“I live in LA but I’m originally from Michigan—it’s boring there. [Laughs] I started writing music when I was 18, and, to be honest, I sucked at it. But I'm getting better, I suppose. My first album [_ Dirty Gold_] just came out, so I’m freaking the fuck out right now.

The music scene used to be a lot more 'hip-hop' than it is right now, which is why I was interested in making an album that was more, like, genre- less. I'm working with producers like Greg Kurstin, who works with Katy Perry; Mike Dean, who works with Kanye West; Malay, who does Frank Ocean; and Markus Dravs, who does Coldplay—imagine all of those elements playing together.

I want to be a rock star. That’s why I’m so in my own head, that’s why I dress this way. I wear whatever I want, but I don’t do my own makeup; I don’t even know how to apply it, really. I’m learning, swiftly, but I couldn’t have done what I have on right now. But I know I like Bobbi Brown because they have these cool, matte Face Touch Up Sticks, and I don’t have to struggle to find a color that works for me. You just put powder over it and you’re good to go all day, legitimately.

When I want to wear more than that, I like a smoky eye with black or brown eyeshadow, and I always use eyeliner. For my lashes, I get individual ones applied at a salon in LA. It takes two hours—you’re just sitting there while they do it one by one by one, and you come out looking amazing! Then I just brush on my favorite mascara— MAC Haute & Naughty, and it looks really great.

I take care of my skin with two things: these Shiseido Benefiance Pure Retinol Intensive Face Masks that my manager gets me, and fresh green juices. The masks make my skin look amazing and the juices just make my skin pop. I go to Pressed Juicery in LA and get the one with all of the greens—kale and spinach and everything—with some lemon and ginger on the side. Sometimes I drink them twice a day. It also helps with dehydration, because I don’t like the taste of water—it’s so gross! With the luxury of having all these different flavors of liquids in the world, why would you want to have just plain-ass water? [Laughs]

In terms of my hair, I just went blond. When I was getting it done at Salon Sims recently, I was like, ‘You know what? I want to bleach it grey.’ And they were like, ‘ Nooo, you can’t. You’ll strip it, and it will be really ugly, and blah, blah, blah...’ So I just went for the lightest blond I could possibly get.

Image is very important in music, so it’s essential to know who you are and how you want to be perceived. Aesthetically, I think Grace Jones is really cool. And I think Anais Mali is physically perfect. She always goes for a really bare, minimal look that works great with her style. I’m not going to walk into a room one day dressed in drapey, airy, Rick Owens shit, and the next day in kitten heels and bunny ears—you have to be consistent. I don’t do the whole 'sex appeal' thing. I’m more of a grunge type of girl. I don’t do that whole dressy shit, like right now I’m wearing a lot of Skingraft, which is very much in the vein of Rick Owens. I’m so bummed I missed his show at fashion week! I got really busy, and I saw it online and was like, ‘ Are you kidding me?’ I could have been there!”

—as told to ITG

Angel Haze photographed by Emily Weiss in New York on November 13, 2013. Buy her debut album Dirty Gold here.