We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashlee Abrams. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashlee below.
Hi Ashlee , thanks for joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?
I do sometimes envy friends and family who have “regular” jobs. The stability and consistency of knowing one’s weekly schedule, one’s pay rate, having benefits, weekends off…..those sound like great circumstances to be in! But then I think of what I’d lose…the ability to work from anywhere allows me so much adventure (I ran my Princess Party business remotely from Europe last summer, and it’s not uncommon for me to take client calls from the beach!), the creative freedom to build different types of entertainment offerings for my clients, and the fulfillment I feel when those offerings are received and appreciated. The applause from a theatre audience, a great online review from a happy party client, or simply the smile on a child’s face when they meet their favorite character makes the unpredictability of a non-traditional work lifestyle totally worth it!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to perform. I cannot recall ever wanting to do or be anything other than a performer. My grandmother was a pioneer of pop/rock music in Australia in the 1960’s-70’s (April Byron, look her up!) and my mother is also a talented singer. From my earliest memories, music and performance was the main fixture in my life.
I was born in L.A., but moved to Nashville just before junior high. I took every opportunity I could to perform throughout middle and high school, singing in every school talent show, community writer’s nights in Nashville, my high school’s theatre productions, and the like. Upon graduating a year early, I found myself in need of some pocket money. And thus, my business was born: Beverly Hills Princess (originally Starlike Celebrations) was founded in Nashville in 2003.
At the time I graduated high school, the millennial pop craze was at its height. Low-cut jeans and frosted tips were here to stay (we thought – we were wrong, thank goodness), the correct boy band allegiance was a prerequisite for many friendships (Backstreet Boys forever, cough cough) and Britney Spears was queen of it all.
The idea for my business came from my mom, who casually mentioned one evening that since I bore a somewhat striking resemblance to the pop princess, I should “do Britney birthday parties”.
I thought this was a ridiculous idea and in proper teenager fashion, I told my mom as such. “That’s stupid”, I said. And then promptly proceeded to commission a Britney costume and begin booking events via a classified ad in Nashville Parent magazine’s “party pages” section. When a local theatre costume warehouse was closing down, I purchased a generic Princess gown and an Alice in Wonderland costume and added those characters to my repertoire. I continued adding to my costume collection and before I knew it, I was the most in-demand party entertainer in Nashville.
After moving back to Los Angeles in 2005, I needed additional performers to help manage the number of bookings I had coming in. I began casting fellow actresses and singers who were looking for a creative job. I found it was so incredibly fulfilling to not only create paid performance work for myself, but for other young women chasing their dreams alongside me. Today I manage a boutique cast of 12 diverse singer/actors who I count as friends as well as colleagues. My amazing support team allows me the freedom to work remotely as a booking agent, or to perform in person myself. It’s a unique and marvelous way to earn a living.
Thanks to this freedom to roam and ability to set my own hours for the most part, I’m also able to pursue my own artistic endeavors; I recently performed my original music at The Fox and Hounds, Adults Only, and Hotel Cafe . I have additional show dates coming up throughout the holiday season and into next year, and I will be appearing onstage as Deb and Jovie understudy in Canyon Theatre Guild’s holiday production of Elf the Musical!
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think non-creatives would struggle to understand taking the risk of relying entirely on my own creativity to earn a living. There’s never a guarantee that bookings will come in, or that my business or I will remain a popular choice. There’s no big company or boss sending me a direct deposit every Friday. This is definitely the most stressful part of my work. But it gives me an opportunity to really think creatively and critically, to always make sure I make things work. It takes a lot of faith for sure!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, hands-down the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the audience’s reaction. Whether it’s a child at a birthday party glowing with joy when she sees her favorite Princess arrive, or a theatre audience cracking up at a funny moment in a play, or someone singing along to one of my songs, it’s an indescribable feeling to watch someone enjoying my performance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.beverlyhillsprincess.net www.ashleeabramsmusic.com
- Instagram: @beverlyhillsprincess @ashenputtella
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/beverlyhillsprincess
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLsFkTF9toMRhK2fIKXvgIw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/beverly-hills-princess-beverly-hills-3
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4byU6YebCRtfNfOL9mfVze
Image Credits
Eric Carroll