Inspiring Stories from Hollywood

The heart of our mission at VoyageLA is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our city. In the recent weeks we’ve had the privilege to connect with some of Hollywood’s finest artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can’t begin to express how impressed we are with our city’s incredibly deep talent pool.  Check out Hollywood’s rising stars below.

Emily Burnette

My career in fashion has taken me through some incredible chapters, from working at Diane von Furstenberg in New York to Barneys, The RealReal, and Neiman Marcus and to Los Angeles. I’ve had the opportunity to work across luxury retail, editorial, celebrity, commercial, and personal styling, each experience giving me a different perspective on fashion and, more importantly, the way people relate to it. Read more>>

Phelan McConaha

I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. Even as a child, I could become completely absorbed in the creative process, spending hours immersed in a project. Making art felt instinctive to me; it was something that energized me and sparked my curiosity. As a young adult, I knew I wanted to build a life around art. Read more>>

Olga Loera

My journey has been a continuous process of growth, self-discovery, and learning to trust myself, even when the path ahead wasn’t always clear. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to explore different creative industries, including modeling, entertainment, beauty, and entrepreneurship. Each experience has taught me something valuable about resilience, discipline, and the importance of believing in your own potential. Read more>>

Ashonte Wallace

Belle Société may appear to be a newer brand, but the journey behind it began more than a decade ago. It is actually my third hair company. I’m originally from Sacramento, and I grew up learning how to do my best with what I had. Even when resources were limited, I always cared about how I presented myself. Read more>>

Jean Milan

I always knew that I was gonna do something with music. I started taking music seriously as a career in 2020. Since I had already been producing for years, I started focusing more on vocal production and mixing. I graduated from icon collective and started working as an audio engineer. Eventually, I worked my way to a bigger studio and started as an intern. Read more>>

Taylor Karvala

I started practicing makeup on myself when I was around 15 years old. I used to watch makeup tutorials on YouTube all the time & felt inspired to try it out. Almost every night when I would get home from school I would practice, it became an escape for me. I loved doing colorful looks & thinking outside the box. Read more>>

alejandra caicedo

I’m Alek, a Colombian artist and the founder and creative director of LAKRAS. My background is in fine arts, performance, and the performing arts. My practice begins with questions about the body—particularly the female body—and its transformations, its rebellions, and its place within historical revolutions. I’m interested in how bodies carry personal and collective histories, and how they become spaces for expression, resistance, and change. Read more>>

Matt Bachman

I started song writing when I was fourteen. I was in the L.A. music scene at an early age performing at the local clubs. I was drawn to the whole allure of the live music scene. Playing guitar and writing songs was my passion and I’ve continued to pursue my passions with my latest project Kicked Out Of The Sky. Read more>>

Ana Menendez

I’m originally from Cordoba, a beautiful city in southern Spain, and I’ve spent more than two decades building my career in Los Angeles. What has always driven me is a combination of curiosity, ambition, and a fascination with bringing extraordinary people together to create something meaningful. Moving to Hollywood meant navigating a completely new world. Read more>>

Roman Gorianskii

We are a husband-and-wife team based in Los Angeles, and together we founded Cosmic Eye, a creative photography business that transforms the unique patterns of the human iris into personalized works of art. Our journey started with a shared passion for photography, creativity, and bringing something truly unique to people. Read more>>

Nicole G. Leier

I’ve always been drawn to a good story. The kind that stays with you long after the credits roll. I’m an actor, writer, and director living in Los Angeles, and somehow I’ve managed to build a life around the three things I love most: interesting people, complicated characters, and making movies. I started out acting, which is still my first love. Read more>>

Daniel C Katz

I was born in Santiago, Chile, under the dictator Pinochet. We eventually escaped to Miami. My family are all artists and creatives, but I was determined to be a Formula 1 driver. I did not accomplish this goal. My mom was the entertainment correspondent for Telemundo. Read more>>

John Fawkes

I bought a camera back in 2020 to take photos for my personal training business that I had at the time, so I actually got my start doing men’s fitness photography. Read more>>

Trupti Bhoir

My journey is living proof that formal qualifications and conventional backgrounds never define the limits of what you can achieve. Growing up facing severe financial and personal struggles, my traditional schooling ended early after the 10th grade. Read more>>

Anthony Pisano

My journey into entrepreneurship started in the music industry. I began my career as a DJ and music producer, working with major labels like Sony and Ultra Records and eventually earning recognition on the Billboard charts. That experience gave me a firsthand understanding of the entertainment industry, how audiences connect with content, and the power of digital media. Read more>>

Mapuana Makia

I started doing plays and singing with my Dad when I was growing up in Maui. I was ALWAYS doing a play in high school. When we took one set down, we were auditioning for the next piece. That’s where I learned about work ethic. Read more>>

Nauci Gold

My relationship with music has always been closely connected to self-expression. I’m naturally quite introverted, and music has always been one of the ways I’ve found to understand myself, process emotions, and connect with other people. Read more>>

Adam Hunter

My love for interior design started long before I ever considered it a career. I definitely got that from my mother. As a child, I was constantly rearranging furniture around the house, finding new ways to make a room feel different. I also loved going to flea markets with my mom, hunting for interesting pieces and discovering the stories behind them. Read more>>

Armine Shamiryan

Savv Jolie was born out of motherhood. As a mom of three girls, I began noticing a gap in the skincare market as my daughters grew older and became more interested in skincare. The options seemed to fall into two categories: products designed for young children or adult skincare that wasn’t necessarily created with developing skin in mind. Read more>>

Kristin Chucci

I grew up in a small town in West Virginia, and from a pretty young age, I knew I wanted to see what else was out there. I was curious about the world, different cultures, and all the possibilities that existed beyond the place I called home. Joining the U.S. Read more>>

Jennifer Cunningham

I started my career in beauty in 1992, my Senior year of high school. I went to school from 7AM to 12PM, then off to beauty school from 1-7pm through a California ROP trade school program. In 1993 I graduated with both diplomas and began assisting in a high end salon and figuring out the path to working as a hair and makeup artist. Read more>>

James Joffrion Jr

My journey into acting started in college after I changed my major to Drama Theatre Arts. Physical therapy wasn’t my passion but I always love creative writing and imitating others through character voices or acting out scenes with friends to share a laugh. So happy I followed my passion, it’s been rewarding me ever since those college days. Read more>>

Greg Zopke

I’m Zopke, a French music producer, composer, and sound engineer based between Paris and Los Angeles. My journey started with a passion for sound and a desire to create music that makes people feel something. Over the years, I’ve developed my career across music production, mixing, mastering, and sound design, while gaining experience working with music companies such as BMG and Warner Music. Read more>>

Colleen Holiday

I was a young girl when I first picked up a weight, and it changed how I saw myself. Strength gave me confidence. I went on to study counseling psychology, aiming for my doctorate. (Doc Holiday had a nice ring to it.) But training was too rewarding to leave, and 35 years later, I’m still here. Read more>>

Olivier Hero Dressen

I’m Olivier Hero Dressen, a Belgian director, cinematographer, photographer and screenwriter. I’ve been making images for over 20 years, and it all started with drawing. I studied animation at La Cambre in Brussels and interned at Folimage. I went on to contribute animation to the Oscar-nominated ‘A Cat in Paris.’ My first big break came as an illustrator. Read more>>

Toni Weinrit

I’m originally from New York, and I’ve lived all over the world, but Los Angeles is home. In my thirties I was living in San Francisco in a corporate career that left me feeling unfulfilled and run down. I knew I needed to change direction, but I didn’t yet know what to. I had a doctor suggested I try acupuncture, and it changed my life. Read more>>

Vivek Varma Nampally

My name is Vivek Varma Nampally, and my journey started with a deep passion for cinema and the art of visual storytelling. I pursued my Bachelor’s in Film and Media, specializing in Cinematography, at Annapurna Film School in Hyderabad. Read more>>

Searra Rimes

In 2017, I was a passenger in a severe car accident. En route to the hospital, I died three times. Suddenly, the life I knew was no longer guaranteed. I had to relearn how to walk, how to talk, and how to live. Read more>>

Gianluca Todisco

My name is Gianluca Todisco. I was born and raised in Rome, the capital city of Italy. Since I was very young, I have been passionate about art, expressing myself through music, singing, dancing, writing, and painting. At the age of four, I began taking singing and dance classes, which later led to classical piano lessons. Read more>>

Dylan Thomas

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley at a great time where KROQ was the soundtrack of my childhood. I discovered punk and roots reggae music, made friends with other kids who played instruments, and that inspired me to pick up the bass in order to play in as many bands as possible. Read more>>

Cynthia Warden

My path to creating Chronicle of an Unquiet Age wasn’t a straight line. I earned a degree in Speech Communications from the University of Washington and spent 20 years as an entertainment publicist in Los Angeles. My career taught me how to tell stories, understand personalities, and recognize what captures public attention. Read more>>

Irma Lake

I grew up as a painfully shy girl in a poor family in a small Russian town. Since then, I’ve lived in nine countries, traveled to more than forty, and experienced things I could never have imagined. But perhaps my favorite story is how I finally became an actress. Read more>>

Moses Haughton ‘Moses Stone’ Jr

I’ve always been a creator first. I was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and I’ve been making music since I was 13. The person who started it all was my older cousin, Jamar J. Adair. He taught me how to write and pulled me into music when I was young. Read more>>

Tawain Clayborn

Since I was a little boy, I always dreamed of being in the entertainment industry. I wanted to be a model, an actor, and someone who could bring stories to life through the art of entertainment. Honestly, I didn’t know exactly how I was going to make it happen, but I knew it was something I wanted to pursue. Read more>>

Cara Pomanti

I grew up in a household of artists so I was destined for something creative. I like to joke that if I had wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, my parents would have been so disappointed in me. I was steeped in a highly talkative and highly neurodivergent environment, with stories, music, and ideas flying around at all times. Read more>>

Adam Cohen

I was introduced to the piano when my father, Irwin Cohen, began giving me piano lessons at age 5. I continued with lessons for a few more years with pianist & composer Matt Dennis until, at age 14, I took an interest in playing the bass. Read more>>

Jacob Schlanger

I came to LA in 2017 to finish school and pursue film and music. Wound up working for Hitway Recordings (where Trippie Redd got his start), met just about every artist that performed at the Bay rolling loud. Personal studio session with peep, fauni, 69 tried pulling up etc. Read more>>

Sal Vance

My journey has been one of resilience, faith, and learning how to turn life’s challenges into purpose. I didn’t come from the easiest circumstances. I experienced homelessness at a young age, lost my mother, and faced obstacles that could have easily changed the direction of my life. But I always believed that my circumstances didn’t have to define my future. Read more>>

Aishika Sen

I didn’t really try in high school and didn’t have very much of a plan for after, but I thought art school would be really cool; I’ve always enjoyed being creative. I went to Savannah College of Art and Design. Read more>>

nishy Acsell

I started out with hives at a 9-5 job that I kept on trudging along for internal validation. It wasn’t until I went to an improv night at the Second City Hollywood where I was resuscitated, back to feeling emotions other than excitement about drinking. I left my high paying job and decided to follow where I belong wholeheartedly. Read more>>

Kevin Stone

I’ve always been fascinated by the power of the human mind and the connection between psychology, influence, and entertainment. What began as a curiosity eventually became a lifelong passion and career. More than 30 years ago, I began studying hypnosis, mentalism, magic, psychology, and human behavior, dedicating myself to understanding not only how people think, but how extraordinary experiences can inspire, amaze, and entertain. Read more>>

Hunter Aaron

My name is Rebecca Wesson, and I am helping write this story about my son, Hunter Aaron, who has been a voice actor since he was nine years old. I am his Personal Manager. Read more>>

Kalyn Elizabeth Wood

I think I’ve always been drawn to storytelling and the way it allows us to connect with people on such a deeply human level. Acting became a way for me to explore that curiosity, step into different perspectives, and tell stories that truly mean something. Getting to where I am today has been a journey of persistence, growth, and learning to trust myself. Read more>>

Zakiah Davis

I am a Dancer, Choreographer, and instructor. I graduated from The University of Akron with a B.A in Dance with Business Cognate, where I trained in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Choreography and more. After graduating I moved to Los Angeles, Ca to continue to pursue my career as a dancer. As well as continuing my training. Read more>>

Devon Waggoner

It all started in Spokane Washington where I was born and raised with a passion for music, sports, arts, skating the city and going to concerts! That was life in elementary school. I grew up with an amazing groups of friends and family and we always pushed each other to follow our dreams. Read more>>

Wayne Ford

I grew up in Bend, Oregon, and moved to Los Angeles when I was 18 to pursue acting. I spent the next five years working as an actor in Hollywood, guest-starring on shows like Boston Public, Angel, and Bette, and appearing in national commercials for brands including Target, Walgreens, Nike, and Milk. Not a bad way to spend my early twenties. Read more>>