Nel Mescal isn't making music to go viral on TikTok, and is trying to distance herself from the fame of her actor brother, Paul Mescal.
The 21-year-old singer-songwriter had already begun her music career around the time her sister rose to fame playing the idol Connell in the 2020 romantic psychological drama series Normal People, but since she wasn't as far along in her career at the time, it's understandable that people might assume she's just riding on the coattails of a famous name.
Paul, 28, has since become a major movie star and will next star in the Gladiator sequel.
Nell, who released her debut EP, Can I Miss it for a Minute?, in May, told The Independent: “I was already a musician. [Paul got famous].
“From an outsider's perspective, I see that someone becomes famous, [another] Someone who knows what they're doing.”
This musician has worked hard to get to where he is now and wants to be involved in music for the rest of his life.
She continued, “Especially now with this EP, I hope that people who think that's the only reason I'm doing this listen and realize that I don't just want to be here for TikTok moments or anything.”
“I want to keep doing this until I'm about 70 years old and I can't do it anymore.”
Nell, who accompanied Strangers star Daniel Radcliffe to the Oscars, insists that the music world is very different to the acting world, adding: “I don't think people realise how far apart music and film are. When I go to these events with Daniel I'm just running around like a fly on the wall.”
Nell admitted it was “horrifying” to have no say in the rumours being spread about her brother.
She said: “We think they're really funny because they're just not true at all. I mean, who would make these things up?!”
“It's pretty tough not being able to say, 'Damn, that's not true.' It's appalling.”
And the singer said that although she has lost people in her life who think her career is “weird”, she is “very lucky” to have the support of her family, including her brother Donnacha, with whom she lives in London.
His mother, Dearbhla, who recently battled cancer, worked as a police officer and his father, Paul, was a school teacher.