It just takes courage to show up and be seen.

Q: Once you had the songs, how did you bring the project to life visually?

Taylor: It really grew from a single idea into a full visual world.

I’m inspired by artists like ASAP Rocky and Lenny Kravitz. I knew I wanted my sound to be a mix of pop and R&B — unapologetic, dreamy, and romantic. I’m a hopeless romantic, so that vibe is all over the project.

Once the music came together, I started picturing the visuals. That’s when I brought in The Content House. They handled everything: hiring talent, finding locations, production — all of it.

We shot four full visuals in just one day, which was incredibly ambitious. Watching everyone work in their zone of genius was surreal. It felt like being part of something much bigger than myself.

Growing up, I didn’t see many people who looked like me in either soccer or music. This project was my way of saying: We exist. We belong here. I want people to see my work and think, “I can do that too.”

Q: How do the seven tracks on your EP fit together? What story are you telling across the project?

Taylor: The songs are about being unapologetically yourself — speaking your mind, embracing who you are, and celebrating love.

I wanted to highlight Black queer love, to show that love can look so many different ways.

Each track has its own vibe, but they connect through this thread of authenticity. They’re romantic and raw. I hope people not only enjoy my vision, but also see the work of the entire team that brought it to life.

At its core, this project is about freedom — freedom to express yourself, to love who you love, and to take up space.

Q: This project took over a year to complete. What does it feel like now, knowing it’s about to be out in the world?

Taylor: Honestly, it feels surreal.

When I started, I put so much pressure on myself to make everything perfect. Over time, I learned to let that go and enjoy the process. You can hear that transformation in the music and see it in the visuals.

I’m proud of myself for showing up. I’m proud of my team for believing in this vision. And more than anything, I feel lucky — lucky to be creating, lucky to be surrounded by people who support me, lucky to be living authentically.

And now, I’m already excited to start working on what’s next.

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to other athletes — or anyone really — who’s considering pursuing something in the creative fields?

Taylor: There is always space for you to be yourself.

When I was younger, I didn’t always feel like I belonged anywhere. Over time, I realized that space exists within you first. You can create it, and you can find others who will support you.

Figure out what your definition of success is. Don’t let other people decide that for you.

For me, I wish I’d told my younger self: Enjoy the experience. Show up as yourself. Create fearlessly.

***

You can find the release schedule for all 7 tracks from the EP below:

Be Like Me | 9/5

Como Te Llamas | 9/12

B2K | 9/19

What You Like | 9/26

Vices | 10/4

All Mine | 10/10

No Apologies | 10/17