Meet The Versatile Vixen | Poet & Spoken Word Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with The Versatile Vixen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi The, alright, let’s jump in with a deep one – what’s you’re definition for success?
I believe success looks different for everyone. For me, it’s setting a goal for myself and then achieving that goal, whatever it may be. Some days the goal is something as little as doing the dishes, but it can be as big as publishing my first book. I find success in my poetry when I hear people tell me that I’ve inspired them, I brought out emotions they’ve been holding back, or I make them feel less alone in this world.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Initially, poetry was just a creative outlet for me to express my emotions in a healthy way. I enjoyed attending open mics where I listened to people do spoken word, but I was never confident enough to perform myself. One event I was attending, a friend of mine overheard me saying I was too scared to sign up as a performer, so she signed me up without my knowledge. I think that was the push I needed to not only read my work, but also to write more. After that, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and because we were quarantined, I spent a lot of time on Instagram. I noticed there were many poetry open mics on there, so I started performing regularly on different pages. I began to get recognized for my erotic poetry and was often referred to as an erotic poet. I won a couple of competitions, an erotic poetry slam, I’ve been showcased several times, interviewed, and I’m published in an anthology. I really wanted to be known for more than erotic work, so I started writing more vulnerable pieces about my life as well as writing to prompts online. Due to my success online, I’ve been asked to showcase in person at a couple of events in Atlanta. I never considered poetry a career for myself, but I am beginning to monetize from my creativity and the feedback I’ve received about my writing has encouraged me to publish my own book titled “My Heart on Display” which I’m aiming to have finished by this summer. It doesn’t matter how much money I make from my creativity. Ultimately, if I can touch a few hearts or make people feel less alone in this world, that’s the biggest reward.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Oh wow. There are so many well known places to visit such as The World of Coke, The Georgia Aquarium, The Botanical Gardens, Piedmont Park, Zoo Atlanta, the High Museum, Fernbank Museum, National Center for Human & Civil Rights, etc. I would take my friend to all those spots, but I would also take them to some hidden gems in the city. We’d go to the Westside Provisions District on Howell Mill Rd where we’d grab a bite at Ormsby’s and end the night with drinks at Little Trouble. I would take them to Glenwood Ave where we would eat at Grant Central Pizza East or EAV Thai & Sushi, then grab drinks at Mary’s, and end the night dancing at The Basement. I’d take them to Edgewood Ave where we’d check out spots like Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room & Ping Pong Emporium, OUR Bar, and Joystick Gamebar. I’d definitely take them to do some nature walks at places like Cascade Springs Nature Preserve, Dolls Head Trail, and the Bamboo Forest. We’d go check out Little 5 Points because that area is very artsy. There are a lot of cool shops to check out like Junkman’s Daughter, plus there are great places to grab a bite such as The Vortex & Savage Pizza. Lastly, I’d make sure we check out some of the open mic spots such as Artistry Decator, Kat’s Cafe, and The Love Below Speakeasy, and The Poetry Circle for some awesome spoken word.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Truthfully there are a lot of people who have helped me throughout my creative journey. Most importantly it’s been the poetry community on Instagram. There are way too many people to shoutout, but I definitely owe a lot of my success to David Seale (Instagram: @theprettyprovocativepoet). He’s inspired me to write more in general, but also to write over beats. We’ve collaborated together on his latest poetry album. He’s helped me tremendously with putting my book together as well. He’s been a great friend, but also someone I look up to in the poetry community.

Instagram: @the_versatile_vixen

Facebook: The Versatile Vixen

Youtube: @versatilevixen

Other: e-mail: versatilevixenpoetry@gmail.com for booking or interview interest. Linktree: @The_Versatile_Vixen Merch: https://vixens-boutique.myspreadshop.com/