From stay at home Mom to walking the red carpet, Susie McLean is living proof that dreams can come true. Born and raised in Toronto, Susie now resides in Los Angeles where she is pursuing her many dreams. Growing up in a home where Gospel music was the norm she quickly connected to music which led her to play piano and write her own songs. Finding her expression through music has earned her a few accolades for both innovative songwriting and dynamic covers. Her original piece, “Sing Your Song” was nominated at the Independent Music Awards and she was also nominated as “Best Jazz Artist” at the Toronto Independent Music Awards.
In 2019, Susie released her debut music video for her girl-powered anthem “She’s Unstoppable.” The message behind the song is all about living your truth, not playing it safe and stepping out regardless of your fears. It’s the message of the many women who have persevered through hard times and never gave up. The music video, released on International Women’s Day, was produced by Sherien Barsoum and an all female crew.
As a child growing up in Toronto, Susie also had a love for the camera. As a 9-year-old, Susie would watch TV commercials and then pretend to be in a commercial of her own. She would act out the whole scene for her mother and her siblings who became her first audience. “You’re going to be watching me in commercials one day!” she would proudly say. Fast forward to today and Susie has starred in dozens of commercials for brands like McDonald’s, WestJet, Ford, KFC, Telus, Home Hardware, Honey Bunches of Oats, Canada Post, Bank of America and much more. “I still can’t believe that the same little girl that would dream about being in tv commercials is doing it today!” Susie says.
Your future is shaped by the words you speak. When your words line up with what you believe, nothing is impossible!
Susie’s “go-getter” attitude has paved a way for her budding success as a commercial actress. Her passion and belief in hard work has landed her roles in TV Shows, a feature film and partnerships with brands that empower women. She keeps herself motivated by celebrating small wins and cultivating gratitude. Her life motto is, “Enjoy where you are on the way to where you’re going.”
As part of our Globetrotter series, we connected with Susie, to find out how he has been handling the pandemic, the one place he will return once travel restrictions are lifted, and what projects she is currently working on.
01. How have you been handling the pandemic?
We moved from Canada to the USA in January 2020. The lockdown happened just two months later. So when the pandemic began, it was a bit overwhelming because everything was so new for me. I was still trying to process all the changes with just moving to a new country. As I got more settled and kept in touch with family and friends, things didn’t feel as daunting. And not to mention the sunshine and palm trees put a HUGE smile on my face each morning.
02. How have you been keeping busy during the COVID-19 pandemic?
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It’s all about Tik-Tok! I love dancing and my daughter is all about TIK-TOK! She has been teaching me the moves and now I can’t get enough. It’s also been a great way to bond with each other.
03. What have you learned from the pandemic?
I have learned to focus on the things I can control. I can’t control how long the lockdown will last. I can’t control what is happening in the economy or how long the line will be at the grocery store. But I can control what time I go to bed tonight and whether or not I exercise today. So focusing on what I can control gives me a sense of peace in the midst of the chaos.
04. Where is the first place you wish to travel as soon as restrictions are lifted and why?
The first place I want to visit is Canada. I miss my parents and my family very much. I literally have not seen them since moving to the USA.
05. Don’t underestimate the impact you make on others when you pursue your dreams ...
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I had an audition with my kids and it’s something we’ve done a few times before and it’s always been fun. But this time, something struck me that I never thought about before: I’m bringing my kids with me on the journey of chasing my dreams! To them, it’s normal to dream big dreams and passionately pursue them.
We may book this role, or we may not. Either way, they learn resilience and perseverance and the never-give-up attitude that it takes to pursue any worthwhile goal. I think that might be more special than whatever happens with this particular opportunity.
06. Where in the world have you felt happiest?
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There’s a very special place in Malibu called El Matador Beach. It has beautiful bluffs and HUGE rocks lining the seashore. The sunsets over the ocean are stunning. It is definitely one of my happy places.
07. Which is your favourite hotel?
My all time favourite hotel is the Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. It has sweeping views of the San Francisco bay, it’s close to all the major attractions and you can see Alcatraz Island from your living room.
08. Confession time: name one thing you’ve taken from a hotel
Haha!! Those mini lotions and shampoos that smell oh so good!
09. Who is your favourite travelling companion?
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Hands down my husband Anthony McLean is the BEST travelling buddy. We have been together for 17th years and he has been my rock. He always makes a fun playlist for us wherever we go which becomes the soundtrack for our trips. I love connecting music with places we visit. We listen to “Country Road Take Me Home” every time we drive through West Virginia and it’s the BEST!
10. Which travel experience most changed your worldview and why?
When we were driving across the country and we got close to the Mexican Border there was a checkpoint on the highway with border patrol agents. They stopped us and looked inside our car. Even though we had nothing to hide I still felt afraid. They let us go and we continued on our way. But it made me think about all of the Mexican children who were held in cages at the border separated from their families. I had seen the images on the News but this made it so real to me.
11. Your thoughts on #BLM
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It’s hard to understand the virus of racism. This picture was from a peaceful BLM protest on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood that my husband and I went to with our kids. It was so powerful to feel like we were making history together. I truly believe future generations will look back at this moment as a pivotal move towards justice. What an honour to take part in it with my kids!
12. The one beauty essential would you never leave home without?
I can never leave home without my Vitamin C Serum. It does wonders for my skin.
13. What do you see in the mirror?
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This was a very vulnerable post for me as someone who has struggled with acne. Every time I looked in the mirror I felt defeated, frustrated and didn’t know what was happening to my skin. And now I have overcome it. I love encouraging and inspiring women to love themselves regardless of their flaws. And when I find solutions for myself love sharing it with others.
14. Always remember ...
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You are the artist of your life so paint your own canvas. Don’t give the paintbrush to anyone else. Dreams are not easy and at times it feels like an unending maze but it’s so worth it. This life is too short to live a mediocre existence. Do it because you’ve only got one life to live. Do it because that dream was put inside of you for a reason. Do it because the regrets would be far worse than never trying at all. This life was never meant to be endured. It was meant to be LIVED! So let’s LIVE!!!
15. Last Words ...
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Always have a vision and a purpose! As an artist, releasing your work into the world is an expression of power and vulnerability. I want to encourage anyone who has a goal or wants to take a step toward a dream to just do it! Forget about how your work will be received or how many “likes” or “follows” you get. Do it for YOU. Do it for the sake of pursuing a worthwhile goal. When you get rid of all the accolades and analytics, you can make art that you feel proud of regardless of who likes it! So get started!
