Meet Adriana Simmons | Creative Director & Recording Studio Co-owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adriana Simmons and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adriana, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I’ve been creative for as long as I can remember, even though I didn’t realize it at first. I used to sketch outfits when I was little, and I thought I was going to be a fashion designer or a stylist. I actually started a fashion brand right after high school, but it didn’t quite feel like the right fit. Before that, I made and sold jewelry. So, I’ve always known that pursuing a creative career was something I was meant to do, it was more of a “how should I do it?”

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m a creative director who specializes in bringing fashion brands, beauty brands, and music artists’ creative visions to life. I develop concepts and the plan to make sure the ideas are executed perfectly. At this point in my career, my favorite things to brainstorm ideas for are music videos and brand campaigns but I’m excited to see how I expand and change throughout my career. I’m also the co-owner of Lokey Recording Studios, where I’m the Creative and Operations Director.

What I hope to tell the world through my story is that your passion is yours even if it’s not perfect. What I mean is, you should be doing whatever you love, even if it doesn’t start out exactly how you imagined it in your dreams.

You can be your own biggest obstacle by procrastinating or trying to be perfect. I hope to inspire other creatives to just create. Not to worry about everything you don’t know, but focus on what you do know. What I know is that my creativity is a God-given talent that is meant for me to share, not keep to myself.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I still have a lot to explore in the city (even though I’ve been here for over a decade.) but we’re both pretty chill so I still have confidence that I could create a vibe for my bestie, Ashley. Here’s the itinerary:

Day 1: We’re talking and catching up on EVERYTHING. We’d probably just pick up something quick and have drinks at home.

Day 2: We’re going out for lunch somewhere chill but good like Coalition in Alpharetta or a Korean fried chicken spot. Dinner will be a home-cooked meal. Something good and southern. We’re South Carolina gals so yeah… we know how to eat good.

Day 3: We’re going all out on breakfast then we’re getting dressed all cute and going somewhere in the city that fits our mood that day.

Day 4: I’ll take her to the studio and we’ll listen to music, get in our entrepreneur bag and exchange business ideas. We’re so alike it’s scary and that’s perfect when we need help getting out of our head. We’re going to Grindhouse Killer Burgers on Piedmont around the corner for our lunch break. When we get back from our lunch break, I’d probably talk her into doing a YouTube video with me or something random.

Day 5: We’re going out for brunch and getting a couple of drinks. Hopefully, it’s a concert or big event happening so we can have fun and meet some cool people that night.

Day 6: It’s a chill day, so we’re keeping it simple and going somewhere like Longhorn. Now before you start judging me like “LONGHORNNNNN?!”, go try their salmon with the parmesan-crust, rice, and brussel sprouts. Trust me, it’ll have you eating there faithfully. Try it and let me know!

Day 7: We’re going somewhere cool and inspiring to end her trip. I’ve been wanting to visit the High Museum of Art, so probably there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would first like to dedicate everything to God. I’m grateful for His guidance and for equipping me with everything I need to live the life he gave me to live. To my best friend, partner, father of my children, safe haven, and business partner, BJ—thank you for being my constant and safe space through it all. To my beautiful kids, Kali and Kai, I love you so much and you inspire me to grow and be better every day. Last, I want to thank everyone I’ve had the privilege of connecting with along this creative path, whether as clients, customers, or fellow creatives— it’s all appreciated.

Website: https://www.ivthedit.com

Instagram: @directedbydri / @ivthedit

Other: TikTok: @directedbydri

Image Credits
Wilson “Lokey” Lee @lokeytheengineer
Malagro Roberts @malagror
Gen Trofort @genwthaflicks