Miguel’s Girlfriend Nazanin Mandi, Prepping Debut Album: I came out of the womb singing.

She’s more than just arm candy to her boyfriend Miguel. And she’s more than just a model. 28-year-old Nazanin Mandi is an aspiring singer. In an interview with Complex, she reveals that she’s been sangin’ forever, although the public was oblivious to this. In fact, she even made it on the hit show, American Idol. So what happened — why the delayed career? And is snagging her recording artist boyfriend as an executive producer a good idea? Find out, in her own words, below.

On long have she’s been making music:

I came out of the womb singing; it’s a huge passion of mine. I did theater growing up, through elementary, junior high, high school. I was a big choir nerd. Professionally, I’ve been recording off and on since the age of about 12. When I was 15, I was on American Idol. I made it to the top 35. I got kicked off because they did background checks

and I’d lied about my age—you had to be 16.

On how it feels to work with her boyfriend Miguel, who is executive producing her debut album:

When we head to the studio, we automatically turn off relationship mode and go into work mode. If he doesn’t like something, if I’m doing it wrong, if I’m not feeling a song or lyric, we’re 120 percent honest. In order for this to work the way we need it to, we have to put our feelings aside and become business-minded. And that’s exactly what we’re doing.

On feeling comfortable working with Miguel:

There’s nothing weird, nothing like, “Oh, I don’t want to say that in front of you.” There’s nothing intimidating about it. All these years, I had to find myself as an artist and it took me a while. I was always too shy to even sing in front of him or say, “I want to do this.” But one day, maybe three years ago, I had a breakdown and he said, “Babe, you have to let me help you. You can do this, you’re a star, and I’m not just saying that because I am your man. I see it, everyone else sees it, you have to see it, and I think it’s time that you open your eyes.” And since then, we’ve been working with each other.

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