Aliana Lohan Says She's 'Never Felt' the 'Shadow' of Sister Lindsay's Fame: I'm 'Born to Do This' (Exclusive)

Aliana Lohan never needed to look far when it came to finding inspiration for her career.

The 29-year-old grew up on the sets of hit movies like The Parent Trap and Life-Size, watching her older sister Lindsay Lohan rocket to fame as both an actress and a singer.

And although the sisters have pursued similar creative paths, there’s no sibling rivalry here.

“I’ve never felt like I was in a shadow,” Lohan tells PEOPLE. “I would’ve been doing this with or without my sister being Lindsay Lohan, and Lindsay knows that, and Lindsay would’ve been doing this with or without me being her sister. We grew up with it around us.”

Just like Lindsay, Lohan got her start at a young age, recording her first album, Lohan Holiday, at 9 years old, and starring in the Disney Channel movie Mostly Ghostly in 2007. She’s also had bit parts in three of Lindsay’s movies and appeared alongside her family members on the E! reality series Living Lohan in 2008.

“I felt like I was always just born to do this,” she says. “I grew up on set my whole life, watching my big sister be a superstar and make it look so effortless.”

The star — who recently released a pair of "uplifting" dance-pop singles and has plans for an EP — says performing has “always been in our blood,” as her grandmother was on Broadway and a radio DJ, and her great-grandparents were ballroom dancers.

In November, she and Lindsay appeared on screen together in the Netflix movie Falling for Christmas, the soundtrack for which Lohan also contributed several songs.

“Working with Lindsay was incredible,” she says. “Having done a Christmas album, to be able to have my music in a Christmas movie was just very full circle. Even to my kids in the future, it’ll be so cool to say, ‘Mommy did a song in her sister’s film and was able to act with her.’ I don’t really have many words. I’m just so grateful.”

And the feeling is mutual — when Aliana appeared on her sister's podcast The Lohdown in September, Lindsay praised her "powerful voice."

"Your voice is so inspiring, Aliana, in a different way. It's so soulful and so deep, and your words, really — they're peaceful," she said. "It's so self-expressive in such a beautiful way, which is not an easy thing to do as an artist. I want people to hear more of that from you."

Though Lindsay, who is expecting her first child with husband Bader Shammas, now lives in Dubai, the Lohan clan remains closer than ever. The family — which also includes mom Dina, 60, and brothers Michael, 35, and Cody, 27 — are “so tight,” she says.

“We’re in a family group chat and we just talk every single day about everything,” she says. “We’re all best friends — my brothers, my sister, they’re my best friends. It’s the best. It’s what makes you stronger, also, as women in the world, [knowing] that you have your crew behind you.”

Lohan’s also found a special bond with her boyfriend, whom she met through her grandparents, and are close with his.

“We are best friends, and I’m very grateful that we found each other,” she says. “He’s great. I love him so much, and I love having someone who really gets me.”

With Lindsay tying the knot in 2022, will more wedding bells be ringing for the family in the future? “I hope so!” says Lohan. “That’d be great. I love love.”