Being the “can” in a world of “cannot” With Stacy Sutphen

Stacy Sutphen has had many rebirths as her career in entertainment continues to evolve. The mom of two, who currently raises her children in Santa Clarita with her husband, showrunner and gameshow host Jeff Sutphen, has done it all. Through sharing her experiences, she hopes to encourage others to share their own story and follow their heart.
Stacy began her career in entertainment as a dancer, signed a record deal at 15 to Fever Records, then took time off from singing and later started the girl group Fateful in the late 90s, when groups like Backstreet Boys and, Spice Girls were dominating the charts. “We hustled, rehearsed every day, put out flyers, and performed. We got a record deal within two years. It was a wonderful experience, but in the end I chose to walk away from it because that lifestyle wasn’t really for me. At that time, I was working for Nickelodeon, singing all their jingles. It was much more rewarding and I had more control over my voice.”
Stacy continued building her body of work with roles in television and film. After years of going through the auditioning process, Stacy decided to take control of her ability to create. “You have all this passion. You want to create, but you’re waiting for someone to tell you that you can. I want to be the one to have the power over myself so I decided to start writing. It was a perfect time for me because I was pregnant with my first child. I started writing and creating shows. I’ve been very fortunate and able to prove myself to production companies and studios. If I have an idea, I get to develop the entire show. No one’s telling me I cannot create it.”
Stacy’s journey in the music industry has given her the material she needs for her most recent project. “It’s called Dirty Pop, and it’s based on my life when I was in the girl group Fateful. I took everything that I experienced as an artist and infused it in this television show. My partner is Grammy winning music producer Damon Sharpe, and we have a development deal with the production company Electus (producers of Jane the Virgin and Flaked). Eleven-time Grammy winner, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, is our executive producer. He’s brilliant, and we’re really excited to have him on board.”
When looking back at her career, Stacy reflects on her many accomplishments. “I’m appreciative of the experiences and the memories. Everything is positive and rewarding because it helped me become the artist and person I am today. I get to create stories based on the experiences I’ve had as a singer, dancer, going on auditions and working on independent films and now as a mom. As a writer, your everyday experience, your journey, is part of your story, and you get to write it and share that journey with others. Hopefully, it will inspire others to follow their dreams.”
As a mom, entertainer, writer, and philanthropist, there’s one important thing that ties all her different experiences in life together. “Follow your heart, and speak from the heart. Be honest with yourself, with others, and you’ll live a happy life.”
In 2011, Stacy started the Anna Forlenza Foundation, a non-profit named after her grandmother who was a foster mother. Stacy hopes to raise awareness about child abuse and continue to help children in or out of foster care.
Their mission is to encourage everyone to report child abuse to the proper authorities, the Police. Reporting child abuse, child sexual abuse, child neglect, even if you suspect it, can save a child’s life. Every child deserves to grow up in a healthy, loving environment free of hate.
To learn more about Stacy’s non- profit, visit http://www.theannaforlenzafoundation.com.

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