We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shannon Stevens a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Yes! I wish I would have started my creative career sooner. I also feel that the breaks I took like attending college really helped me along the way. I went to Itt-Technical Institute where I studied Computer Drafting and Design. During that time I studied new ways to create which helps in my advertising everyday through my social pages. My first creative passion was nail art but that slowly faded and HairByDash was born my passion for hair styling began In middle school . I would practice on all my friends and as time went on I became very good at it. It wasn’t till after graduating High School when the love of baking was birthed, but shortly after Having my first daughter Ava I named that craft Ava cupcakes and treats. As of now 2022 I have revived all my crafts , “Ava cupcakes and treats” is now known as “AvaCakeCups. My hair creations are still identified with the “HairByDash Logo”. My passion for food cooking and food photographing the logo name is “Halo Cooks”, which was chosen from a piece of my rap name “Queen Halo”. Music is my ultimate therapy I love to write and create in many ways. Oh yeah poetry writing was also developed in middle school. It wasn’t till about three years or so ago that the rapper in me arrived lol. I look at my raps as poetry over beats a great way to express myself. Last but not least “Halo Creations” is a logo for all my creative artwork flyer making, photo editing, home and party decor, and the list goes on and on. I love to stay busy but all my crafts really help make a way for my two awesome girls Ava and Faith, there would not be any of those crafts without the birth of those two princesses. Any success I have or that’s set to come I owe it all to them!
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?
Hello world my name Is Shannon but many know me as the baker, the rapper, the foodie, the creator. I am a 34 year old single mother of two and doing it! Just call me the hustler with nine lives, I have overcome a lot of obstacles over the years, but my creative side is what keeps me going. I am so thankful that I am able to still have that desire and drive to create. I thank God for my strength and ability to manage my crafts and home life, trust it is not easy.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My crafts really help me deal with my depression I experienced after having my second child, postpartum is a serious thing to go through. Hair styling is so relaxing and to see the clients reaction is priceless. My creative ways of doing things even surprises me It’s amazing how well I can put things together. I am the kind of person if I don’t know how I will study it and practice until I master it.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Pain, tower moments, and experiences help bring out the best in an artist. I rap to let out anger and frustration and also help paint a picture just like poetry. Artists are story tellers and just adding a beat helps brings the moment more alive, Music is the universal language sometimes I say things in my songs that I wouldn’t even utter in normal conversation. I love making music it’s my comfort zone.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: queenhalo_advertising, avacakecups, and hairbydash88
- Facebook: Shannon Halo
- Linkedin: Shannon Stevens
- Twitter: queenhalo_88
- Youtube: Queen Halo