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

Kandi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

In 2018 I attended my first rave & found hooping. The moves people would do were so cool I wanted to learn! My rave mom taught me & then I started following hooper pages & watching videos & finding my own flow. I would flow with my LED hoop during my partners sets & had such a great time being apart of the show that I started performing.

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?

I started going to raves in 2019 & used that as a way to express myself. From there I found my passion for hooping & performance art. Since 2021 I have been on various stages in Las Vegas & Produced my own burlesque shows. I am versed in burlesque, gogo & prop work. I hope to take my talents overseas one day!

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society needs to shine a brighter light on local shows in the community. There is so much attention being given to shows that are seemingly more extravagant due to their location (las vegas strip, broadway, etc). local shows suffer due to lack of awareness, support & promotion. Local bars love being full but also don’t want to pay the performers & artists what they are worth for being part of the reason they have an increase in bar sales & overall revenue. Recognizing & respecting the craft & work behind it will lead to local shows having greater success.

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

The most rewarding aspect of being a performance artist is being an inspiration. Knowing that I am showing someone else that they have the intrinsic power to something they love makes my heart full. People, myself included, battle very heavily with imposter syndrome; Thinking you’re not good enough or the right image will stop anything from truly going after what they want. I know that when other black & brown people see me on stage they feel encouraged to start their journeys.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Kandikweeen

Image Credits
Photos by Mac Designs LV