We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stells Di Rossi Hurst. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stells below.
Alright, Stells thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
Music has been my creative passion since before I was born and throughout my life. There has always been a soundtrack to my life in good time, bad times and all of the things I’ve experienced through my life. The interesting thing about being about to transmute feelings into songs as a songwriter is a truly amazing thing.
I began songwriting as a little girl. I was always fascinated with music coming from a family of creative people ranging from art and music to even fashion and other aspects of entertainment. I chose to define my own road at a young age as a composer. I wrote my very first songs as poems and by hand note for note on a violin at age 7.
Having orchestral training, a family rooted in Motown, access to theatre and growing up in recording studios was an advantage. While most children wanted a Nintendo I wanted a recording studio.
When teenagers wanted a drivers licenses I wanted a Gibson acoustic electric guitar and an electric violin.
No one ever expected the girl who played her grandmothers broken piano to compose small symphonies, become a goth and fall in love with rock and roll in our family, but that’s what happen. Purple hair dye was who I wanted to be not the concerto soloist I was groomed to become. Rock n roll had my heart and soul. So I applied my creativity, life’s tragedy and created Method to the Madness- the soundtrack to my literal life in 1998 and here we are years later. Still getting a little loco but this time music is global and not just a girl practicing to Canadian honkers in a Modesto backyard dreaming of performing original music.
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’m a woman of many talents but mainly I do creative expression and activism through music, media and abstract psychological expressionism in painting.
The main music project is have had since the late 90’s is Method to the Madness. The electronic project and musical alter ego that was started in the 2010’s is The Velvet Crush. I’m also on the board and helped found RH Media Productions a digital media company that works with podcasting real life stories, pop culture and gives people of interest often marginalized a voice on a show called THOR Radio. I also am the a digital content creator and artist known as Edi RH that signs with a music not followed by dR. I also do work as a body positive plus sized female rocker of color and model.
Part of what sets me apart in all that I do is the common theme of breaking glass ceilings. In a lot of the genres I’ve worked in within the creative industry there is a cliche niche market that is same as it ever was. It set a pigeonhole effect that ostracized or made what I wanted to be creatively as tabu.
I’ve always been a rebel at heart and being at the tail end of Gen X and outside the box – I choose to challenge the constructing restrains and ask why not in a world that says no to creative stereotypes, pigment bias, gender bias and body image bias. There is nothing about my appearance, pigment, gender or size that defines me creatively so challenging the norm is exactly what I do to shatter those antiquated stereotypes and it’s been a long hard road. But a fight well worth it and long overdue.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
Inclusion and diversity in artistic styles are crucial, yet there remains an unspoken resistance to those who challenge stereotypical norms in the arts.
Our fixation on nostalgia often blinds us to the fact that creativity is subjective and should be judged based on the artist’s interpretation rather than solely on public reception. This societal inclination towards psychological censorship in the arts acts as a subtle barrier to genuine innovation. In an environment saturated with remakes and clichés, the evolution of art is stifled when we fail to support new ideas simply because they deviate from the familiar.
When local venues do not make a concerted effort to support emerging artists, the scene becomes stagnant, and innovative ideas struggle to gain traction. As consumers, if we reject creative expressions that do not conform to prevailing trends, we undermine the vitality of the arts. It is imperative to question whether we are contributing to a vibrant, balanced arts industry or merely perpetuating a cycle of sameness.
There are significant biases within the industry, including gender, racial, and age biases, which hinder many talented individuals. The arts should not be restricted by outdated generational biases or stigmas. Society must move past these constraints to allow true creativity to flourish.
To genuinely support artists, society must stop comparing them to existing figures and instead appreciate their unique contributions and innovations. Recognizing and valuing each artist for their own merits, rather than measuring them against preconceived notions or beloved icons, will foster a more inclusive and dynamic creative landscape.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
My goal is to bridge connections through art and music, transforming internal and psychological experiences into tangible expressions in the physical realm.
As an artist and songwriter, my role is to translate emotions into a variety of creative forms—whether through music arrangements, visual art, or thematic elements in podcasts and shows. Each of these elements is designed to offer people a shared experience, letting them know they are not alone.
Art has long served as a refuge from the challenges of daily life, reflecting our universal experiences of love, struggle, joy, and loss. It has the power to illustrate our common humanity, revealing that despite our differences, we share a fundamental connection. Unfortunately, societal compartmentalization often dehumanizes individuals by imposing narrow definitions of genres and artistic expressions, such as what constitutes “pure” country music or “true” rap.
Such constructs are often the result of ingrained generational biases and limit our appreciation of diverse artistic frequencies. Art, in all its forms, shapes and reflects our realities, challenging us to see beyond our conditioned perspectives. By embracing eclecticism and exploring various cultures and practices, I aim to highlight the shared beauty in our diverse experiences.
Ultimately, my mission is to break down barriers and encourage people to experience the world through different lenses, revealing that our perceived divisions are merely constructs of the mind. Mixing media and sound in unexpected ways can help dismantle these invisible walls and demonstrate that differences are simply unique variations in the rich tapestry of life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/stellshellsbells?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getalittleloco?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/getalittleloco?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stells-di-rossi-hurst-088878272?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@methodtothemadness?feature=shared
- Other: FacebookMethod to the Madness
https://m.facebook.com/getalittlelocoRHMedia
https://www.facebook.com/thormusicmedia?mibextid=LQQJ4dInstagram:
https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=78t98ef5zneu&utm_content=1xpq0n6Apple Music:
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/method-to-the-madness/1257814476Amazon Music
ReverbNation! –
http://www.reverbnation.com/open_graph/artist/7252146Spotify:
Art https://fineartamerica.com/art/estella+di+rossi+hurst
Locowear Fashion https://www.bonfire.com/store/locowear-fashion/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=store_page_share&utm_campaign=locowear-fashion&utm_content=default
Pandora: https://pandora.app.link/34zHEJfKddb
Image Credits
Courtesy of RHMedia Productions