We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea ‘Slim’ Allmond and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea ‘Slim’, why did you pursue a creative career?
I pursued an artistic career specifically in music because music has always been a source of motivation and resilience during some of the toughest moments of my life. I wanted to be surrounded by it every day, but more importantly, I wanted to share the gift that music has given me with the others. The gift of not only therapy but of human connection through art.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I believe what sets me apart from others is my proclivity to really dig deep into the emotion of whatever project I am working on. Whether it is tuning a microphone on an actor or creating a sound healing song, I lead with emotion instead of music theory or technicality. I still use those skills but I try to get down to the heart of it all first before I let my brain take over. I am also not afraid to take risks and try new things. I have developed a style of mixing organic and electronic sounds to create a new and interesting sound that I have seldom heard from other artists.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When it comes to LA, it is hard to know where to start. This city is so big and vibrant with so much to explore but I will try to narrow down to my favorites. Some of my favorite restaurants include Bacari GDL in Glendale, Wood and Vine in Hollywood, and Rice in Manhattan Beach. If you are a coffee drinker and also love dogs, I can’t recommend Muddy Paw eagle rock enough! I go anywhere I can with my dog and muddy paw is not only dog friendly but they have a small dog park in the back and they also donate a portion of their proceeds to local shelters. LA has so much to offer in terms of art and entertainment. I love to go to West Hollywood to see a drag show or just to go dancing, the Hollywood Improv for a comedy show, Sound nightclub to see one of my favorite DJs spin, or the arts district for cool pop-ups and installs. There is also an abundance of nature activities like hiking at Fryman canyon or Gabrielino trail. Two of my favorite beaches are Leo Carillo and Will Rogers. LA is a wonderful hub of food and art and that is what I love about it.

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’d like to dedicate a shout out to the MFA program at UCI. All of the folks there, my professors and my cohort were so encouraging; they continuously pushed me to be better, both as an artist and as a person. I am especially grateful that we continue to support each other even after our time at UCI has concluded.

Website: andreaallmond.com

Instagram: sherpaslim

Other: twitch.tv/sherpaslim

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