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

Hi Jaclyn Rachelle, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Believing in myself. When things get hard or don’t go the way I had planned or envisioned I just remember that I’m meant to do this. I was able to change my mindset from “this isn’t gonna work” to “this is all part of my journey” and that’s something that’s really helped me along the way. You have to believe in yourself so other people can too. It’s infectious.

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.
I’m a trained singer, I’ve been in lessons since I was three. I probably put in my 10,000 hours before the age of 13. My voice was fully developed by then but I didn’t find my sound til I got older and really experienced life. I started writing for real in my early 20s, I still have about 100 songs I’ve never done anything with; at one point I just needed to write. It hasn’t been easy being an independent artist. I’ve had to be my own manager, booking agent, and business partner – among other things. I think what’s kept me going is knowing that this is what I’m supposed to do and my time is coming. I’m making music that feels good to me and you can hear it. I think that’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned – do what makes your soul come alive and people will always be attracted to your light.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a sucker for brunch so I’d probably start off at Met Her At A Bar, their breakfast sandwich is amazing. Then I’d probably just drive down sunset til we hit the water. Look at all the nice real estate on the way. Definitely need to spend some time in Santa Monica. Shop in the promenade or spend a day on the pier. I’d walk the Venice canals and the back streets to show them how you can make LA feel like a whole different place. Take them downtown, I love the rooftop at Freehand. The bar inside is super cute too. Take them to the taco stand on 8th street across from what is now a west elm. If you don’t get Mexican food in California you’re doing it wrong. Speaking of food, Slurpin ramen in Ktown and the Peruvian chicken place on western right next to it are two of my all time favorite spots. The fried rice at Slurpin has saved me many times! Personally I love to just walk. I’ll walk the fancy housing tracks in Larchmont and the old streets of downtown. I like to look at architecture and find different sources of inspiration. I’d definitely take them to LACMA, not only for the streetlights photo opp but for all the endless inspiration you can find there. The Getty too has very beautiful grounds. I know LA is a driving city but if you just walk around a bit you can feel all the culture around you. You can go to the fruit stand and try the best spicy fruit you’ve ever had or run into the guy selling elote. It’s such a melting pot and I really love that. Some of the most amazing places are the ones you’ve never heard of. I think LA is full of secrets and it’s up to you what you uncover.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friends have really helped me along the way. My two closest friends I met in college, we went to an arts school, so we’ve all known our paths may not be the easiest. But through all the ups and downs they’ve never questioned my abilities and they’ve always been there for me. They’re really my chosen family.

Instagram: Instagram.com/jaclynrachelle_

Youtube: YouTube.com/jaclynrachelle

Other: SoundCloud.com/jaclynrachelle

Image Credits
photos and edits by Jacson Wilde @Jacsonwilde on Instagram

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