L.Alien Presents: Alyson Bruno
**Line of work / Job title(s) (paid or unpaid) :
Music producer / rapper / bartender #livingthedream
I was born in Cleveland but lived my teenage years in Miami FL and moved out to LA after completing film school at University of Miami to pursue a career in production as a director/editor.
Living here has introduced me to a culture of creative beasts that do not exist anywhere else in the world.
A friend I knew in production told me he had a full time job hook up for me on a little tv show called True Blood so I decided it was time to make the journey. I was broke but I had a credit card with a $4000 limit so I made it. I had a tempurpedic pillow I was traveling with that froze solid while we crossed the Grand Canyon. When I arrived and found my first apartment with a college classmate, my first struggle was accepting all the little things I needed to buy to make a home for the first time. Like dish towels and a can opener. I know it sounds simple — but it’s those little things that really push you over in the beginning. I had a ways to go, and the job? It didn’t exist. But my first grocery shopping trip — with a cart full of $1 ramen and sponges and orange juice, I assisted some random guys in the liquor in selecting a good party spread and they paid for my whole cart … a whopping $30! I went home to sleep on my concrete like pillow and knew it was time to come up with a better game plan. The struggle was real!
Moving to LA helped me find my dreams. I remember choosing film school because I had a boyfriend who was addicted to Netflix when that business was a startup and a Macintosh laptop (via work) with iMovie and iDVD built in, which I thought would be a waste if left unused! But after moving here and working in film for years I found my thick shell cracked and a poet shined thru, brighter and bigger until this musician emerged at age 25. Who knew! I made a video and released it, and was asked to bring it to a show in Santa Monica. I asked for a 30 minute set and got to work writing lyrics with the help of my blood sister Eden Grey who sent me beats to perform with. Everyone I had met in the few short years living here showed up to witness this train wreck and instead they watched me blast off. This is why LA is special. People believe in your weird here. And they want in on the action.
I love that I can hop in a lyft at 10am on any day of the year in a random costume and no one raises an eyebrow. I love that you never know the secret backstory of the person you are sharing a small moment with. I love that phrase “anything can happen” has absolutely no limits in this town. I love that no matter what you do someone is out there doing it harder and weirder than you. I love that people here backup their creativity with passion and execution. I love that people flock here to do the exact same weird things as me. And that there are life coaches that talk you up into the clouds rather than pull you out of them.
This week? I mean… I did laundry, haven’t made rent yet, and am doing this interview but it’s only Monday. I have a new album I want to release at the start of 2020 and I am hunting for video collaboration with someone made of magic. I haven’t found that person yet but i put out the APB just today so fingers crossed I find the passion in one of my peers very soon!
I found a constantly changing profession that allowed for me to travel and meet new people everywhere. I wanted to direct. I became a director. I wanted to make music. I became a musician. I wanted to work with my influences and heroes. I’ve done that too.
Now I want to score movies. I want to play shows to 50,000 people. I want to make six figures selling merch. Staying green and passionate gets more difficult with every passing day but I have carved a lifestyle for myself and to be honest — if this wasn’t meant to be, it wouldn’t have happened in the first place!
I love writing poetry. I struggle to find time to do this without being zonked into flow state somehow. I can’t force it. I love practicing on my turntables but can never seem to find time for that either. But when I do it’s a blast!
I love to chill and watch old movies. I love to travel to cool places and shop for insanely beautiful dresses at goodwill. I love walking this city on foot to see the street art in slow motion.
When I first started rapping a friend invited me and my bestie to a formal party and we didn’t know what that meant so we threw on some dresses and the next thing I know I’m on stage doing an original song backed by Jeff Goldblum and his jazz band in front of hundreds of people. Only in LA.
Like if punk rock grew up and realized it was really hip hop. Like if your bubble gum was habanero pink. Like if birds had teeth and needed them to eat thru the cotton candy clouds.
Do it today don’t bother to save just get here and get started.
Movie Night — my new album — release date tbd!!!
