Carly Rae Jepsen Talks Authenticity, Making Her Secret Disco Album And What's Next

Carly Rae Jepsen, the force behind the unforgettable song "Call Me Maybe," continues to wow her fans as she tours in support of her newest album "Dedicated," which released in May. Recently, the singer-songwriter sat down with SF Weekly to discuss the current state of pop music and how she fits into that ecosystem.

"Dedicated" marked her first album since 2015's "Emotion," and was met with mostly positive reviews. However, Jepsen says she has remained kind of "oblivious" to the response due to being "in travel mode."

While discussing her growth in confidence, the "I Really Like You" songstress divulged that she has also started to feel more freedom as she's grown.

"When I was younger and first moved to Los Angeles, I think I was in the space of 'What will people like?' rather than 'What will feel authentic and true to me?' That's a scary and brave thing to do in music, but I think I'm getting better at that," she said.

Continuing, she acknowledged what she has always "taken pop seriously," even in times when others may have refrained from doing so as the genre has often been viewed as "bubblegum and simple."

Jepsen, 33, also revealed that she created a "secret" disco album that will likely never see the light of day.

"I had an album named 'Disco Sweat' that will probably never be released, and shouldn't," she said, adding, "I started off with a very strong intention to make an understated disco, living room dance party thing. I think that came from going to Sweden and really digging into some ABBA stuff."

Jepsen believes that "Julien," a song off "Dedicated," exemplifies the disco infusion she was looking for before moving out of that space and into something different in her musical career. Eventually, she said she found some songs that were "a little '90s" that she wanted to delve into, ones that made more sense for her.

"... 'Disco Sweat,' that will be buried in my backyard," she shared.

As for what lies ahead, Jepsen said she's currently enjoying touring. "This does feel like the tour I've been waiting to do so far in my life. I've learned so much from the past, and this one feels like it's mine. We'll see what happens next."