“You just get such an adrenaline rush”: When Hailee Steinfeld made her feelings clear about performing live on stage 

Hailee Steinfeld, who became a Hollywood sensation as an actress before venturing into music in 2015, has never hidden her enthusiasm for performing live. She shared the experience, In an interview with TIME magazine, published on November 12, 2015, she opened up about her experience, talking about the rush she experiences from performing live.

"You just get such an adrenaline rush. With acting, rarely do you feel that because you don’t get that live freaction [sic]. There aren’t people in front of you going crazy," she explained during the interview.

Steinfeld added that the live reaction that musicians get from their audience while performing was something one can rarely get in acting. This adrenaline rush has become one of the driving forces behind Steinfield's growing music career.

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Hailee Steinfeld's shift to live music performance

Hailee Steinfeld at "Sinners" European Premiere – Arrivals (Image via Getty)

In 2015, when she was interviewed, Hailee Steinfeld was busy creating her debut music endeavors, such as her EP titled Haiz. In the interview, she noted the differences in her experiences in her acting projects and her music, adding that performing live gave her an "adrenaline rush" that one could not get in acting. Hailee emphasized her enthusiasm for performing, saying that the thrill of live performances was like nothing she had ever been through.

"I’ve heard musicians talk about how there’s absolutely nothing like performing live, and you can only imagine, right? Going to concerts and seeing my favorite artists perform is probably my favorite thing to do ever. Having the opportunity to do it myself, I completely understand what they’ve all meant."

Steinfeld, who described attending concerts and watching her beloved artists perform as her "favorite thing to do ever," said that she finally had the opportunity to feel that thrill for herself.

Steinfeld also said that she was looking forward to embracing live performance as she readied to go on stage during the Jingle Ball tour. Reflecting her enthusiasm for her approaching shows, she noted,

"I haven’t done it much—I’m going on the Jingle Ball tour next month, which I’m so looking forward."

Hailee Steinfeld at SiriusXM's Mike Muse Hosts A Special With The Cast Of "Sinners" (Image via Getty)

She also talked about the way she was getting used to the concept of live performance, stating,

"It’s something I feel you prepare for, and the minute I get off stage I’ll be like, “I want to go back into rehearsals and make this better! I know that I can continue working on this!”

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Performance style and choreography

Hailee Steinfeld at Sinners - Photocall Mexico City (Image via Getty)

In a 2015 interview with TIME, Hailee Steinfeld indicated that she was still discovering her style of performance. She said that was in the process of experimenting with different elements of her shows, from choreography to interacting with her live band. She said during the interview at the time that she was "still figuring it out."

This was early on in her music career, and she hadn't yet finalized her stage presence. When talking about her influences, Steinfeld also shared that she was taking inspiration from a lot of artists that she was a fan of. She talked about her love for dancing, saying:

"I love to dance, and that’s one idea, but I also love performing with a live band, and that’s something I never thought I’d be able to do."

The interviewer then told Steinfield playfully that she can both dance and have a live band, to which the artist responded, "This is true!"

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Hailee Steinfeld’s latest project was the supernatural thriller movie Sinners, which was released on April 18, 2025. She starred as "Mary" in the film, and also released the single Dangerous from its soundtrack. She will reprise her voice role as Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, expected later in 2025.