Today we’d like to introduce you to Evan Joelle.
Hi Evan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
In 2013 at the young age of 20 years old, I had just returned to the Bay Area from attending college at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas. Unfortunately, I had not completed my Bachelor’s program as I could not afford to attend a four-year university as an out-of-state student. I was falling behind on tuition payments and ultimately got the boot. One day as I was seeking to join the workforce, my auntie informed me of a professional traveling play that was auditioning in Oakland, Ca. Being that I am a singer before I am an actor, I leaped at the opportunity to utilize my talents to generate income. Next thing I know, I was cast as the lead in a touring play that ended up jump-starting my career as a professional actor/entertainer. By the grace of God, I was able to work and travel with some of the greatest to ever do it! I have braved the stage with Don “DC” Curry (aka Uncle Elroy), Mama Dee (Love & Hip-Hop ATL), Ashford Sanders (Sunday’s Best), and even the late Shelly Garrett (Godfather of Urban Theater). Since then, the rest is history. I am now in my ninth year of working professionally in this industry and have gained so much insight on the type of skill, sacrifice, and endurance it takes to stay motivated in such a competitive line of business.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
If anyone says their success came easily, they are lying! “It takes ten years to become an overnight celebrity” (at least in most cases). Not sure where that quote comes from, but I absolutely agree with it. I have been working my butt off just to get my name in the room before I am physically there. The opportunity to grow within this business is infinite, but it boils down to how bad YOU want it. I’ve dreamt of nothing less than being able to pay my bills with my God-given talents and am just barely being able to do that full-time.
We are taught as children that “the real world” does not give a flying f*** about you or your dreams. It is entirely up to you to bring your hopes and wishes to fruition. I have personally had to overcome working 40 hours a week at a full-time dead-end job for six years just so I had the income to support my dream of being an actor. I don’t have an agent or manager so learning how to circumvent the spam and scammers became an invaluable skill. I also had to learn how to represent myself to casting directors. As an actor, I am literally booked based on my appearance and previous work experience. Over the years I have come across people that seek to take advantage of others to profit off of their skillset.
I’ve so many stories to share, but I am most proud of my ambition to keep moving forward.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an all-around entertainer. I sing, I act, I dance, and am a martial artist. If I had to choose, I would say my specialty is in singing and acting. I was born into a family of musicians and singers, so it is natural that I picked up sheet music and a microphone at a young age. It was not until my late teens that I realized I had a bit more musical knowledge than my peers and could do things that they could not. I slowly began to take my singing seriously; I enrolled in choral classes and sang in multiple church choirs throughout my adolescence, simply to increase my experience. From there I transitioned to dance, learning all I could while in high school.
Carrying these skills with me into my adult years I believe is what allowed me to book the jobs I’ve worked up until now. I have toured with stage plays, sang/danced live at theme parks, and even performed live on stage at Yoshi’s Oakland. However at present, I am most known for my performance in my first feature-length film as “Darnell/Shaka” in “The Broken Rose”. Through this role, I was able to connect to another side of me I didn’t even know existed. To this day I am getting DM’s on Instagram of praise and hate for how well Darnell was portrayed in that film. I’m just glad our audience is able to connect to the story and characters despite how sad the plot is. Make sure to watch “The Broken Rose” on Prime Video, Tubi, & The ForUsByUsNetwork!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Atlanta has some of the BEST FOOD I have ever come across in my 29 years of living. I never thought food could taste the way it’s made out there. From the crispiness of fried foods to the mouth-watering flavors at traditional restaurants, I’ve found it much easier to spend that extra penny to put some more on my plate. I can definitely attest to have put on ten pounds during the two months I was living there.
What made my southern experience even better is the people. I can sense that majority of others want to see their fellow man/woman succeed. There is no feelings of hatefulness or depravity but a more kindhearted willingness to provide assistance. I don’t see a lot of that back home on the west coast.
The only thing I didn’t enjoy much down in the A was the open yards. If I were to purchase land out there, I would want a fence around my property.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/evanjoelle_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvanJoelle/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/evanjoelle
- Other: https://www.imdb.me/evanjoelle
