Meet Antwone Barnes | Actor | Writer | Vocalist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Antwone Barnes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Antwone, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I think the key thing is not caring about others opinions concerning you as you chase your dreams. We all have certain insecurities that hold us back from unlocking our deepest potential. I feel the way we access more of that is by understanding what those insecurities are and dealing with them first.

I once heard the phrase “executing is hard when you don’t know what’s going on with you”. I think it’s so true! We need a thorough understanding of why some random’s persons comment effects us so much when they don’t matter or why we’re so afraid to fail in front of others. Likewise, who cares how successful someone else is doing. Their success isn’t taking from yours. It’s ludicrous to think otherwise. We can’t afford to spend time in the comparison game. It’s crippling.

If we spend a little time understanding ourselves and getting ahead of these lies, we could truly be unstoppable in executing on the things we want to succeed at.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’m an Actor who sings, writes, and dances. That and a few other things artists do to stay creative and make a living. I want to say being complete authentic self in your creativity is all you need to be set apart. It’s truly that simple. The problem is not many people have the courage to be themselves. But as an artist, it’s crucial. We MUST if we truly want to reach our potential. I’m excited about the journey. It’s of course been a rollercoaster, but it’s made enjoyable by the fact that I’ve been on this ride holding onto so much gratitude along the way. That’s another key too: gratitude. It’s everything. That’s how you get through the challenges when everything seems like it’s not working your way. You stick through with it. The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way has to be as I mention previously, is not comparing yourself to others as you run the race. In truth, the goal isn’t to be THE best, it’s to be YOUR best. When we all try to be the best, we all lose cause that’s spots reserved for just ONE person. Haha! But when we decide be OUR best, by showing up and doing the work, taking the small steps for you, braving our personal struggles, then we ALL can be the best and no one would have need to shrink into despair. It really changes how you see things when you wrap your head around this.

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.
If a friend was coming to town, I’m sure there’s some obligatory places we’d have to go to. The first one that pops into mind is the Griffith Observatory hike. It’s a must! Maybe that, followed by a visit to The Grove and the adjoining Farmer’s Market there. That’s probably one of my favorite spots in LA. Something about the vibe — it’s just awesome!

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?
I wouldn’t be where I am today in all my blossoming of success had it not been for the roots planted in my old performing arts conservatory as a youngster, Amazing Grace Conservatory! A huge shout out to them for playing a major part in shaping me into the artist I am today.

Website: darkestrout.com

Instagram: antwone_b

Youtube: antwone barnes

Other: The website is for my graphic novel! Would love for people to check it out if they’re into that kind of thing!