Camila Cabello On Cold Plunges, Taking Care Of Herself & What’s Next

Filming a fragrance campaign is objectively a glamorous endeavor — the budgets! The makeup! The locations! — but what you can’t see through the images is the temperature on set. Camila Cabello is the picture of warmth in the latest Tommy Hilfiger fragrance ads for Freedom Eau de Parfum, but as she tells NYLON over the phone, she was running through freezing waters to get the shot. Ever the water sign (as she sings on “Hot Uptown,” “You know Pisces low-key the best sign”), she was game for being in water and the wellness benefits of a cold plunge. It’s also when she feels the most free, she says: “when I’m in water, and when I’m more in my body than in my head.”

In a growing tradition of pop stars covering legendary tracks for a campaign, Cabello took Queen’s oh so fitting “I Want to Break Free.” Not only does she look gorgeous with a healthy deep brunette (she’s still getting her hair back to health after going platinum for C,XOXO), her voice sounds honey-smooth as ever, and we’ve missed hearing her sing something new. While she assures me new music is on the way, it’s all still very under wraps, but she spent the summer doing what makes her feel free: floating on Grecian waters, recording music, and living her life. The latest scent from Tommy Hilfiger that Cabello embodies captures this relaxed, quietly confident feeling; it’s an ambery vanilla that doesn’t scream but arrives with you at every step.

At the tail end of her summer, Cabello dialed in to chat about listening to Queen growing up, her song of the summer, and what she’s currently doing to take care of herself.

How was your day shooting this campaign?

It was so fun. I really think it encompassed the feeling of the fragrance. I was running around in this big field. The director, Gordon von Steiner, had a very — no pun intended — free approach to it. It was very intuitive. It was like: “Oh, yeah, that feels great. That looks great. Do more of that. OK, we’re done.” It was so easy. There’s nothing better than working with people who really care. They put a lot of love, joy, and care into this. I think that really reflects. It was also cold because I was running through sprinklers and it was freezing, but that also has a lot of wellness benefits.

A little cryotherapy action for you.

A little bit of cold therapy for sure.

You covered Queen’s song “I Want to Break Free” for the campaign. Was Queen playing in your house when you were growing up? Do you have another favorite Queen song besides that one?

Not a lot of American music was playing in my house growing up, but Queen was definitely on repeat for my parents. I love “Fat Bottomed Girls.” I love “Don’t Stop Me Now”; I think that’s the best song ever. I love Queen. They’re one of my favorite bands of all time. I mean, Freddie Mercury’s a force, but I think they made some of the greatest songs of all time. I think it was between this song and another song, and I was like, “Queen? Duh. They’re iconic.”

When do you feel the most free?

I feel the most free when I am OK with uncertainty, which is something I try to work on a lot. That’s probably the best way to put it. When I’m like “No matter what happens, I’m good,” because I can have a bit of an anxious mind, that’s when I feel the most free. I also feel very free when I’m in water and when I’m more in my body than in my head. I went to Greece for a week with my family, and I swam a lot; I was in the ocean a lot. I feel very free when I’m underwater because I’m a Pisces.

I saw your vacation pictures; your outfits were so cute. What were you gravitating toward this summer in terms of fashion, especially in Greece?

I gravitated towards a lot of vintage. I love to creep on TheRealReal. That’s my stress relieving activity, and [I] look for a steal. For dinners, I’m into wearing a lot of color right now and wearing things that feel expressive and a little bit more maximalist because I find it gives me joy and makes me feel like the occasion is life. There are a lot of cobblestones in Greece, so it was hard pairing the outfits with a heel because I couldn’t really wear a heel. I had to wear flip-flops with everything, but I do love flip-flops, so I did buy a lot.

I have been seeing a lot of new love for C,XOXO this summer. The gays have always been with it. It’s been a constant.

You guys always know.

“B.O.A.T.” is one of my go-to sad summer songs. What is your song of the summer?

My song of the summer? That’s a good question. This is so random, but I saw this movie, The Invite, which was so good. I loved it. And I had never heard the song “By Your Side” by Sade before, so that’s my song right now.

Looking toward the fall, beyond packing your Freedom fragrance with you, what else is in the bag this fall? What makeup products are we leaning into as it gets a little chillier?

I’m definitely leaning into a mauve blush. I love the Patrick Ta blush that’s a powder and cream. I love a mauve blush. I discovered for my skin tone, I’m really not a pink girl. I’m going to try and keep a little bit of a tan for the fall, get some sun for at least 10 minutes a day, and keep my lips hydrated. I like the Gisou lip oil; that’s really good. I’m also into hair care right now, and getting my hair back to health. A lot of hair masks, like the Amika hair mask. It’s been a lot of “How can I take care of myself so I barely need things?”

You’ve been pretty quiet this year. I saw you at Coachella, and I also saw you post from Long Pond with Aaron Dessner, and that got your fans very excited. Is there anything you can share about what’s to come, or is it all under wraps?

It’s still under wraps, but I think there will be... I’m really excited about the music and about this next era. I’m just working on my album, planning this next era, and living my life.