Today we’d like to introduce you to Anna Storm.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Anna. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in a really small preppy town in Connecticut — I always stood out and was continuously bullied by my peers for being different. I had no friends growing up, and would often eat lunch in the bathroom alone, there was an “I hate Anna Club,” and girls used to even chase me home from school with metal bats. I was always a bit nerdy, and excelled in academia, but had no social skills because of being picked on — I turned to music at an outlet when I felt that I had no one else to turn to but myself.
I wrote my first song when I was 11, performed it in the school talent show, and my dad remarked that seeing me on stage was the first time he felt that I really was confident and came alive. After that, I attended musical theater school and was in a lot of plays, usually getting the lead and loving both acting and singing — in the spotlight I thrived — I learned to develop confidence through my performances.
I didn’t participate in extra-curricular activities having to do with choir/acting because I was still being bullied at school and didn’t want to subject myself to having to deal with those issues, especially because I started dressing really differently in high school — I was into ‘Myspace” and expressed myself through acting “scene/emo,” A girl asked me in the middle of class in front of everyone if I cut my wrists, and to show everyone my wrists. I just went along in high school, doing well in school, getting into NYU early decision, but never feeling acknowledged nor appreciated by my peers. After being in college, I got linked up with a producer and recorded my first song, “Give It Up,” a club/dance track which made itself onto Damon Dash’s mixtape, “The Roc Files Vol. 2,” alongside tracks by Jim Jones and Cam’ron. At that time, I really found acceptance in the hip-hop community, performing at various hip-hop clubs on the East Coast. I was told to put a break on my music career because my family felt I was being distracted from my schoolwork, although I never really wanted to be an academic, I knew my destiny was to truly become someone and be an entertainer.
I started focusing on school again, but it was hard — my parents got their divorce, and I was still dealing with the repercussions of all of my years of being bullied — apart from that, my dad had various health problems, and those were getting worse — out of adversity, Anna Storm, my performing/stage alias was born. Around the same time as I was having to deal with all the obstacles around me, The Jersey Shore, was at the peak of its popularity, and I started really gravitating towards the New Jersey party/club scene. I loved how confident and careless these people were — they dressed how they wanted, said what they wanted, had swag, and just didn’t care what people thought — I adapted this mentality and brought it to life with my new persona. These people accepted me, whereas I was not accepted in Connecticut, NJ/NY people gave me an identity — they gave me the confidence I needed to thrive in life. Shortly after being immersed in this scene, I started getting into TV, being cast as a guidette in commercials, on tv and really owning the NJ persona. I also got introduced to the fitness/bodybuilding scene and became a gym rat. Anna Storm was fierce and fearless, demolished pizzas with ease while rocking bikinis, hung out with all the biggest meatheads and sprayed champagne at the club, Anna Storm was the ultimate alpha female.
I was getting sick of the East Coast, and needed a change — I moved out West completely alone in order to start fresh and thought to myself that maybe I could really achieve my dreams of becoming a star if I put myself in an environment where I wasn’t as comfortable and could really grow — when I was first out here, it was a culture shock — everyone didn’t dress like me. thought I was a cast member of The Jersey Shore, etc. — but this time, I owned who I was and wasn’t afraid of their opinions like I had been when first being bullied in middle school. I got linked up with a Grammy award-winning production team out in LA, and we started working on new music, and really being able to tell my story through Anna Storm. I had a social media following through years of being somewhat of a character in the tri-state club scene, and we were able to grow that following to the point where I became an Instagram influencer — people would always check in on my IG stories @itsannastorm — they were douchey, hilarious, and self-empowering — I adopted my own motto, #slaylife, that people caught onto. I wished to show people how to fearlessly be themselves and love themselves regardless of what happens to them in life. Due to my popularity on IG, I was asked to be on national TV alongside Vivica A. Fox on her show, Face The Truth to discuss my IG brand/being an influencer, and all the guys who hit me up in the DMs.
I got an MC residency performing at the new nightclub in Vegas, The Cat’s Meow, and relocated there while still coming back to LA to work with my music/creative team. We just released my first single, “Confident,” across all major streaming platforms, as well as the official remix with rapper JK The Reaper. I’ve been working on more music as well as music videos and am working on an EP tentatively titled #StormSZN to drop this year. I also got offered my first radio show, called StormSlaydio on 22.3 TakeOver Vegas Radio that airs every Thursday from 8-9 PM. I’ve been performing original material around Vegas, even opening for comedian Red Grant at his comedy residency, and have been getting a lot of industry people paying attention to me. I was just in my first feature film, “Anna Nicole,” and actually won a Royal Wolf Film award as “best supporting actress” for that role — it is now on Amazon Prime/Roku. Since being out west on my own in a very short period of time, I have been unstoppable, and I will keep slaying until I reach my destiny. It’s amazing what can happen when you develop confidence, work hard, have a vision and execute that vision. I’m excited for what I have accomplished and excited for the future. #SlayLife.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been smooth. As mentioned, I was bullied from a very young age. I was a very shy girl and had social anxiety due to being picked on — I really had to become confident in myself despite the opinions and cruelties of my peers. I believe that music, performing and creativity allowed me to become more confident. Whereas growing up as a kid, I dreaded being out with kids because I knew they would act like I didn’t exist, I got to the point where I could literally walk into any room and own that room. I could walk into any social situation alone and come out with 500 friends and people who admired me. I developed an immutable sense of confidence — wearing what I wanted, dressing super extra and loving to stand out — everyone could be in sweats, and I’d still strut in slaying with a fur coat, heels, and my signature cut-out one piece. I got to the point where I owned who I was, so no one could tell me sh** nor define me — I defined me.
Other struggles have been family-oriented and my dad’s sickness- my dad is my best friend and it’s been hard seeing him in and out of the hospital, but in a way him being so resilient and adapting an amazing sense of humor and strong will despite his illnesses have been inspiration for me — they have inspired me to have that same mentality in my own life. My mom has it too — both my parents have shown me the wonders of having willpower, determination and fighting for what I believe in. I’ve struggled, but I feel as though I’ve reacted to my struggles by becoming more confident and resilient. All of my struggles, people doubting me, being alone, being picked on — because I had no one but myself, I had to become super strong, and because I became that person, I dominate and #slay anything that comes my way — mostly because I believe that I can do so. And that’s really what it is — when you master yourself and self-belief, you can master anything — it’s all in your mind and how you respond to what happens to you — you can either sink or slay, and I choose slay every time.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am an entertainment brand, a social media personality, radio host, artist, performer, I guess actress now — if it involves entertainment and being in the spotlight, I can #slay it. I became known for my outrageous antics on IG @itsannastorm, shocking people and making people laugh through my douchey stories — some of which involve me killing large pizzas as a self-proclaimed #carbslut while in crop tops/bikinis/work out gear, squeezing guys biceps and being an overall savage — I am extremely confident and in your face, and like to inspire that same confidence in others through my IG brand.
I am really proud of making all this progress in such a short period time — after a really long break of finishing school and just doing the boring 9-5 thing, I just went full-force and went after my goals in less than two years — I got my own radio show, got a performing residency at a new popular nightclub, have put out music, and won an acting award — it’s like once I decided I needed to just go and become the star I always knew I could be, I’ve been grinding and things have just been presenting themselves to me — it’s because I don’t doubt myself and have this confidence and the drive to be great, and won’t let anyone tell me otherwise, that I have made such progress. It’s kind of crazy to me that I’ve been meeting celebrities I used to look up to on TV, and now can even call them friends! You always dream of this as a kid, but it’s still surreal once it starts happening and you see the results of your labor. Recently a couple of people came up to me and recognized me, one even asked for photos with me and that gives me the reassurance that I am definitely on the right path and just need to keep slaying and #storming.
What sets me apart is my swag and confidence. There is only one Anna Storm — there is only one girl who will walk into a room full of men killing carbs, defeating gender stereotypes and just slaying it like no one’s business. I don’t like to be like anyone else, I love to be myself — all bright, shiny, wearing full-length holographic outfits even if no one is wearing anything like it — I don’t care what people have to say about me because I love myself so much — I fought to become this person, and that’s why I am proud of myself. There is only one slay queen, and it’s #STORMSZN, so everyone better grab their umbrellas because we about to make it rain up in here! I hope through owning my own identity and embracing myself, that others are inspired to own themselves.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the beach, the food, the gorgeous men, the amazing shopping, the rockstar lifestyle you can live, the emphasis on fitness, the creativity and independence you can have, as well as all the opportunities for success/personal growth if you choose to utilize them.
I hate the traffic, all the wannabes and the pizza can use some work as compared with that on the East Coast.
Pricing:
- Anna Storm Holographic Lip Balms for $5 each
- Anna Storm #SlayLife Tee Shirts for $25 each
Contact Info:
- Website: www.itsannastorm.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @itsannastorm
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/annastormslaylife
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/itsannastorm?lang=en
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Check out the VoyageLA Podcast:
Episode 1 with Content Partner Lisa Taitelman, Founder of Hiking & Wellness company Find Your Trail.
