Teen Dancer & Entrepreneur, Scarlett Bella Song
What inspired you to get into jewelry?
Until a year ago, jewelry-making was predominately a hobby that I dabbled in while growing up. As I became increasingly passionate about fashion, jewelry became the most sentimental and meaningful accessory to me. I enjoyed recalling who had gifted me a specific piece of jewelry and I often reminisced about meaningful experiences I had while wearing a given piece. It was a slow build-up until the right opportunity came along to turn my passion for jewelry design into a commercial venture.
The inspiration behind the Annie X Scarlett teen jewelry collection came in the midst of the global pandemic. At the time, I had been in quarantine and on both online school and dance training for over a year. I was feeling disconnected and yearned to connect more closely with my friends. I realized that I was not alone in my feelings and I wanted to send messages of love and empowerment into the world. I ultimately sent out these messages with the brand Annie and Sisters in the form of a 15-piece of jewelry collection.
The mission behind the Annie X Scarlett collection is to spread messages of kindness, empowerment, collaboration, self-love, and sisterhood throughout the teen community. Annie and I designed these pieces with a strong sense of purpose to unite and uplift teens. Essentially, the jewelry is a physical manifestation of the loving energy that we wish to send out into the world.
I hope that each person who wears a piece from the Annie X Scarlett collection feels like they received a heartfelt hug from us. I want everyone to feel the sentiment and deep meaning infused into each piece. Hopefully, the jewelry will unite us and help to create an inclusive community where we uplift and support each other.
How do you balance being a teenager, a professional dancer, and a business owner all at the same time?
The real answer is that I am still learning! My life is a constant juggling act as I strive to find balance. Sometimes I inadvertently tip more heavily in one direction than another, but I ultimately “course correct” because I want to achieve goals in all aspects of my life.
I try to maximize my time by pursuing opportunities that fit closely with my highest priorities and personal values. For example, a couple of days ago I declined an opportunity to perform at a fashion gala in order to accept a different opportunity to perform at a charitable event to raise money for children in crisis in the US and Ukraine. I didn’t have the time/capacity to accept both projects, so I had to choose. While I am highly passionate about fashion (and would have been deeply honored to perform at the gala), I had recently walked in Austin Fashion Week and I felt strongly that my next project should be a charitable endeavor.
As a significant portion of my life is firmly committed to school and dance training, I have limited time to pursue my modeling, acting, design, entrepreneurial and philanthropic interests. So, another way I choose my projects is to find opportunities where my interests are inextricably linked. (For instance, the fundraiser for children in crisis is a project that unites my passion for dance and philanthropy).
Since my interests are interwoven, it also gives me a sense of balance. When I consider some of my idols (e.g., Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and Rihanna), they fire on so many cylinders! They are entertainment, fashion, and business moguls who built multi-faceted empires. This inspires me to continue to pursue all of my interests, as success in one area can lead to exciting opportunities in another area.
Are your jewelry and your love for dance connected? If so, how?
On a subliminal level, I believe that my jewelry and love for dance are connected. For instance, when I am designing a piece of jewelry, I strongly consider how the piece will move - like a dangling earring or charm on a necklace. To me, the motion of a piece of jewelry can mimic dance.
Even on a more concrete level, I believe my jewelry and love for dance are connected because I draw upon the same sources of inspiration. For instance, some of my greatest inspiration comes from international travel where I had the privilege of exploring different cultures. Prior to the global pandemic, I was very fortunate to visit sixteen countries. This broadened my perspective and understanding of the world.
When I am abroad, I actively seek out local jewelry and crafts as well as local dance performances or classes. In particular, my travels throughout South Korea had a particularly deep impact on me and continue to inspire me. My father’s side of the family is originally from South Korea (they emigrated to the United States in the 1970s), so the trip was particularly meaningful to me because I developed a stronger connection to my culture and a better understanding of my family‘s origins. I also love Korean food, fashion, music, and culture; as an avid K-pop fan, I was particularly excited to train in an industry dance studio in Seoul. Ultimately, my travels united me with my ancestry and culture ~ and this in turn has helped me grow as both a jewelry designer and dancer.
What advice would you give someone that wants to follow in your footsteps?
My first piece of advice for anyone who aspires to have a career in fashion, entertainment, and/or business is to adopt an abundance mindset. This means embracing the philosophy that there are endless opportunities for everyone. It also means believing in your talents, trusting your training, and aligning your efforts with your intention and purpose. If you do these things, you will hit your flow and surprise yourself with everything you accomplish. All of your energy will now be channeled in a positive direction to create value (versus getting caught up in a scarcity mindset fraught with comparison, self-doubt, and distraction).
My second piece of advice for anyone who aspires to have a career in fashion, entertainment, and/or business is not to dim your light to accommodate others. This is such a tough lesson to learn and practice. As a people-pleaser, this continues to be a struggle for me. I enjoy uplifting people and making them feel comfortable, so I find myself holding back to accommodate them. Ultimately, I realize that we are all free to be our authentic selves and that it is important for us all to strive to realize our full potential. I am also a work-in-process in learning how to take my own advice!
My advice for aspiring dancers is to train as both an athlete and an artist:
To develop as an athlete, we lead disciplined lifestyles where we train consistently to be in peak performance when we compete or perform. It takes a tremendous amount of sacrifice, physical endurance, and mental strength to train at this level. We have to constantly push past our self-imposed limits and elevate our skills to reach higher levels of performance.
To develop as an artist, we need to have rich life experiences to draw upon in our artistic expressions. We need to have a plethora of experiences to awaken different parts of us so we can portray different characters and bring stories in motion to life. By maintaining a rich inner life, we have our minds and hearts aligned to create and innovate.
What is your favorite style of dance?
While I enjoy learning new genres and adding to my movement vocabulary, my absolute favorite dance styles are contemporary, jazz-funk, hip hop, and ballet.
For me, dance is ultimately about creative expression. No words can describe the sense of peace I feel when my mind, heart, and body are aligned to tell stories and share feelings through motion.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
In the next five years, I hope to achieve the goals I set for myself in all aspects of my life:
As a student, I hope to get straight A’s and get accepted into a top-tier college.
As an entertainer, dancer and model, I hope to find new opportunities to grow and have a broader reach.
As an entrepreneur and designer, I hope to launch a series of sustainable (and profitable) businesses that reflect my passion for entertainment, fashion, and design.
As a person, I hope to build more meaningful and lasting relationships as well as earn my place as a thought leader and role model in the world.
Finally, as a citizen of the world, I hope to start a charitable foundation to enrich others and give back. □
Article Credits
Scarlett’s Instagram: @scarlettbellasong
Photos 1,2,3,4,5, & 7: @tonyaturnerphoto
Photos 6,8,9,10, & 11: @dfwdp