We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Allison Scagliotti a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Allison, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Since 2018, I’ve been shaping my musical concept project, La Femme Pendu: French lounge horror ballads that exist at the intersection of film, Francophilia, and feminism. My first two records, Absolute Horror and VAMPYR, reclaim the narratives of women in iconic horror movies from Rosemary’s Baby to Only Lovers Left Alive with French lyrics and as much reverb as my producer will tolerate.

Some years ago I felt the pull to make my songwriting even more esoteric by blending it with my personal observation of the pagan wheel of the year. From that prompt, each seasonal ritual to honor nature and mark the passage of time became an opportunity to channel a song representing that moment in my life. It’s a departure from the monsters and demons of my earlier work; this time I’m facing the monsters and demons within a little more directly. Here’s that old chestnut: it’s the most personal album in my catalogue yet.

As before, I collaborated with producer Dave Darling to bring these 8 songs into being, taking up residency at his Petrichor NW Studio. Morning walks among the changing autumn leaves, coffee from a different café each day, Dave’s cat wandering into the studio to judge my basslines… if I faced the challenges of the past year just to earn the experience of finally birthing this album, then I must say I’d do it all again.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve been in Los Angeles for nearly 22 years. In that time a girl can wear a number of hats. I was a child actor (and then a grown up one) appearing in over 120 episodes of TV and a smattering of indie film, director of 7 episodes of Disney and Nickelodeon sitcoms, Berklee-trained musician currently gigging and recording all along the west coast, and at all times available for private lessons and coaching. Basically, I’m a full-time carny.

The thing I can say with confidence about my strange journey is that I’ve done it on my terms. Any creative professional in North America will tell you they’ve had to be flexible, make compromises, be ready for unexpected curves in the path. If you can manage to do all that and keep your head on straight, keep making work you’re proud of and finding new ways to tell your story, you’ve made it. There’s more than one way to put on a good show.

In the spring of 2022 I started teaching and coaching, and have found tremendous fulfillment in sharing my expertise with folks looking to focus their creative drive. This year alone I’ve played out with Fainting Party, 7Horse, my own project La Femme Pendu and will next be collaborating with bassist Jennie Vee of Eagles of Death Metal before I head back into the studio for another round of original songs. Normally I’d offer to play my theremin at your Halloween party. This year I’m too booked.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Every now and then I check back in on my “why”… For example, why am I riding in a van for 16 hours to go play this festival?

The simplest way I can put it is this: it’s during the act of performance that I experience what some call their higher power. The terrifying ordeal of the self melts away as I find myself suspended in the great exchange of energy between bandmates (or cast members), and giving that energy whole heartedly to the audience who came to have a good time, to forget their pain for a few minutes and laugh or cry or move their bodies or optimally all three. I believe that, when we get to the last stop on this ride, all we take with us is how we made one another feel. Art continues to be about what I have to give.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

It’s not the most glamorous thing in the world, but if the recent strikes have taught the masses anything I hope it’s that the art life isn’t all cake and free gear. The saturation of every creative field has made it more competitive than ever, and therefore that much harder to make a living than it already was, to say nothing of the broken systems that keep everyone but the creators from profiting from their work. We all know the abysmal state of streaming royalties; the best way to support your faves is to buy their records and merch directly, donate to their virtual tip jars, and spread the word. No one does it alone.

Contact Info:

• Website: silentgentertainment.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/wittyhandle
• Twitter: twitter.com/allisonscag
• Other: lafemmependu.com instagram.com/lafemmependu

Image Credits
Ismael Quintanilla III Jackson Davis Patrick Yandoc Jared Bouland