The Stars Of Electric Bloom Talk Friendship, Representation, and the Power of Girl Groups
Disney Channel is tapping into the resurgence of girl groups with Electric Bloom, a new show that follows a girl band that met in middle school and how their pre-famous lives fuel their future as superstars. Lumi Pollack, Carmen Sanchez, and Ruby Marino spoke with with Pop Culture Planet’s Kristen Maldonado to discuss their real-life bond, their connection to their characters, and what this project means to them.
Posey, Jade, and Tulip may be very different from each other, but they find an immediate connection through music. That bond was just an instantaneous for the actresses. “Honestly, it felt super natural. From the very first chemistry read, we clicked in a way that felt real. We spent so much time together, whether it was rehearsing music, goofing off between takes, or just talking about life. That real friendship made it so much easier to bring their connection to life on screen,” said Sanchez, as Pollack agreed: “When you spend almost every day with someone for six months, I think a bond is inevitable, but I think in this case, it's very special with us. I also feel like our friendship is very easily translatable on screen because of our off-screen bond.”
Not only did they quickly bond, but they felt a strong kinship with their characters. “I saw a lot of myself with Tulip when I first read the script. I felt like I could connect to her in a way I hadn’t been able to with other characters,” said Marino. “Like Tulip, I care deeply about my friends and I love talking to new people.”
“I fell in love with Posey because she is so strong-willed and inspiring to me. She's extremely she on her goals, and I think that's something that I can really identify with,” Pollack said. “When she sets her mind on something, it's very hard for her to turn back. She also loves her friends and is a very loyal girl.”
Sanchez shared: “I was really drawn to Jade’s fire, she’s bold, creative, and totally herself, even when it’s not easy. What I love most is how she leads with her heart, even when she’s being tough. I connect with that a lot, especially growing up in a big Hispanic family where expressing yourself and standing up for what you believe in is everything.”
Representation is at the core of Electric Bloom as the actresses get to share their own cultures and backgrounds with their characters. “It means the world to me. Growing up, I didn’t always see Hispanic girls who looked like me on screen, especially in leading roles,” explained Sanchez. “Getting to play Jade, who has elements of my culture and background in her story, is such a full-circle moment. I hope kids watching feel proud of who they are, because our differences are what make us powerful.”
“I think our show is so special because it represents a lot of different cultures and backgrounds. I really appreciated the writers going above and beyond make my character reflect my ethnicity,” said Marino, with Pollack adding: “Representation means a lot to me. I love that kids watching the show can see themselves in us, whether it's through our cultures or our personalities. We haven't gotten to see much of Posey's background, but I would love to explore it further if we get to come back for more episodes!”
The cast agreed the concert sequences were the most exciting to film. “There’s one night I’ll never forget, when we filmed our first full group performance with all the lights, choreography, and live vocals,” recalled Sanchez. “The energy on set was electric, and we all just looked at each other like, ‘We’re really doing this.’ It felt like magic.”
“Even though it wasn’t a real concert the crowd's energy just felt so real and in the moment I was just like ‘Wow, we're really living this dream.’ It was also just so amazing to see all the crew behind the scenes knowing all the lyrics and like jumping up and down and jamming to the songs like they were real fans,” continued Pollac. “Another amazing memory is when we walked on the set for the first time and it was like walking into Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. We got to see all the different rooms and sets and it was the beginning of a very exciting new chapter.”
They called it “surreal” to work on a set with Disney icons like guest stars Maia Kealoha and Dara Reneé and directors Danielle Fishel and Phill Lewis. “Maia Kealoha felt like everyone’s little sister immediately. Dara was incredibly kind and genuine,” enthused Marino. “Danielle and Phill were such inspirations to me growing up and it felt amazing to work with them. They say ‘Don’t meet your heroes,’ but they exceeded my expectations.”
“Working with people like Phill Lewis and Danielle Fishel, people I grew up watching was a dream. They brought so much heart and wisdom to the project. I learned so much just by watching them, especially how they balanced fun with professionalism. It pushed me to bring my A-game,” said Sanchez, with Pollack elaborating: “Each of them gave us so much advice on staying grounded and bringing truth to our performances. I've learned so much just by watching them. We all felt so fortunate to have so many creative minds come together to make the show. And they're all just such amazing, lovely people.”
Adding to the magic was getting to sing original music written by the legendary Diane Warren. “It's so wild that we had songs written just for us, and to sing songs that were written by Diane Warren is just unreal. She's such a force and also just the coolest person ever,” said Pollack. “My favorite song is “The Lies We Tell Our Hearts.” It's just a great song. I love all the songs and I love how they all are mostly messages about girl power. This one's a little bit of a heartbreak song, but it's still really fun to listen to and jam out to. The episode where we sing that song is also a really special episode for our characters to bond. It's the first time that we see a true heartbreak within one of the girls and it's really special to see how the girls lift each other up and make each other feel better when that happens.”
The actresses also reflected on the girl groups that inspired them. “I’m very proud to be in a girl group and I’m so happy my girl group consists of my two best friends. Some girl groups I have taken inspiration from are The Spice Girls, The Cheetah Girls and most recently Katseye,” said Marino, with Pollack and Sanchez also shouting out Destiny’s Child and Fifth Harmony. “They inspired me to pursue music and I hope to do the same for a younger generation.”
“They paved the way for how girl groups can be empowering but also fun and they're people that we all look up to and take inspiration from for our characters,” said Pollack. Sanchez echoed this sentiment: “I’ve always loved girl groups, not just for their music, but for what they represent: unity, power, friendship. […] Seeing them own the stage made me want to do the same. I’m proud to now be part of that movement.”
That message of sisterhood and empowerment is what they hope resonated most. “I hope Electric Bloom shows that real power comes from lifting each other up. Each of our characters is so different, but we find strength in those differences,” encouraged Sanchez. “I want young people watching to know that you don’t have to change who you are to fit in, your voice matters just as it is.”
“You don't have to be perfect to belong and you can be your authentic self while being able to hang out with people who are different from you. It almost becomes even more powerful when that happens,” continued Pollack. “You realize how open you are to learning, to connecting with someone who's so different and supporting their differences. It's also special to see how when three people who normally don't seem like they go together do come together how it creates something magical that you wouldn’t have had as individuals.”
Fans are already talking about Electric Bloom as a real group, but would they want to go on tour? “We talk about that all the time! Performing live, getting to meet the fans, traveling together would be a dream come true,” said Sanchez. “We’ve put so much heart into these songs and the story, so getting to share that energy in a live setting would be amazing.”
“I'll be packing my suitcase to get on the tour bus!” echoed Pollack. “I think touring as Electric Bloom would be incredible. I think fans would have a really fun time watching it, and we would have a fun time performing. Carmen, Ruby, Nate, and I got to go to the Descendants/Zombies: Worlds Collide Tour and it was so fun to see all our new Disney friends perform live. It would be so cool for Electric Bloom to get to participate in an experience like that with the fans.”
If Electric Bloom could perform with any Disney legend, the answer was unanimous: Hannah Montana! “She’s the ultimate Disney pop icon, and her songs are still so catchy and full of energy. I think an Electric Bloom and Hannah Montana collab would break the Internet,” laughed Sanchez, with Pollack chiming in: “She's just so iconic. She represents this normal girl who is also a pop star. And I think in Electric Bloom, we get to see their pop star selves, but we also get to see their normal high school selves. Plus, I think that Hannah and Posey, Jade, and Tulip would get along.” Marino added that if they’re looking at current Disney stars, Olivia Rodrigo would be at the top of her list.
With the power of friendship and music, the members of Electric Bloom are ready to take Disney by storm. Catch new episodes on Disney Channel every Friday and streaming the next day on Disney+.
