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

Hi Victoria, what do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to my balance of optimism and tenacity. I work hard, I work smart, I do my best to avoid negative thinking, and I aim to enhance every opportunity I encounter.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?

I stay busy being as creative as possible. In this very odd year (2020), just like everyone else, my work and life have been affected. But I’ve had the opportunities to work on several musical arrangements, music videos, live stream performances (including a daily show on Twitch), on a musical, on a movie and on a few songwriting projects. Despite the turmoil, I’m doing well…and I am so grateful.

In addition to music, I love to study languages, philosophy, and practice yoga, tai chi, meditation and other life-enhancing modalities. I aim to bring integrity and respect to any music that I encounter. I always knew that I would become a musician. When I was young, my path seemed clear: practice music, study with great teachers, practice more, be professional and friendly, perform to the best of my ability, and practice. As a professional, my path has been less clear. It’s had twists and turns I could never have imagined. But the consistent factor is my commitment to excellence and my never ending awe and wonder at the power of music.

When I was young, I encountered discrimination, but it never stopped me. I refused to believe it when people told me I wasn’t “good enough”. I knew that I had purpose, and I was determined to fulfill that purpose. I was stubborn and tenacious – qualities which have served me beautifully. However, there was also a dark side: the extreme nature of perfectionism nearly derailed me. I wouldn’t abide other people telling me what I couldn’t do…but my own inner voice would. My inner critic was (and still tries to be) vicious. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to cope with my perfectionism and am in the process of learning to love my “flaws”. It’s a challenge, but I’m up for it…there’s that good old tenacity.

I want the world to know about my new project, EnSPirits. It’s a collaborative Alternative Jazz /R&B project with Dave Tweedie and represents the range of my musical passions: catchy pop hooks, with rich jazz chords and moments of ecstatic improvisation. I love performing and creating with super stars, and it’s thrilling to expand into experiencing the joy of performing my own music. It’s magical.

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?

If my best friend visited Los Angeles, I would start with a morning hike through Griffith Park, have lunch at Little Dom’s on Hillhurst, go for a drive down Sunset Blvd, on our way to Malibu. We’d find a parking spot along Zuma beach, and sit on the sand as we watched the sun set. We would end the day listening to some incredible live local music, like Randy Emata’s band at The Federal Bar in North Hollywood. That would be a great day.

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’ve been graced by an abundance of beautiful friends, family, mentors and employers. I am grateful for each word of advice, the guidance, the feedback and encouragement. I dedicate this shoutout to Dave Tweedie, my best friend, partner and bandmate. Dave is also the best coach I could have ever asked for. He has the ability to make me feel like a star, yet can help me discover and address my weaknesses in a way that makes me feel empowered to achieve my highest level of performance. Thank you Dave! I love you!

Website: http://victoriatheodore.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/victoriatheodoremusic
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriatheodore/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/VictoriaTheo
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victoria.theodore
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/victoria-theodore-los-angeles
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VictoriaTheodore
Other: https://www.patreon.com/VictoriaTheodore https://enspiritsmusic.com

Image Credits
Amina Touray https://www.aminatouray.com

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