A multi-talented singer, actress, performer, and entrepreneur working in a variety of genres and mediums, Hippie Mandy has seen her career flourish with her talent and skillset bringing her plenty of acclaim over the years. Now, in honor of Women in Horror Month, I talk with her about her early interest in performing, working in the multiple arenas she has, and her film "Halloween the 31st: The Curse Continues."
Me: Hello and thank you for taking the time to do this. First off, when did you initially discover a passion for performing? What aspect of the industry appeals to you?
Hippie Mandy: Hey there. Of course, anytime, my pleasure!
I first discovered my passion for performing at age 2 years old. My mom used to show me Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 Short Film via VHS & The Velvet Rope Tour Live on HBO, recorded directly to the VHS by my mom.
By the time I was 3YO, I was dancing & singing and promised myself that when I grew up, I’d be a singer & dancer on stage! (My Words at 3-Years Old)!
Although Music Production is my First Love, Content Creation in TV/Film and media & Event Planning/Coordination is my main focus this year! I honestly don’t see myself in one industry category as a multi-creative entrepreneur, so it’s hard to say the exact industry category that appeals to me most!
Me: Is there any specific type of style you prefer playing? How would you describe your sound for those who have never heard you playing?
HM: I enjoy producing & engineering my own performance tracks, however this year for RGNostalgia (The Royal Gala Tour) my next step is to start my own band and take The Royal Carpet (The Red Carpet Concept with my own theme) on Tour with me, rent event spaces, theaters, etc. & to showcase our multi-creative projects while incorporating our Television Network, expanding our platform into a more elegant and engaging environment of Performing Arts & Entertainment!
My sound is described to be a futuristic pop style of r&b/soul, providing a nostalgic wave of 80s- early 2000s-inspired music within the quality of visual arts!
Me: What is your writing process? How do you stay focused on writing?
HM: I partner with KD-Smoove & we collaborate with other TV Production Companies as well as other Corporations & Media Executives & build our magazines with written-based interviews through our magazine publications. We are also screenwriters. Together, we write our own scripts and novels & publish our content on our own platforms as we’ve built & are enhancing the next generation of futuristic distribution for corporations, serious content creators & publishers to bring their own network.
The platforms we’ve built help us organize, balance, & maintain our focus, encouraging us to generate more & more content & products to promote our platforms without giving up our entire lifestyle to make it happen!
Me: As your career flourished and eventually brought about more of an entrepreneurial role, did that present any different types of challenges to you than before?
HM: Honestly, it’s become easier as I’ve been mainly focused on strategizing my life & organizing my professional development while maintaining my personal growth separately.
However, the most challenging aspect of my career has been making sure the right people are involved in not only my life but my family’s life due to our well-known history of working within the community. It can get dangerous if we walk into certain places because of how well known we are, and when people see us, they see Royalty. So being in public can be pretty hard for us.
Me: How do you divide your time between your entrepreneurial work creating various content and physical products and your creative outlet in your musical career?
HM: I usually get inspired & plan each project according to the previous content I’ve already worked on, aligning my goals with my latest projects so that my music & presentation will make sense to my audience, in which provides the audience something they can feel within my vision & the visuals itself within the presentation with the products doesn’t ever disappoint! It’s an extremely impactful experience!
Me: What has been the most memorable experience that you've had based on these collaborations?
HM: My most memorable moment was my first time meeting Starbrille Cooper of Star Lashelle -Name Brand Fashion Designer & Cherie Dinkins Owner/CEO of Blooms Alley & Realtor Sales Associate of Marsh Realty. I’d recently moved to Hagerstown & was searching for pop-up events when I met Star. She was hosting a Fall Fest Event at Blooms Alley where I also met Brittney Bingham of Kids Fashion Line “Adore Dolls” & they loved our dessert inspired bath & beauty line “SB&B by Hippie Mandy & KD-Smoove. When I first saw Brittney she was giving Ashanti (Early 2000s) Vibes, she fell in love with my products at first sight & they purchased a dessert candle & my Album on CD “New World of Funk” then introduced me to Cherie Dinkins she also supported & purchased a candle then offered me my very first shelf space in Blooms Alley Former Storefront Area within their Space in which I became the headlining ambassador of Bloom Alley from 2022-2023.
My experience there has inspired us to open our own storefront sooner than planned (blessings) so now while building our Legacy while continuing another Legacy that made impact within my career through Hippie World Nostalgia MC OneStop Located in Hagerstown (A Media House & Micro-Mini Shop made for Multi-Creatives & Entrepreneurs to network & bring their latest project to life while exploring the future of retail).
Me: By the time you turned to filmmaking with your husband, KD-Smoove, forming Hippie Nation Global, what inspired the move into this aspect of the industry?
HM: KD initially started working in TV/Film Production back in the early 2000s with BET. In addition to this, he’s a very passionate writer. When we first met back in 2014, we grew closer through our passion for writing & sharing our poetry with one another & we vowed to pursue our talent no matter where we go in life.
Fast forward I wrote for BET in one of our Publication Issues of Hippie Nation Magazine in 2023 & saw my content style go live with no accreditation and then we made a team decision to start our own TV/Film & Media Production Organization so we won’t have to rely on other TV Network Platforms for publishing & content creation. The goal has always been to make it happen in honor of our family’s foundation & to be the first to graduate actually doing what we enjoy and not what people traditionally expect of us to do in our careers & I must say we’ve definitely made it and enjoy the path we’ve chosen!
HM: With your first project in this venture being Myranda Myers in the film “Halloween the 31st: The Curse Continues,” what initially inspired you to the project?
HM: I remember as a child the very first horror movie I was introduced to was Halloween (1978) by my oldest brother, & I fell in love at first with horror movies & spooky season. One day going through our VHS Tapes & DVD’s I came across Halloween 2 & I found that although Michael Myers was fictional character he was very realistic & intriguing to learn about, considering we’ve seen cases similar to his growing up in the hood of Rock Creek, Forestville, MD, at the time. By the age of 5, my mom saw Halloween 4 & 5 on DVD and brought it home to me as a gift. I learned that Jamie was Michael’s niece and became really curious about the storyline, hoping they didn’t mess up the film since I couldn’t find Michael Myers in Halloween 3.
Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers would come on TV (AMC) every Halloween season, and I realized that afterward, the sequel fell off, so I was determined to fix it! I then vowed that as soon as I get the opportunity to produce my own films I would fix the storyline & add my own twist as well as extend the characters bloodline instead of overly using Michael Myers as a Key Character to make the movie more Interesting & Intriguing as I felt when I was first exposed to the movie!
Myranda Myers's Character was highly inspired by my life as a teen living in an unstable family & in an area built on negative history, despite how great the dwellings look on the outside, which didn’t change the environmental problems that children & vulnerable adults had to face!
The classroom scene was inspired by the continuous bullying I had to face in school. After being beaten brutally by classmates because I won a rap battle & on top of the inability to catch a break at home when my parents would argue and fight while dragging me in the middle of their problems…
When my dad would call me names & demolish my most inspiring content & favorite vinyl records every time he couldn’t use me against my mom, it felt like the scene where I was douched in the face by my fictional dad with my chemical project leaving my face burning as it melted to the floor!
The film is based on my childhood as a challenged teen with a dream and “what if it went wrong?” type of narrative while bringing awareness to no bullying & mental health awareness & highlighting the most iconic actors & actresses in the local town’s Performing Arts Community of MPWV (Western MD, PA & WV) Area in whom are more of the Hipster, Unconventional community of individuals who truly admire the futuristic Art of humanity, inspired of The DMV (DC, MD, VA) Metro area.
Me: What do you do to stay in character while on set? When you're not filming, how do you pass the time between takes?
HM: Honestly, acting just comes naturally to me. It’s fun on-set; we all come prepared. We usually improv our lines and make the best of the characters in which withholds strain of our own ideas while portraying our assigned characters.
We strategize as a team and take turns helping one another as we shape the scenes within the film in which we all leave the scene accomplishing something new or adding on experience where we’re most proud.
Me: Having worked on several short films and music videos early in your career, what tools and skills did you acquire working on those that transferred to future film projects?
HM: Usually, I apply my dance routines with visual FX Effects using Video Editing Apps & the latest iPhones as a major investment to our high-quality visuals.
Me: With a cast of experienced and talented indie actors, how'd you settle on the cast getting involved in the film? What characteristics did you look for with each performer that they brought to the table that helped bring the production to light?
HM: Well, thanks to Matt Burns, he helped me select serious actors & actresses. We require each person auditioning to submit a TV Audition with Video Quality Requirements for Self-Made videos to be submitted to show their performance skills & that’s how we decide who is best for the roles.
Me: What was the set like while shooting the film? How did the cast and crew react to the type of film being made?
HM: It was such an amazing and very special experience on-set. The work we put in is immediately recognized because each set is unique & not forced. We usually improv our lines & allow each other to get creative with our performance in our own way, & that’s the best part for me when behind the scenes.
Me: Do you recall having any odd or funny on-set stories about yourself or any of the other cast/crew members?
HM: It was always fun, so I wouldn’t say odd, but definitely very funny moments in such a great way. The character wheels became because we didn’t have a part for Hunter Herson in the script. He was more of an extra role in the film Halloween The 31st: The Curse Continues Ch.1 EPS.1. Hunter, Brian & KD all got together with the cast and crew and came up with a solution out of the blue to make his role stand out within the extras and I thought it was so cool & funny at the same time. I really love the performances of KD & Brian as Brandon & Mark. They were super funny on-set, and I still giggle to this day. Such incredible & phenomenal experiences.
Me: How do you keep your creative energy flowing?
HM: As a natural-born visionary, it’s my passion & creativity is everlasting to me. It’s the most awesome energy in the world, and it actually helps me therapeutically.
Me: What else are you working on that you'd like to share with our readers?
HM: My new album release is set for April 4th, so be sure to check it out & my new storefront is opening soon as well. Be on the lookout for Hippie World Nostalgia MC OneStop.
Me: Lastly, being that this is our Women in Horror Movement, what special message do you have for any women out there looking to join in the industry in any capacity as you are one yourself? Thank you again for your time!
HM: Most definitely, anytime. As a woman, I must admit being creative is very hard in a male-dominated environment, but within the filmmaking industry, it’s very rewarding & there is so much love for women. It’s like being in the motherlands. Don’t get discouraged because one thing didn’t work out with one group of individuals! Always remain flexible & adaptable to attend to your needs. Without your happiness & passion, there’s no point. Keep your head up high, and keep thriving! The harder times shall surpass! Much love!
-Hippie Mandy
This interview ran as part of our 2025 Women in Horror Movement series. Click the banner below to check out all the featured interviews in this series:
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