Heidi Montag Says It's Been 'Incredible' Watching People 'Connect' With Her Music: It 'Brings Out a Different Part of Me'

Heidi Montag, who released her 13-track album Masterpiece, on June 26, marking her first body of new music in over a year, is thrilled her music career is continuing to resonate with her fans.

"It’s been incredible watching a new generation discover and connect with my music. It feels like my music has really found its time with this generation, and it’s been amazing to see people experience it in a new way. There’s so much more access to music now, with more catalogs to explore and more independent artists than ever before. To have people discovering my music through all of that is such an honor," the reality star, 39, who is gearing up for her first-ever hour-long set at Neon Skies Festival on July 18, where she'll headline alongside Kesha and Slayyyter, performing many tracks from Masterpiece, including fan-favorite singles “Icon," “IV Drip," “Ex Machina," “Supermodel" and “Step On The Gas,” along with her new focus track “Summer Love," exclusively tells OK!.

"I just wanted to create the best possible product, with the best songs, writers and producers, and make something that I genuinely enjoy creating and listening to. I’ve always thought of music as a form of escapism. It creates a world I can escape into and brings out a different part of me," the blonde babe continues.

The album came together during a period of rebuilding after losing her home in the Pacific Palisades fire. In that dark period of time, music was an "outlet" for her and a way to "escape" from reality.

"I’ve loved making music since the beginning of my career, and this year was no different. It gave me something positive to focus on, a place to put my energy, and a goal to work toward. Being able to immerse myself in my work helped me not feel stuck in the grief and devastation. It felt positive and necessary to have something else to throw myself into," Montag, who shares two sons with husband Spencer Pratt, shares.

According to Montag, Masterpiece is a deeply personal body of work, which is why each song has a different "purpose" and "feeling."

"I love 'Pretty' because it’s a really different song for me. It allows me to be more vulnerable and peel the curtain back a little bit. That song means a lot to me," she says. "'IV Drip' is probably my favorite song on the album. It just hits my soul every time it comes on, but in a different way. I've worked with the best producers and writers I've ever worked with on this album, and it was an honor to collaborate with such incredible creative people."

Following the fire in 2025, Pratt, 42, and Montag got candid with their fans via TikTok about what they were experiencing and how dire their financial situation had become.

Fortunately, a silver lining emerged from the devastating incident: just days before Montag's pop album Superficial turned 15, Pratt encouraged fans to stream it to help them out. Soon, Montag's album went viral, with Paris Hilton, Julia Fox, Brody Jenner and Kristin Cavallari all posting the songs on their social media pages. Superficial went on to score the No. 1 spot on the iTunes chart.

Now, Montag releases her music under her own independent record label, Pratt Productions.

"It’s a double-edged sword having independence. It allows me to put out all the music I love and want to make, and release as many songs as I truly want. When you’re with a record label, there are often more decisions involved around things like genre, artists, and the direction of your music. Having independence gives me the freedom to make the rules as I go along, whether that’s releasing singles, an album, or mixing different styles without as many restrictions. I have a lot of freedom in my career to make my own decisions and be the boss, from where I perform to my hair and makeup. It also allows me to set my own schedule and be a full-time mom, which is always my No. 1 priority," she says.

Though she released music in the '00s, Montag is astounded that people are now following her career.

"There is so much more access now. There are more producers, writers, platforms like Spotify and iTunes, and more opportunities to connect with people. Before, it felt like you either had the support of radio and the traditional music industry machine, or you didn’t. Now, there are more opportunities to reach people and build a fan base that naturally finds and connects with your music. It has been an incredible experience finding fans who love and appreciate what I do, and who genuinely connect with me and my music on a deeper level. I think people need pop escapism. Life can be so serious and heavy, and it’s nice to have a place where people can let loose. I love being able to provide that through my music," she states.

In the meantime, the mom-of-two is soaking up this time, especially before she takes the stage at Neon Skies Festival on July 18.

"I am so excited. I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole career. Sharing the stage with two iconic pop artists is incredible. Kesha has achieved so much, and Slayyyter is such an it girl, so getting to perform alongside them is really exciting. Having an hour on stage gives me the chance to fully showcase my music and bring people into my world. It lets me create the kind of escapism and experience I've always wanted to share through my performances. It's such an honor that I get to do something I love as my job. Music has always been my passion, and this feels like a dream come true and a real blessing. I've been working incredibly hard on every aspect of the show to make it the best experience possible for everyone," she gushes.

For now, Montag is going with the flow — and is open to whatever comes her way.

"The noise has been there for as long as I’ve been in the public eye, but it feels like the internet gets louder and more intense every day. I’ve had to learn how to protect my peace and stay focused on what matters to me. I recently turned off comments on Instagram. I appreciate all the love and support from my fans, and it’s hard not being able to interact with them in that way, but there is also so much spam, negativity, and people saying things online that they would never say to someone in person. At the end of the day, I try to focus on the people who support me, my music, my family and continuing to do what I love," she declares.

She concludes, "I would love to be part of more international festivals like Neon Skies. There are so many places I would love to travel and perform, including Spain. I would also love to do a smaller tour with an artist like Zara Larsson or Demi Lovato. Not a long tour, because I have kids and I don’t think my mom schedule would allow for that right now, but something that lets me experience that again in a way that works for my life. I’m so grateful to be a part of Neon Skies, and I’m going to give them the best show I possibly can. I’m so excited to interact with the audience and connect with people in a way that’s different from anything else. Performing is really fun for me, and I have more albums ahead. We’ll see where the future takes us. You never really know what's next."