Today we’d like to introduce you to Audra Angelique.
Hi Audra, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I was born in Oregon and grew up in Portland, OR, then moved to NYC when I was 25 and visited my friend several times that had moved to St. Louis right before I moved to New York. He took me to so many amazing places and neighborhoods. I had incredible experiences, and I fell in love with St. Louis. One summer, while visiting him in 2007, I went to a local audition, and one of the judges happened to be the locally famed musician and band leader Ralph Butler. He asked me to come back to St. Louis, meet his band, perform at a few shows, and see how the experience worked out. I had never been part of a band, as I mostly performed in musical theatre and opera. In the past, I had sat in with Patrick Lamb’s band and played instruments in “band,” but this was an entirely new experience for me, and I loved it! He offered me a role in his band, and I moved to St. Louis on January 1st of, 2008. While meeting so many incredible people and musicians through my Ralph Butler Band experience, I was inspired to start my band and started performing with my group & other musical collaborations, as well as DJing & performing events in St. Louis and around the USA. I wrote some of my very best original music throughout all these years. I also got involved in an incredible nonprofit based in STL called Play It Forward. Their mission is to get musical instruments into the hands of underserved youth in St. Louis and throughout the USA. Since that time, I have also become involved with many projects. One is Harlem Late Night Jazz, keeping live music alive in Harlem and NYC. Recently I composed music for two projects; one is a short film called “Grasping For Hope” by Chasing the Sun Productions, which is currently being entered into film festivals in the US. Another is “Excelsior,” the audio drama adapted from an award-winning book of the same name by an incredible writer, George Sirios. I was originally cast as General Hodera and also got to write, produce and perform the theme song “Hero Within” and compose music for the performance.
I have always been passionate about technology, which led me to create the first websites for this company in 2002-ish. With skills in audio production, graphic design, web development, video, photo capture, and editing, I built my experience into a side business promoting small and large businesses with products and services I believe in throughout the USA. On the business side, I started as the Marketing Director for an acting and modeling school.
I believe deeply in sustainability, coming from a place where it is and has been a regular practice all my life. I was surprised when I moved here that there needed to be recycling bins behind the homes and recycling at the bars, venues & restaurants. I’ve been involved in the food industry and various roles, leading me to become a chef with the support I received from other chefs I looked up to. This experience led me to create my gourmet health restaurant in the old Lola venue space I used to perform at regularly on Washington Ave Downtown. One of my requirements was to have everything be compostable (cups, take-out containers, straws, eating ware, lids, everything) and highlight other local products I loved.
The core of the imprint I wish to leave on humanity is unity. Unity is the key to positive change and creating a better future for everyone. This led me to be the founder of a new organization I now have support for. I am building Global Creatives United, a platform promoting global unity. Everyone is a creator with unique gifts and purpose. By uniting together, humanity can shift the world forward for the betterment of all living beings. Through Global Creatives United, I utilize my creative experience to inspire and encourage people to come together and positively impact the world with a team of like-minded, seasoned creatives in many spaces.
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
Life is a winding road, and there are always obstacles and challenges. There have been many specific challenges related to what I have stated above. My first challenge was being organically thrust into the entertainment business, which I needed to understand fully. It was interesting to navigate through the many human identity issues some have that tend to drive egos to inflate, leading to misunderstandings, with many lacking the ability to work through these emotions. As a person who can feel others’ emotions coupled with the naive view that others think and feel like me, I had difficulty understanding the reason behind others’ inter- & reactions. I’ve been through much and grown substantially, though I am sometimes surprised by human responses to happiness, expressive joy, creative energy, and full-out gratitude. I enjoy creating space for others to allow themselves to be exactly who they are so they can fully express their passions.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I do many creative tasks at an experienced, professional level and am known for them in various circles. The one avenue I am most proud of is my decision to create a global platform to express the importance of embracing unity for the betterment of humanity and begin to connect all creative organizations worldwide. Although I am at the beginning stages of this endeavor, the importance of unity has always been my deepest passion and drives everything I do. Helping others live their passions is my specialty (if I have to pick one). Because human beings tend to categorize everything, what sets me apart is the fact that it is almost impossible to categorize me.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
The best mentors have mentors, and their mentors have mentors, and so on. We are all learning all the time, and it is true that the more you know, the more you realize you do not know. What I’ve learned regarding people, in general, is that you never know what is going on and what is going to happen. It doesn’t matter how long you have known or trusted a person; they will probably surprise you with something you could never have expected! Me, I get to know a person over time. If there is something I want to learn, I look for the doing that thing at a high level and reach out, try to get a feel for the human before I become too attached to an outcome, watch, and this can’t be stressed enough- listen. Learning can only take place from listening, really listening -not just hearing. Active listening. I can talk, for sure. But I also listen as much as I talk, maybe more now. Be ok with reaching out to people, even if you think whatever story you think will happen. Expect that they will respond to you, and they probably will. We are all just human beings on the same planet.
Pricing:
- Consultation with Audra Angelique – $111
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.globalcreative.us/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audraangelique/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audraangelique
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/audra-angelique-gandy-6a8a2361/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/angeliqueaudra
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/audraangelique
- Other: http://ascendnowllc.com/
