Issue 4: ANGELICA ROSS

Read The Story: ANGELICA ROSS

the cred.

Starring: Angelica Ross, @AngelicaRoss

Photographer: Gerson Lopes, @GersonLopes_Photographer

Executive Producer: EJ Jamele, @EJ_Jamele

Fashion Stylist: Taylor Orear, @TaylorOrear

Makeup (Nude Look): Mark Quirimit, @MarkQuirimit

Makeup (Dress Look): Kevin Wade, @MakeupByKevinWade

Hair: Brandon Thompson, @Brandon_YourStylist

Braids: Kia Harper, @KiaHarperBraids

Words: Kelly Plourde, @Kelly_In_CT

ANGELICA ROSS

by Kelly Plourde

Before Angelica Ross was the badass CEO of her brainchild, Trans Tech; before she graced the cover of SELF magazine or was chosen as a face for not one but two Louis Vuitton campaigns; before she was televised into the homes of millions of people around the world on multi-emmy award winning shows like Pose, American Horror Story and Claws, she was a person with a dream of having the world hear her voice. On June 3rd of this year, kicking off Pride month with a bang, Angelica released her first single, “Only You” with critically acclaimed and rave reviews from the likes of People Magazine proclaiming her video as an “Oasis in the Desert.” I must agree that her sultry voice is like a cool drink on a sweltering day.

The music video, a lush desert landscape with Angelica framed in wide sweeping shots, directed by William Sikora III and executively produced by Angelica and EJ Jamele of crowdMGMT, is a dream not only visually and vocally but personally for Angelica.

“Music has been my first love and passion that I’ve had to put on the backburner for so long. So now, to be able to come full circle and invest in myself knowing that I’m going to win, I’m betting on myself. It took me a long time to be able to find my voice. I worked for the longest time in Drag shows…I was in Chicago at that time and I felt I can’t do this any more, I can’t lip “synch” when I know I have a voice, but I didn’t know how to transition my voice as well as I’ve been transitioning my whole life. Once I met the right vocal coach, all of a sudden I have come into my voice and I feel like I’ve been given a new life. It’s really great to be doing music again. I can’t wait for the other music I’ve been working on to release as well.”

Angelica is a dynamo, who has taken charge of who she is and what she wants to achieve in this life, with a true appreciation of the hard work it took to get her where she is today.

“Sometimes in life we aren’t truly grateful for the moments in which we have to completely start over and rebuild, sometimes our ego has to take a hit and we have to accept the low places we find ourselves again and then climb from there; be willing to do the work and climb. Many people want to be where I am without the decades of work that I’ve put in and I just have to refocus folks and remind them that anything is yours that you are willing to work for, but you have to put in the work. Many people aren’t willing to be on time to a 9am call let alone 4am. If you need your mom to wake you at 4am, this isn’t for you. It’s very interesting the saying, I think it’s from The Alchemist, 'When you have a dream, the whole universe conspires to help you achieve it.'”

The universe is certainly conspiring to lift this gracious talent as high as she is willing to climb, in addition to that already packed schedule she also performed at WeHo Pride OutLoud Festival on June 5 in West Hollywood and then jetted to Sao Paulo, Brazil to sit as the celebrity expert panelist at TransPride’s Employment Fair.

“I’m working on a project with Disney that’s releasing at the end of June or early July, and I’m doing a small SoHo House tour as well. The show at WeHo Pride OutLoud was a full on celebration- a party, I had background dancers and singers, the whole full show, it’s very uptempo. SoHo House is a little pulled back. I share the space with both J. Gordon and Kia Harper who are my background singers. They're both amazing vocalists and songwriters in their own right and we’ve become like a songwriting team. I’m going to have them open the show for me and then it’s going to be a bit of a conversation and music mix. It’s an evening with me where the audience can ask me questions and I’ll be doing songs as well.”

It’s more of an intimate evening for the first-time second line Outloud Raising Voices Festival performer at SoHo House, an honor she wasn’t expecting, one that’s unusual for a newcomer on the music and festival scene.

“I was gagging myself, thanks everyone for all the confidence when I haven’t even released a single of my own yet!”

In 2021 she lent her vocal stylings to the hit song “Fierce” with Ultra Naté and Mila Jam which was the first time she had been back in the studio since 2010, stoking the smoldering embers of her love for creating music.

“Doing “Fierce” was the first time I had returned to recording music since 2010…I plan to continue to release more and more songs as I create them, my fanbase is who I’m doing it for. It would be nice to have worldwide success, but I’m just happy that I’ve had fans since I was strumming on my guitar on Youtube over a decade ago who are now like 'you’re finally releasing music!'”

In life, inspiration comes from many places, sometimes it comes from somewhere in the past, a part of us just begging to be brought back out into the light and revamped; which is exactly what happened when Angelica and her team were deciding where to go for this cover shoot by Gerson Lopes. The inspiration came from a reference that Angelica shared with her management team while building her music rollout plan.

“About a decade ago I did a self portrait where I had my hair teased out in a big afro wearing knee high Nicole Miller boots that had black fur on the top and I was completely naked standing behind my black electric guitar. I took that photo and imported it into illustrator which then became my first logo. EJ (Jamele) suggested we do a modern update of that and the editors jumped at it.”

Photographed unencumbered by apparel, there is nothing more that she needs other than her own skin to be the most powerful version of herself. In this shoot Gerson Lopes did not disappoint in dusting off her old logo and bringing a modernized vision to life; the freedom and joy of self is palpable in every frame. This spread is a celebration that being trans and being visible is a revelation as well as a revolution.

“(Historically), we’ve had to hide to be safe, because this world has not always been safe for folks like us. We had to come out and be courageous to make things great for everyone in the community, not just those who could pass or who were assumed to be cis. People have a choice to be educated or not, but until then I don’t owe anyone any disclosure, I don’t owe anyone a performance, I don’t owe anyone information in order for me to just work and live in this world.”

With her company Trans Tech, she has created a space for people to work on themselves without the confinements of the world at large and the unique stressors that they may encounter. She tells students,

"I know what the world says, but what I'm telling you is that you can do anything you're willing to work for. The people at TransTech can create a pipeline to experiences that help you achieve your goals."

Companies like hers lead the way in Trans equity in the tech world and beyond; the positive effects of companies putting the mental wellbeing of its clients and employees first is far-reaching and something to hopefully galvanize other organization leaders to follow suit.

“When our society is constantly trying to attack the autonomy of trans people’s bodies and women’s bodies, we need people to be an ally in action, not just in Instagram posts. We are still in this space where folks kind of have this fair-weather allyship for trans issues. We need people to create a pipeline to valuable experiences; maybe there is a Trans person out there who wants to become a chef, or wants to be a graphic designer or filmmaker or has never worked in an office before.”

She encourages people to give back in whatever ways they can while also cautioning safety to trans youth looking for community and guidance. Trans Tech is actively creating pipelines for trans folks to access resume-building experiences and safe networking spaces packed with valuable resources.

“Be very, very careful on the internet. Find mentors who see your potential and push you and challenge you to do better, surround yourself with people who inspire you. Look to those amazing queer and trans leaders out there who share their experiences and have the best interests of the trans community at heart. When it comes to coming out and living your life, do it on your own terms and be safe.”

“There is chaos all over the place and all of this has something to do with all of us. Right now it is literally the time to wake the hell up and live your life and become who you’re supposed to be. The world that you want to see is one that you’re going to have to help us create. Period.”

Angelica's journey, one of passion and perseverance, serves as a living example of how hard work, as well as patience with oneself and others are imperative to creating a life to be proud of. Angelica is showing us what's possible when you bet on yourself and follow your dreams and damn, it looks good!