Meet Darlene Aniebonam also known by stage name Darling Darling | Actress & Singer/Songwriter & Dancer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darlene Aniebonam also known by stage name Darling Darling and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darlene, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I decided to pursue an artistic career because it was all I ever wanted to do. I grew up dancing, singing and putting together little skits for myself as a kid. I would create whole worlds of imagination – creating was and is my happy place.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
The path I have taken as an artist is not an easy one. One thing I’ve learned about this career path is that nothing is guaranteed, and it’s a path and journey you have to dictate and carve out for yourself. I was on the path in college and after, to go to medical school (a path I didn’t really want to go down). After I graduated I had a very pivotal moment where I decided to pursue what I really desired in life, which was a career as a dancer and actress. I remember booking a one-way ticket to fly across the country for an audition with a dance company/agency in San Francisco. After the audition, they wanted to sign me that same day. I went back to the east coast, packed up my apartment and moved in the span of a few weeks. I gave myself 3 months – if it didn’t work out in 3 months, I would move back home. Lo and behold after the first 2 weeks I booked my first major commercial and soon became one of the agencies top booked dancers. It was confirmation that the choice I made and all the hard work was so worth it.

Since living in LA, I’ve been in more than 50 commercials, danced with many artists and in many shows, been in several films, and recently released my first EP. Music has always been something I loved. But for so much of my life I kept my writing to myself. It wasn’t until 2019 right before the pandemic that I started to teach myself how to produce my own music, as I needed another creative outlet. Then once the pandemic hit, all I was doing with my time was writing, producing and making music. I wanted to make music that I wanted to hear, as I felt there wasn’t enough of it out in the world. I would say the sound of my latest EP ‘What Feelings Sound Like’ is a mix of stripped down acoustics and ethereal vocals. But I don’t like to keep myself in a box, so my next project may have a very different sound, but it’s all rooted in the same dark ethereal essence.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m a lover of all things old Hollywood. So I would take a friend to all the vintage shops I go to on the regular. There are some amazing vintage shops in Burbank with a 1950’s old Hollywood flair.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
You know, I was first introduced to the arts by my eldest sister. I was always in awe of her growing up and how talented she was. She was the reason I took my first ballet class. And through her influence I was introduced to the world of art, theatre and music and for that I am so thankful.

Website: https://www.itsdarlenedarling.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlenedarlinggg/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCom14eI44ZrUFy3Xkjp1Ffg

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3yXnawiH1ccHv0PnEUIO4C?si=1OvPh3uLT0u53OCaEnICrQ