This is Meghan Trainor<\/strong><\/a> 2.0 \u2014 and we\u2019re not just talking about her visual transformation, though there\u2019s that too.<\/p>\n This Trainor, 32, is raising three kids under 5 and about to release her seventh album, Toy With Me<\/em> (out April 24), which is bursting with her signature brand of empowerment anthems. These days, she\u2019s trying to practice what she preaches.<\/p>\n \u201cI wrote \u2018All About That Bass\u2019 so I could feel better in my own skin,\u201d she tells Us Weekly<\/em> about her 2014 breakout hit, a doo-wop-y ode to curvy girls. For the then-20-year-old, self-acceptance was just a wish. Now, she says, \u201cI feel confident and strong. I haven\u2019t felt that way in a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n Not everybody loves that for her. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect that when I got healthier, people would hate me for it,\u201d she says about critics of her recent weight loss. It used to get to her, but now she\u2019s trying to stay unbothered. Being incredibly busy helps.<\/p>\n Trainor and her husband of seven years, Daryl Sabara<\/strong>, welcomed daughter Mikey via surrogate<\/a> in January. She joined brothers Riley, 5, and Barry, almost 3. The entire family will head out on tour together in June.<\/p>\n Us Weekly<\/em> got an early listen of the album and spoke with Trainor over two days about making music, making progress, making mom friends and making sure to protect her peace.<\/p>\n Congratulations on the album! You\u2019ve said it\u2019s the most honest and fearless work you\u2019ve done. Where did that come from?<\/strong><\/p>\n It was really hard at first. I\u2019ve been working so hard on my health and wellness and taking care of myself, and what comes with that is looking different. I was finally feeling better in my body and really loving wearing clothes. I went to the Billboard Women in Music Awards [in 2025] and got the most hate ever just on my appearance. Like, nothing to do with my music or work or who I am as a person. It was like, \u201cEw, look at her\u2026\u201d I didn\u2019t expect that, which is silly. It was kind of a slap in the face. I was like, \u201cTen years later and we\u2019re still talking about my body?\u201d\u2026 I was writing the album while that happened, and that\u2019s when we wrote \u201cStill Don\u2019t Care.\u201d<\/p>\n What people say about you is none of your business.<\/strong><\/p>\n It seems like social media took a hard turn recently. [Whoever] can write the meanest thing [wins]\u2026 What I stopped doing, which saved my life, probably, is I stopped reading any comment section ever. I will not go in there. My husband told me the other day, \u201cI don\u2019t know what witchcraft this is, but ever since you stopped looking, they\u2019ve been nicer\u2026\u201d I\u2019m much happier, and my nerves are calmer.<\/p>\n You can feel that vibe on the album.<\/strong><\/p>\n A lot of these [tracks], like \u201cGet In Girl,\u201d are\u2026 like, \u201cI got you, girl. We can do this. We can move on\u2026 Let\u2019s get into [final track] \u2018Shimmer\u2019 and love ourselves strong\u2026\u201d [But also] I knew I was having a baby girl come into the world. It\u2019s so scary right now, and I don\u2019t feel good about being here as a girl \u2014 how am I going to bring a girl here? I wrote these songs for my baby girl, for when she\u2019s in middle school, or when she goes through her first breakup, and yeah, when she needs to shimmer and feel confident.<\/p>\n Songwriting must be cathartic.<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s also scary. I\u2019m in heavy therapy. I was in marriage counseling while doing this album, which is why I wrote \u201cPotential.\u201d That was right after a marriage therapy session. [Sample lyric: \u201cOne step forward, two steps back, askin\u2019 me why I\u2019m cryin\u2019 like that. And you say, \u2018Maybe you\u2019re just overreacting.\u2019\u201d] We\u2019re so good now that I recommend it to everyone. But having young kids, your marriage gets pushed to the side. Then you\u2019re like, \u201cWhy are we fighting? We\u2019re on the same team.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m thinking about the \u201cAll About That Bass\u201d days \u2014 it\u2019s always seemed like you have confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n I never did. I never had confidence. That\u2019s what was confusing for so many years. I wrote those songs to gaslight me, to gas me up, to get me going in the mornings, because I\u2019m Miss Insecure. I wrote \u201cAll About That Bass\u201d [because] I wished I\u2019d heard it on the radio. I wished someone would sing this so I could feel better in my own skin. So when I came out to the world being loud and sassy and proud, everyone\u2019s like, \u201cHow do you feel like this?\u201d I was like, \u201cI don\u2019t \u2014 that\u2019s why I wrote a song. I needed to listen to this. I needed this for me.\u201d And when I saw what that did to so many strangers all over the world, I was like, OK, I\u2019m not alone, which feels great. And then, I have to keep doing this for the rest of my life; this is my purpose on this earth. Got it. So every album has self-love anthems, and it\u2019s genuinely something I\u2019m going through. With \u201cAll About That Bass\u201d 1776276392 I go, \u201cI got some new boobs, and I can shake \u2019em, shake \u2019em.\u201d I switch it up. But before the song starts, I go, \u201cListen, I\u2019m still working every day on loving myself and not being mean to myself.\u201d It\u2019s a practice\u2026 My kids don\u2019t know the words skinny or fat. They know healthy, strong, powerful.<\/p>\n How does Daryl help validate you?<\/strong><\/p>\n Anytime I\u2019m near him, especially at night or even in his sleep, he will always want to touch me or tell me how beautiful I am. Every night he passes out at, like, 9, and I get up multiple times to go because I\u2019ve had babies. Every time I get back in bed, I wake him up a little bit, but not enough to be alive. And then he always rolls over and grabs me and is like, \u201cYou\u2019re the only one I want forever and always. I need you now.\u201d And I\u2019m like, \u201cWhat? You\u2019re snoring.\u201d So cute. It\u2019s a nice relief to be confidently loved. I know I\u2019m the one he\u2019s obsessed with, and he\u2019s the one I\u2019m obsessed with.<\/p>\n You mentioned \u201cGet In Girl,\u201d which is about friendship. When have you needed a girlfriend in your life?<\/strong><\/p>\n I could use one right now. There\u2019s no time. I don\u2019t have any. It\u2019s so hard to make mom friends for this season of life. I have a handful, but I never get to see them. And then when I am home, like my mom friend Mallory<\/strong> just texted me, \u201cHey.\u201d And I\u2019m like, \u201cHey. My 2-year-old woke up with diarrhea all over his body, and I have strep and my other son is curled up on the couch. How are you?\u201d I\u2019m in the storm. Between my career and my kids, there\u2019s not enough time to have those friendships. So that\u2019s kind of what I dream of, some girl pulling up, being like, \u201cLet\u2019s go shopping. F**k all this. Let\u2019s get out of here.\u201d I wrote the song with a strong, badass woman too, Brittany \u201cDeLacy\u201d Amaradio<\/strong>. She\u2019s so good.<\/p>\n What is it like having kids that are 5 and 2, along with a baby?<\/strong><\/p>\n Five is the age where he\u2019s like, \u201cWhat happens when we\u2019re really old? What does die mean?\u201d And I\u2019m like, no, no, no. Nightmare\u2026 I don\u2019t want them to ever hurt or feel pain or ever worry or stress like me. I\u2019m like, \u201cIt\u2019s a scary world out there. I don\u2019t want you to know anything.\u201d I was like, let\u2019s keep them away from school, because they\u2019ll get bullied and they\u2019ll have problems learning and then\u2026 [Our incredible nanny] Leslie talks me out of all that stuff. She really calms me down, lets me know they\u2019ll be safe. If I had it my way, they\u2019d be locked in my room.<\/p>\n Talk to Us about surrogacy.<\/strong><\/p>\n We knew the safest way [to have a third] was to have a surrogate. [Trainor experienced gestational diabetes and other complications with her previous pregnancies.] I was doing IVF in the middle of my last album run, which was brutal on my body. We got a good amount of embryos; we were very lucky. When we found out we had girl embryos, I was like, \u201cCan we do the girl? Can we pick?\u201d\u2026 We didn\u2019t announce it or tell anyone we were pregnant, so that was weird. I was writing the album, but also going through heartbreak during it. I was like, \u201cOh, God, yeah, I forgot there\u2019s a baby coming.\u201d You feel really powerless when the baby\u2019s not in your body\u2026 We got so lucky with our surrogate<\/a>\u2026 She was just an angel every step of the way and a badass. She\u2019s a queen.<\/p>\n What\u2019s Daryl like as a dad?<\/strong><\/p>\n He never had a dad, so it\u2019s bizarre how good he is. He was raised by rom-coms, so those dads were his dads in life, which is sad and sweet. He parents like the dream dad in a movie. If I\u2019m silly, he\u2019s three times as silly. He\u2019s so funny. He makes them crack up. He knows exactly what to say. He knows how to get them out of a tantrum in five seconds, and they worship him, almost too much. There was a phase when Barry didn\u2019t want to cuddle me. Every night was like, \u201cI want dada.\u201d<\/p>\n You got pulled into the viral mom-group saga after Ashley Tisdale\u2019s essay in The Cut. What was that like?<\/strong><\/p>\n I was a bad mom friend. I never went. They had so many events; they were awesome and always there for each other. There was a group chat, but eventually they started a group chat without me because I wasn\u2019t there\u2026 and that was totally fine. I didn\u2019t feel bad. The last time I saw them was like a year ago, and I brought them to dinner and paid for it because I was like, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry that I\u2019m just not present\u2026\u201d And then that [story] popped up, and I was like, \u201cWhat?!?\u201d I saw my face everywhere, and wait a second, I\u2019m not even there\u2026 I saw a TikTok where they were like, \u201cWell, everyone hates Meghan Trainor right now, so I bet she\u2019s the mean one.\u201d And I was like, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, guys.\u201d But some moms in that group don\u2019t want to be famous and never wanted attention. It was really hard for a lot of moms, and I felt so bad. I felt bad for Ashley, that she was ever that sad. I think it was just a lot of miscommunication and confusion. I don\u2019t really know what happened<\/a>, but I wish them all the best. I texted all of them. Ashley texted me, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, your name got dragged in.\u201d And I was like, \u201cIt\u2019s all right, girl. The world\u2019s a silly, crazy place, and they just want something to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n Do you have any advice for moms who are struggling?<\/strong><\/p>\n Always ask for help. You have to take care of your mental health first. I\u2019m on antidepressants. I\u2019m in therapy every week. I was in couples therapy for a minute when we needed it\u2026 I just got diagnosed with ADHD. I\u2019m testing my blood, poop, my everything, to make sure I\u2019m at peak healthiness. I love asking for help. I\u2019m like, \u201cHow can I improve in every way?\u201d I can\u2019t do it all. I wish I could, and I can\u2019t.<\/p>\n Tell Us more about couples therapy.<\/strong><\/p>\n We started [during surrogacy] because we realized we were living in different realities. Even in our fights, it was like, \u201cHey, we\u2019re not even fighting about the same thing\u2026\u201d When you have little kids, every single thing is a decision. We almost got into a fight this morning because one of my kids has diarrhea, and [Daryl] wanted to feed him chocolate waffles. And I said, \u201cIs that the best idea?\u201d With our counselor, there were so many deep-rooted things that we were too scared to tell each other. He told us, \u201cWhen you break through, it\u2019ll be the greatest love you\u2019ve ever felt.\u201d I was like, \u201cWe\u2019re so scrambled right now, I can\u2019t picture that happening, but OK.\u201d He was 100 percent right. Now we can look at each other and read each other\u2019s mind and be like, \u201cWe\u2019re safe.\u201d<\/p>\n We have to talk about the song \u201cPink Cadillac.\u201d I know it\u2019s an interpretation of Bruce Springsteen\u2019s \u201cPink Cadillac,\u201d but it\u2019s very sexy and cheeky. When do you feel sexiest?<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s not a lot of time for sexiness when you have [kids that are] 5, 2 and a newborn. And I think anyone with a kid under 5 knows what I\u2019m talking about in marriage. So it is rare. And I write a lot of these hot songs\u2026 I wish I felt this sexy all the time, but I know Daryl and I will have our time when the kids are older, you know? But it\u2019s like a fantasy of mine. It\u2019s like a dream of mine someday to feel\u2026 that hot again with my husband, and some nights I do. I don\u2019t want to say once a month, but a couple times a month.<\/p>\n Talk to me about what sparked your wellness journey.<\/strong><\/p>\n Pregnancy and my kids. I treated my body like trash. I did not take care of myself and it showed. I was always inflamed. I was always uncomfortable. I see pictures of me in the past, and I\u2019m like, \u201cOh, that poor girl was so tired and so overworked and never took care of herself.\u201d I didn\u2019t work out at all, I didn\u2019t eat well, and then I got pregnant\u2026 I had gestational diabetes the whole time; that was the first time I had to diet and send my results to a doctor every day. I\u2019m one of those people that if you tell me what to do, I\u2019ll do extra, to a fault. They were like, \u201cBe wary of carbs,\u201d so I ate no carbs, and then my blood sugar was worse. I thought I was doing good, but I did too much\u2026 I\u2019m fortunate enough [to afford a dietitian], but so many people can\u2019t\u2026 It was five years of learning health and wellness from scratch\u2026 I changed the path of where my health was going. But there\u2019s still a fire in the kitchen, a.k.a, my nervous system.<\/p>\n You look great. How do you feel?<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m finally proud of myself. I put in the hard work. I know what I did. I was training for weeks for the \u201cStill Don\u2019t Care\u201d music video, because I\u2019m dancing the whole time. I feel great. There\u2019s my mommy pouch that will never go away. I also have loose skin, which you can\u2019t do anything about\u2026 unless I cut it off, which I\u2019m not interested in doing. That sounds painful. But I got new boobs.<\/p>\n I love how candid you are.<\/strong><\/p>\n No one talks about it. I felt a little hurt when I looked around and was like,\u201cOh, fake boobs. Everyone does this when they have children. OK, cool.\u201d There is no shame. Why wouldn\u2019t I talk about it?\u2026 My boobs are worth every penny and pain. In my videos, I don\u2019t have to duct tape them to my shoulders. I can wear bras now; it\u2019s amazing\u2026 I got Motiva\u2026 the new healthier implants, and I was like, \u201cSick, I\u2019ll tell everyone about it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Meghan-Trainor-Cover-inline.jpeg?w=1000&quality=40&strip=all\")
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