Meet Tylissa Lockhart | Journalist & Digital Creator

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

Hi Tylissa, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
My compassion & empathy. I created a community of individuals within the music & creative industry to share their life experiences with work and relationships. Many people cannot openly communicate their frustrations or ask important questions because there may not be many resources available. I created a safe space for artists to be themselves unapologetically while also sharing information & knowledge that may not be significantly known or easily accessible. I allow people to share their viewpoints in a judgment-free zone and emphasize the importance of mental health. Artists and creators gravitate towards my brand because they feel heard & understood. I appreciate that so much about my brand because there weren’t too many safe spaces like this for me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My writing began as expressive & emotional poetry & prose work. I continued that emotional vulnerability into my journalism work by writing about albums, artists, and music that influenced and inspired me.

I’ve always been a “digital girl.” I’ve created communities, forums, stories, and dope MySpace layouts and learned the ins and outs of the digital world. It’s what I’m good at. It’s how I have managed to make connections from all over the world. It’s one of the footprints of my existence.

It wasn’t until I decided to turn my hobby into a brand that I faced many challenges. I often fell out of love with writing because it felt like a job. I ended up losing connections with people because of my extensive tasks. I was constantly stuck on how I should say things— is this professional enough? Is it descriptive? Does this make sense?

I learned that I write for myself and for whomever it may concern. I never liked the rules and confines of conventional writing because it felt like I was writing for others’ approval when I write to be understood. I write for the release & connection of something— that’s what sets me apart from other writers & journalists. My writing can transcend a medium of thousands of people because people felt understood & learned something from me. I don’t just post a small tidbit of a song and then place a link; I write about what the song means, how I connected with it, and how others can relate as well. I felt like I was doing too much until I noticed that other platforms like mine weren’t doing enough.

I want people to know that someone out there sees how hard you work and understands the amount of effort that goes into releasing a song or album, especially in a world where one piece could completely change your life. I write about every artist as billboard charting artists because I know that is the energy they carry in the studio. Whether it is appreciated or not has nothing to do with me; I know that I did my part as a writer and a fan.

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?
Honestly, one of the coolest places I’ve been to in Atlanta was LVRN Studios. Pote Baby invited me out there to meet him & the gang for the first time. It was one of the most amazing experiences thus far.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shoutout to my great internet friend, launch strategist, and overall internet guru Lexi Merritt, founder of the Internet Cafe “Pretty Decent,” for inspiring me to be more open to the internet & being a source of great information and guidance. Her launch courses for entrepreneurs & creators are life-changing.

I also would like to shoutout to my friend, podcaster, & producer Jonathan Brown, also known as SE7EN, for sparking a fire in me that I was too afraid to show & for pushing my limits.

Website: www.bckgrnd.co

Instagram: instagram.com/tylissalockhart

Twitter: twitter.com/tylissalockhart

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylissalockhart/