Vanessa Hudgens, currently grabbing the best professional press of her career for her role in 'Gimme Shelter,' covers the February 2014 issue of Nylon, with her long, black locks falling in beachy knots. The Hudge may be a Cali girl, but she is one with edge.

In her feature, she admitted she is not the good girl gone bad. It's something deeper than that, with The Hudge saying, "I think it's more 'girl growing into a woman and being passionate and making choices.' I have so much work to do, and I think I will always feel that way."

For 'Gimme Shelter,' she ditched the glam image, chopped her hair and turned in a raw performance. She did not rely on her looks…at all. "It was the first time I really stepped out of my control zone, physically and material-wise. I'm a little afraid of myself when I watch it," the actress admits.

Her future is not something she tries to crystal ball. She puts her faith in a higher power, saying, "I know God's plan for me is bigger than anything I could ever plan for myself. It allows me to not worry about the future or what other people think and just to be present and enjoy and try to shine as much as I can."

Amen, girl!

More From PopCrush