Today we’d like to introduce you to Chandra Delano.
Hi Chandra, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
All my life I have been surrounded by music, from campfire jam sessions to singing with my guitar in the subway stations in Brooklyn, NYC. It has always been so prevalent in my life, but I never thought that I could actually make and release music until I came to USC, and now I won’t stop. When I was a little girl, I loved doing fashion shows, but never in a million years would I have ever guessed that ten years later, I would be walking the runway at LA Fashion Week. In my senior year of high school, I applied to 33 different universities because I wanted to have a lot of options, but when I got accepted to USC, I knew that I had to go to Los Angeles. I knew that if I did not take a huge leap of faith in following my dreams, I would regret it, even if that meant I had to leave all of my family behind and move across the country all by myself. I am so grateful to go to such an amazing university that has given me so many opportunities to grow as a student and a musician. I currently study Public Relations with a minor in Music Industry and a second minor in Psychology. I will continue to take advantage of all the amazing things that this city has to offer me and give back to it in all the ways that I can.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Getting to where I am today has been anything but a smooth road. Growing up I had moved all up and down the East Coast living in different households. From being in the foster care system to also being homeless for a period of time, it made it difficult for me to establish roots and develop a stable sense of home.
Moreover, addiction runs in my family, and I saw firsthand the devastating effects it can have on individuals and their loved ones. However, instead of succumbing to the same fate, I decided to take a proactive approach and talk about addiction to help destigmatize it and acknowledge it as an illness. This has been difficult, as it required me to be vulnerable and share personal experiences with others, but I knew that by doing so, I could help others who may be struggling with similar issues and show them that they are not alone.
However, because of all of the things that I had gone through, I came out stronger and used my experiences to help and relate to other people, and doing this through my content creation has been such a huge priority because it is a way to reach mass audiences all over the world who might be going through the same or similar problems.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Currently, my three biggest passions and commitments are music, modeling, and content creation. Although many would argue that it is best to stick to one thing, all of these different creative avenues intersect so they all help each other.
I have been songwriting my whole life, but it was not until recently that I have been able to truly share it with the world. I really appreciate the ability to explore different genres of music and blend them together to create different unique styles. I mainly focus on alternative RnB and Hip-Hop, and I recently just released a collaborative project that highlights the new electronic and nostalgic sounds within these genres. To promote this EP, I planned and hosted a release party in which all of the funds were donated to the amazing organization Beauty2thestreetz. This org helps people suffering from the homelessness crisis by providing many different resources and also uses content creation to help bring awareness to the crisis. I have been so amazed at their work and knew that it was the org that I needed to support because of all that they do to give back to Los Angeles.
As far as modeling, it has always been something that I have enjoyed since the start of the pandemic. It was by myself, with my own vision, that I was able to get comfortable in front of a camera and learn how to strike different poses without direction. Because of this practice, I am now able to move effortlessly and confidently during my shoots and use this information to tell others that everyone truly can model and that it is an amazing tool to help build confidence. This practice also made my transition to runway modeling even easier because of the confidence I was able to build.
Finally, regarding my overall content creation, I started to truly gain a following in 2019 by making content about Connecticut. Because there were no other creators who were really talking about Connecticut, my platform was used as a way for people all around the area to connect through different experiences and comedy skits that I would share. I was able to build such a large community and even host a meet and greet to connect with my fans in person. However, since moving to LA, I knew that I needed to change my content around and start posting the content that I enjoyed making. Because even though the CT content would bring the numbers, I did not feel creatively satisfied. Now I have been focusing more on reviewing content that incorporates fashion, food, and/or music to incorporate all of my passions into one niche.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Ever since I moved here, I fell in love with the city and I honestly never want to leave. I love how there are so many opportunities for those involved in creative spaces such as entertainment, music, and content creation. It is truly a space that provides so much motivation to follow your dreams. I truly love the fast pace environment as it keeps me going and pushes me to go after every available opportunity. It is also the cultural diversity that makes this city truly flourish. It allows people from all backgrounds to come together, experience new cultures, and build a sense of community that transcends boundaries.
However, because LA is the city where people come to pursue their dreams, there are many people with malicious intentions who want to take advantage and capitalize on those dreamers for their own benefit. This of course happens everywhere, but I think that it is elevated here because it is the heart of the entertainment industry and so many people want to be involved.
Additionally, as talked about before, I am extremely passionate about substance abuse prevention and mental health advocacy, and I think that the homelessness crisis is so bad here because of a lack of attention and compassion regarding these issues. I believe that the #1 priority of the city should be to get people off of the streets.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chandradelano.myportfolio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chandra.bby
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chandra.bby
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandra-delano-280126236/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/chandrabby
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3fYUazy0_YL49ASHbdemoQ
- SoundCloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/CVm2m
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ChandraDelano
