Grace VanderWaal talks new single 'Clearly' and learning to model

Carly Mallenbaum | USA TODAY

Grace VanderWaal didn't mislead with the title of her album Just the Beginning.

Indeed, VanderWaal — the 14-year-old musician who won America's Got Talent in 2016 — has been busy since debuting her first full-length release to raves. She embarked on a solo tour, began modeling professionally, and announced she's opening for Imagine Dragons this summer and releasing a single and music video on Friday.

The new song, Clearly, reimagines Johnny Nash's I Can See Clearly Now as a moody pop tune with VanderWaal's delightfully raspy vocals. (VanderWaal has been teasing the song's release on Twitter.)

Can we expect more singles soon? That's one of many questions USA TODAY had for the singer/songwriter.

Question: You're about a dozen stops into your tour. How have the shows been since your first concert in November, when you told us about your stress and hives?

VanderWaal: It gets easier and better. Every show is the same set list. I'm trying to have the same talking points, but (slightly) change what I say, in case someone is watching more than one show.

The crowd really controls how I am onstage. One show, it might be a lot of young people, super-high-energy dancing. I mirror that. Other shows, it's much more calm.

Q: You have a lot of young fans. Are you accustomed to their screaming for you?

VanderWaal: I actually have ear monitors in my ears. I can still hear people, but I can control how loud it is. I keep it pretty low, because my fans are so young that both boys' and girls' voices are loud. If the crowd is singing along, the sound will be turned up in my ears.

If a fan is super into it and knows every word and is dancing like no one's watching, I'll call them back after the show.

Q: Last month you announced that you'd open for Imagine Dragons on their summer tour. You tweeted the news with a shocked-face emoji. Is that how you feel?

VanderWaal: I found out a couple of months ago it could be a possibility, but I was trying to not go crazy for it. I knew it was a long shot, because they're really huge. I've never met them.

Q: You recently became an IMG model and have a campaign with Kate Spade. How is modeling professionally different from posting your own self-directed shoots on social media?

VanderWaal: It's kind of hard to navigate through, but I've made my own rules for myself. Things like Kate Spade and stuff is nuts. I have to be very professional and kind of take their direction.

Q: What kind of direction have you been given?

VanderWaal: (For a Kate Spade smartwatch ad) I was told to "play with the watch" and "be fascinated by the watch." I had to spin in the chair I was sitting in 50 times. I thought I was gonna throw up.

Q: Why did you decide to make a new version of I Can See Clearly Now?

VanderWaal: It actually wasn't my idea at all. The producer, Ido (Zmishlany, who was a producer on VanderWaal's album), and a couple others, were reimagining the song and adding to it. He asked me to join in and help out a little and maybe even sing it, and I ended up really liking it.

Q: Can we expect more covers soon? More original singles?

VanderWaal: I do (write) and I have been, about school and my new experiences. My fans should always be ready for new music.