Taylor-Ann Hasselhoff Opens Up About Finding Success Right At Home and Following in Her Father’s Footsteps
GALO: I believe that you are also trying your hand in the music industry, and have been in the studio recording with the same producer that worked with Jennifer Lopez and Demi Lovato. What genre would you classify your music under and how is it unique from what’s already out there?
TAH: I don’t really know, to be honest. It’s kind of like dance music, but more subtle. Usually what I do is a little bit of indie, I guess, with some dance vibes to it. I like dubstep and I also love ballads, too. But I feel like nowadays, with all the dance music going on, it’s kind of cool to be able to do a ballad that has a beat.
GALO: There seems to be a trend lately with younger people in the entertainment business getting involved in charity work. What would you say was your biggest motivation for joining such organizations as the Wheels for Humanity and the LA Mission?
TAH: I feel like nowadays it is so important to be able to give back when you have time because there are so many amazing people out there that deserve to be able to smile. Wheels for Humanity is such an incredible charity — you get to go in the factories, put together a wheelchair, and then give it to someone that can’t afford a wheelchair, [someone who] has been crawling on their hands and knees their whole life. To be able to see someone [be] so joyful for the couple hours that you’ve put in by putting together that wheelchair is one of the greatest paybacks. Also, during the holidays I always go down to the LA Mission. Being able to just serve food to people that haven’t had a hot meal in God knows how long, and to be able to give them someone to talk to that isn’t just some guy on the street, is so rewarding for me. I feel like everyone should do that sometime in his or her life, because it is something that I think makes you humble and appreciative of what you do have. [Charity] is just an important thing for everyone to be involved in.
GALO: You are currently in the works of creating a new television show in which you will also be starring. Can you tell us a little bit more about the pilot that you have been presenting to major networks? What kind of program would you classify it as?
TAH: We actually can’t really talk much about that yet, but there has been some interest. I would say that the program is more for an older age range (18+).
GALO: So, you’ve been following your father around for the past six months — that had to be interesting. During the filming of this documentary (centered on the life of the infamous David Hasselhoff) that you’ve been producing, would you say that you learned anything new about yourself as a producer/director? Did anything about your family surprise you while you were viewing them from behind the lens?
TAH: I guess you learn to have a lot of patience. It is definitely difficult to be able to film your family. It’s always crazy around him (David Hasselhoff) because of the lifestyle that he lives — a lot of the time, you are sitting there and you want to get the best take and film everything, but it takes a lot of time and persistence. You have to make sure all of the batteries are fully loaded and that your SIM cards are loaded up; it takes a lot of patience and breathing to get through it. I’m around him all the time anyway, so I definitely didn’t get bored or anything. He is like the hardest working person in the world. It was really fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it; I would actually do it every single day if I could because his life is so interesting and fascinating that it was something that was eye-opening and fun to be a part of.
GALO: It definitely sounds like it! But what exactly gave you the drive to create and produce this documentary about your father?
TAH: Well, he is a world-class entertainer, and he does everything from directing, to acting, to singing in musicals. I feel like it is so fascinating to show somebody that he started off with a dream and a love for theater and music; he is 62-years-old now and still living that dream. For the past 24 years, I have seen him on TV acting. And I’ve seen him produce and direct. It is so cool to be able to see somebody that was just a little boy from Maryland have a dream, and now be living out that dream. I feel like I should share with the world how he did it, and what his struggles were and how he impressed the world. I feel it is important for young kids to be able to watch it and get an idea [of their own]. It’s all about how he did it — how he got to the place where he is now. I mean, I had just been getting into cameras and was learning to use the different angles, and so I thought it would be a great way to film him for a little bit — and then it turned into six months. I had footage and footage because I was always taking out my camera to film every aspect of his life. We would be having a conversation and I would be like, “Wait, hold on, I have to go get my camera and film this because it’s so interesting!” I just wanted to get into that world of producing and filming, so I just went for it and I ended up loving it. So I continued on and shot as much as I could.
GALO: With the start of a new year, would you say that you’ve accomplished your goals for this past one? Our readers would love to know if they will see even more from you in 2015.
TAH: Absolutely! My goal for [2014] was definitely just to tackle everything that I wanted to do — that was writing my own single and being able to follow my dad and create my own documentary. It is the coolest thing ever to be able to say that I worked on something that I had an idea about now that I have actually done it and am editing it. I would say that I am definitely accomplishing all that I have set out to do this past year. And in 2015, I plan to continue to grow and build my craft. I just want to continue to tell more stories and inspire people, and give messages out to young kids that if you have a dream and a passion that you have to give it your 110 percent.