Aspiring actresses have gotten that “big break” in many ways, but I dare say, there are few who got their start in roller skating.

But that’s just what singer Kimberly Cole did.

Roller Skating More Than a Hobby

When we spoke via telephone, Cole told me how her love, even obsession, for roller skating helped her to become the artist she is today.

“It taught me how to work hard and prepare,” she said. “It also taught me that no matter how hard you work at something, it doesn’t mean you’ll be a success at it.”

From the age of 4, Cole was used to being the center of attention as a solo roller skater. That desire to be the center of attention carried over into the world of music video.

Singing Therapeutic

And her songs became therapeutic to her. They’ve helped her through some pretty difficult chapters of her life.

Cole referred to “Smack You,” which was written about bullying, as “one of those cathartic songs based on personal experience.”

Just prior to going on stage one night, a friend said something so hurtful to her that she wept.

“Smack You” was born from that experience.

Cole told me, “Girls can be pretty tacky and mean. I was just standing up for myself through my song. I think everyone has experienced bullying in some form or another. And there are many versions of bullying, where people try to make themselves feel better. People don’t realize how much it hurts.

Working with Award-Winning Director

“Writing ‘Smack You’ as tongue in cheek too was such a fun process and a way to fix a situation that I still think about every time I perform it.”

To help her get her message in song across, Cole worked with award-winning director Brian Thompson, whose work has won Best Music Video awards in both the San Diego International and Hollywood Film Festivals).

Thompson pitched his idea to Cole but had no idea she’d go for it.

She not only went for it. She loved it.

And Thompson found her delightful, describing her to me as “one of the hardest working artists I’ve ever worked with.” He told me she was very hands-on and very involved with every aspect of the video, from concept to final edit.

Bad Girls Club

“Smack You” was also featured in Season Five of the Oxygen network’s Bad Girls Club.

This collaboration began a good relationship for Cole and the network, so much that she cut a soundtrack of 12 songs for Bad Girls Club for Oxygen.

This marked the first time the network teamed with an artist to write an entire soundtrack.

Future Projects

And Cole has plans to work with Thompson again as well.

As for the future, Cole would like to expand her acting career. Though she told me she is definitely not ready for the kind of serious role she would love to play, roller skating and music video have prepared her for just about anything.

Cheryl has been a freelance TV/film writer for more than 10 years. Simultaneously, she has worked in PR for Bon Jovi Productions in NYC, PolyGram Records (also in NYC), and Rogers & Cowan Public Relations. Cheryl has published articles at suite101.com, “Sci-Fi Entertainment” magazine, and “Soap Opera Weekly.” She was also a credited researcher for English author Denis Meikle’s JOHNNY DEPP: A KIND OF ILLUSION. Cheryl enjoys writing for the entertainment industry and meeting new people. She is also an animal lover.

This post originally appeared on suite101.com.