What do Jessica Alba, Hollywood’s elite, and my own face all have in common? Shani Darden. She’s the esthetician-turned-entrepreneur who went from rolling around in music videos to creating the go-to skin care line trusted by celebrities and Sephora shoppers worldwide.

In this episode of The Stiletto Room, Shani opens up about her journey from a small town in upstate New York to becoming one of the most respected Black female founders in beauty. She talks about her obsession with skin care as a kid, the leap from giving facials in her back house to opening her own energy-infused studio, and the product that changed the game: Retinol Reform.

We get into it all — building a business as a woman of color, the pressure of perfection in Hollywood, surviving the pandemic launch of her Sephora line, and why reputation is the only real currency. And yes, we even talk about her pet turtle Mitch.

This conversation is raw, funny, and full of wisdom — a must-listen for anyone chasing their passion and glowing while doing it.

About Shani Darden:

Considered the secret behind Hollywood’s most flawless faces, expert esthetician Shani Darden sets herself apart with her results-oriented approach to skin care. Her passion for simple, yet effective solutions has earned her clients’ trust and respect in a town where beauty, health, and wellness standards are high. Shani trained as an aesthetician under a leading dermatologist, eventually going out on her own. She developed a passion for creating products she could not find, sending clients home with custom-made formulas between visits. Her Retinol Reform® serum quickly built a huge celebrity following. Today, Shani is sharing her proven formulas and trusted expertise so people everywhere can achieve their best skin. In June 2019, Shani opened her first flagship studio in Beverly Hills where she treats clients, develops high-performance formulas, and shares her expertise with her followers on social media.

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What does it really take to survive—and thrive—in the music industry? In this episode of The Stiletto Room, I sit down with two of the most brilliant (and brutally honest) hitmakers in the game: Bonnie McKee (the pen behind Teenage Dream, California Gurls, Roar) and Shane Stevens (the voice behind American Honey, Fancy Like, and countless Nashville gems).

We go way beyond the highlight reel. Bonnie opens up about losing her first record deal at 16, falling into addiction, and clawing her way back with one hit after another. Shane shares how George Michael and Mariah Carey inspired his songwriting dreams, how rejection almost ended his career, and how sobriety gave him back his purpose.

Together, we dive into:

• The real life of a songwriter (spoiler: it’s not all glitz and Grammys)
• Why failure and struggle are essential to becoming an artist
• How sobriety sharpened their creativity and saved their lives
• Full circle moments that prove the universe is always listening
• Why mentoring the next generation is the greatest legacy

Funny, raw, and unfiltered—this episode is as much about survival as it is about songwriting. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to make it in music, this is your masterclass.

About Bonnie McKee

Grammy-nominated songwriter and pop artist Bonnie McKee has shaped modern pop with massive hits like Katy Perry’s Diamond-certified “California Gurls” and “Roar.” She’s also penned songs for Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha, Bebe Rexha, Jason Derulo, Kygo, and Adam Lambert. As a solo artist, Bonnie has toured nationally, performed at Coachella and the Hollywood Bowl, and released the cult-favorite Bombastic EP, with its title track featured in over 20 TV and film placements. In 2020, she wrote, produced, and starred in the award-winning short film April Kills the Vibe. Her 2024 album Hot City delivers bold, empowering anthems that celebrate individuality and self-expression.

About Shane Stevens

Shane Stevens is a Grammy-nominated songwriter whose work spans country and pop, with cuts by Carrie Underwood, Lady A, Walker Hayes, Meghan Trainor, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez, Fifth Harmony, and more. His smash hit “Fancy Like” by Walker Hayes went 6x Platinum and earned a Grammy nomination, BMI award, and NSAI Song of the Year. Shane’s first No. 1, “American Honey” by Lady A, earned multiple industry awards and launched a career of chart-topping success. In February 2025, he released “I Can’t Quit,” a duet with Sara Evans. His songs reflect resilience, creativity, and a passion for storytelling shaped by his journey through Nashville, New York, and beyond.

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Tinashe doesn’t just walk into a room, she floats in like she owns it, crystals in one hand, hit records in the other. From dancing at age four to leading a girl group, and ultimately carving out her own lane as a fearless solo artist, she’s lived a lifetime before most people finish high school. In this episode of The Stiletto Room, we get into it all: the freedom of creating her early mixtapes, the perfectionism that still drives her, and the viral wildfire that was Nasty and No Broke Boys.

Tinashe opens up about rejecting the industry’s bullshit boxes, protecting her creative instincts at all costs, and why owning her intellectual property was the ultimate power move. She also lets us in on what’s next, from writing a motivational book to starring in the kind of action film where she’s kicking ass, stunts and all.

This conversation is raw, funny, and full of the kind of unapologetic honesty that makes Tinashe more than a star, she's a blueprint. If you’ve ever doubted yourself, listen up, because she’ll remind you exactly why you shouldn’t.

ABOUT TINASHE

Tinashe is a multi-platinum-certified R&B disruptor singer, writer, and dancer—but she also produces, mixes, engineers, creative directs, and edits. She is one of music’s most compelling artists, fusing innovative sounds from R&B, pop, and hip-hop that has generated a global cross-genre fan base of over 13 million social media followers. Tinashe has headlined two world tours and accrued over 1.5 billion global streams of all time. Her first album, Aquarius, came out in 2014 and debuted in the top 20 on the Billboard 200. She has since released four more studio albums, not including BB/ANG3L, as well as several mixtapes and numerous hit singles. Tinashe recently released her new album, Quantum Baby, on August 16th, which is led by her new single, “No Broke Boys,” that is rapidly climbing the charts. Produced by Ricky Reed (Lizzo, Camila Cabello) and Zack Sekoff, the album includes the hit track “Nasty,” which has been streamed over 500 million times worldwide since release. Following the viral dance trend, the track has become a certified hit, breaking onto major charts, including the Billboard Hot 100. The track also reached #1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 and US Viral 50, as well as #2 on the Apple iTunes R&B and Soul Songs chart. The single is currently in the top 10 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, #4 on the Billboard Hot R&B Songs, and #11 at Rhythm Radio and was just launched to Top 40 radio. On TikTok, the song has surpassed 4.2 million creations across sounds and is at 13 billion total views! Tinashe’s list of collaborators is extensive, including Tyga, Chlöe, Britney Spears, A$AP Rocky, Usher, Charli XCX, Chance the Rapper, Travis Scott, Dev Hynes, and Calvin Harris.

Pre-order Street Smart: Succeeding in a Man's World
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Follow The Stiletto Room:
The Podcast: https://dinalapolt.komi.io
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