Former Disney Channel actress and space tech CEO Bridgit Mendler has made a stunning and unexpected return to music in June 2026, releasing a surprise EP titled Once Again… — and the internet cannot stop talking about it. The quietly dropped project is a nostalgic treat for fans who grew up watching Mendler on television and singing along to her early 2010s hits, and it proves that even while running a satellite communications startup, the multi-talented star has never truly left music behind.
What Is Bridgit Mendler’s Once Again EP?
Once Again… is a six-track EP that Bridgit Mendler released on June 5, 2026, without any prior announcement or promotional campaign. The project dropped silently onto streaming platforms, leaving fans to discover it on their own — a bold and unconventional move that only added to its mystique.
The six tracks on the EP are “Flowers,” “Cold,” “Mercy,” “Long Run,” “Loyalties,” and “Oxygen.” All six songs are previously unreleased recordings, and according to reports, the material was written and produced around the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 — a period when Mendler was still actively pursuing a music career alongside her education.
Mendler is credited as the sole artist on the project, serving as the songwriter, composer, vocalist, and studio producer on all six tracks, showcasing full creative ownership of the music.
A Long Time Coming: The Story Behind the Unreleased Songs
To understand why Once Again… feels so significant, it helps to look back at Mendler’s musical history. Her last full-length album, Hello My Name Is…, came out in 2012 and included fan favorites like the platinum-certified “Ready or Not” and the gold-certified “Hurricane.” In 2016, she released the Nemesis EP, which was accompanied by a U.S. tour that ran from November 15, 2016, to April 7, 2017.
During that Nemesis tour, Mendler performed some of the songs that would eventually appear on Once Again…, though they were never formally released at the time. Following a couple of additional singles — “Temperamental Love” featuring Devontée and “Diving” with American group RKCB — Mendler’s music career quietly went on hiatus in mid-2017 as she shifted her focus entirely to academics and entrepreneurship.
For years, those tour performances remained unfinished studio business. The release of Once Again… finally gives those songs the proper release they were always meant to have.
No Social Media. No Press. No Promotion — Just the Music
One of the most striking aspects of this release is how deliberately low-key it was. Mendler made no announcement on social media — her last Instagram post dates back to 2022 — and there was no press rollout, no interviews, and no marketing campaign. The EP simply appeared on streaming platforms and let listeners find it.
This approach speaks volumes about where Mendler is in her life. She is not staging a comeback in the traditional sense. Rather, she appears to have released Once Again… as a quiet act of artistic closure — completing a chapter of her creative journey that had been left open for nearly a decade.
Who Is Bridgit Mendler Today?
Bridgit Mendler’s post-entertainment trajectory is as remarkable as it is rare. After stepping away from Hollywood, she pursued an aggressive academic path that included:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Southern California
- A Master’s degree in Media Arts and Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- A Juris Doctor (JD) from Harvard Law School, which she earned in May 2024
- Ongoing PhD candidacy at MIT’s Center for Constructive Communications and Social Machines group
In February 2024, Mendler publicly announced that she had co-founded Northwood Space, a California-based aerospace startup alongside her husband Griffin Cleverly and engineer Shaurya Luthra. The company builds ground infrastructure — stations and antennas — designed to serve as a data highway between Earth and satellites in orbit. As of 2025, Northwood Space has raised over $38 million in funding, with early backing from prominent investors including Founders Fund and Andreessen Horowitz (a16z).
Mendler, now 33, also revealed in 2024 that she is the mother of a son, whom she began fostering in 2021 and officially adopted near Christmas 2022. She has described parenthood as the most defining experience of her life.
In a March 2026 interview with The Free Press, Mendler reflected on her Disney years, crediting the rigorous work environment at Disney Channel for instilling in her the strong work ethic that has powered her academic and entrepreneurial success.
Bridgit Mendler’s Legacy as a Disney Star
Before she became a tech CEO and Harvard Law graduate, Mendler first captured audiences as a young actress on Disney Channel. She is perhaps best known for playing Teddy Duncan on Good Luck Charlie, the beloved family sitcom that ran from 2010 to 2014. She also had a recurring role as Juliet van Heusen on Wizards of Waverly Place and starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Lemonade Mouth (2011) alongside Naomi Scott, Hayley Kiyoko, and Adam Hicks.
Her acting resume extended beyond Disney as well, with notable roles in the Netflix holiday series Merry Happy Whatever (2019), where she starred opposite Dennis Quaid and Ashley Tisdale, and in NBC’s comedy series Undateable (2014).
Fan Reaction to Once Again…
The surprise release has generated significant buzz across music and pop culture communities online. Fans who followed Mendler during her peak Disney and music years have expressed joy, nostalgia, and disbelief at the EP’s arrival. Many noted that hearing the studio versions of songs they remembered from the Nemesis tour felt like receiving a gift they had long given up on.
The fact that Mendler chose to release the music without any fanfare has also resonated deeply with fans, who have praised her for doing things entirely on her own terms.
What Once Again… Means for Bridgit Mendler’s Music Career
While the release of Once Again… has reignited excitement about the possibility of new music from Mendler, it is important to note that this EP represents the completion of old material rather than the start of a new era. The songs were written and recorded nearly a decade ago, and Mendler has given no indication that she is pivoting back to a full-time music career.
That said, Once Again… serves as a powerful reminder of the musical talent that always existed alongside her intellectual and entrepreneurial gifts. Whether she ever releases new original music remains to be seen, but this EP ensures her artistic voice will not be forgotten.
FAQs
Q: When did Bridgit Mendler release the Once Again EP? A: The Once Again… EP was released on June 5, 2026.
Q: How many songs are on Once Again…? A: The EP features six tracks: “Flowers,” “Cold,” “Mercy,” “Long Run,” “Loyalties,” and “Oxygen.”
Q: When were the songs on Once Again… recorded? A: The songs were written and produced around late 2016 and early 2017.
Q: Did Bridgit Mendler promote the Once Again EP? A: No. The EP was released without any prior announcement or social media promotion.
Q: What is Bridgit Mendler doing now? A: Mendler is the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, an aerospace startup building satellite communication infrastructure. She is also a mother and an ongoing PhD candidate at MIT.
Q: Is Bridgit Mendler returning to music full-time? A: There is no indication of a full-time return. The EP appears to be a release of older unreleased material rather than the beginning of a new music chapter.
Whether you have been a fan since Good Luck Charlie or just discovered Bridgit Mendler’s music for the first time, Once Again… is a must-listen — drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know which track is your favorite!
