We asked some of the most creative folks we know to open up to us about why they chose a creative career path. Check out their responses below.

B.Lin | Author & Singer-Songwriter

The reason I pursued an artistic and creative career is because I am naturally artistic and creative. Steve Harvey put it best when he said that “your gift is whatever you do best with the least amount of effort.” I come from a musical family so I’ve always been around music. I started writing poetry in 5th grade and raps in 6th, for fun and venting purposes. However, I wasn’t around anyone who was writing so I viewed it as a talent before I viewed it as a gift. It wasn’t until I wrote my first song at 14 that I realized it was a gift because not only was it a great song, I’d written it fairly quickly and effortlessly! It was a fulfilling feeling almost beyond explanation and I knew I needed to dive deeper. Writing is where I feel most…me. Read more>>

Courtney Arabella | Content Creator and Lifestyle Blogger

Ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to stand apart from the crowd. Yet, for so long, I was afraid of being in the spotlight. I had this fear of rejection and failure that kept me from pursuing my real dreams, so I did things the way I felt others wanted me to. However, when we all went into lockdown due to COVID-19 in 2020, I finally got to tune into my passions of creating art, making music, and pursuing beauty and fashion. These endeavors have always made me feel so alive and unique. That is when I decided that I was going to spend my life engaging in these types of activities that made me feel like the truest version of myself and ultimately that meant turning my lifestyle into a career! Read more>>

Colleen Redwood | Photographer & Chef

Since I was a kid, I was a creative person. In school, the classes that I enjoyed the most and was most successful in were the classes where I could be the most creative. Throughout my life, I only ever envisioned myself in a creative field. This led me to go to culinary school to become a chef and eventually to becoming a food photographer. Read more>>

Gracie Canaan | Comedian/Writer/Designer

Honestly, I don’t think there was ever an option of pursuing anything else. I’m a complete right-brained human. Trying to do anything STEM related in school growing up was like bending my mind through a wormhole. It just didn’t click. So I automatically gravitated towards anything creative — drawing, theater, sculpture — anything that allowed me to explore that “inner world.” It wasn’t until I was in college and in my twenties that I realized I could actually make a living doing these things. Read more>>

Tramel Harris | Singer/songwriter and media mogul

In truth I never truly was in the spotlight. I never felt the warmth of being seen out heard. That in a way built up so much yearning to express myself in other ways. My artistry and creative gave become outlets for my inner expression. Any story any feeling I want to tell can be done through my music. I have found a voice no one can silence. Read more>>

Bee Michelle | Singer/Songwriter

I have been singing since I was four years old in the church and it has always come very natural for me. Music is a way for me to express myself freely. I started writing poetry and plays at the age of 14 all while singing in school and auditioning all over Chicago for various roles. Life started to hit hard for me around age 19, and I got discouraged thinking I wasn’t good enough. So, I chose a different path and I went to cosmetology school. I picked up doing hair early when I got tired of my mother doing my hair. Read more>>

Zonte Sirod | Hip hop artist

I started pursuing my career as a recording artist when I seen the response I get from when I rap or do poetry. I always been in love with music so to make it a career was a easy transition. Growing up in a house hood where music went from Neo Soul to Gangster rap I converted that into what I do now. Read more>>

Marcel DM | Music Producer

Well, it all started way back in 5th grade. That was when you were allowed to pick an instrument and join the school band. My mom and older sister were both in band all throughout school, so it seemed interesting to me. I chose percussion just because it seemed cool. Little did I know I would fall in love with music after that. Read more>>

MARCHE SMITH | Esthetician/Makeup Artist

Ive always been a creative. I think from the time I was born lol. My grandmother is a big influence and inspiration to be honest. She allowed me to be as creative as I pleased especially with her. We did so many art projects, crocheting, and paintings/drawings. She always made me feel good about who I was creatively which allowed me to explore different options. Me being a makeup artist/esthetician wasn’t really my plan however it allows me to express myself creatively so it worked. Being an MUA is so fun, I get to try so many different things on some many different faces, skin tones, etc. I absolutely love what I do! Read more>>

Alyssa Healy | Aspiring Illustrator

For as long as I can remember since being able to hold a pencil, all I’ve ever wanted to do was draw pictures. It was just something that naturally clicked for me. I’ve dabbled in a few different hobbies growing up, but drawing, painting, and crafting always stuck with me. I could never imagine myself doing anything but that in the long term. I’m blessed to have family that saw my potential to be great at art and encouraged me to go further. I’ve always felt like my mom, older sister, and grandma in particular have always wanted to see me grow as an artist from day 1, so there weren’t many times where I felt like it wasn’t a valid career choice. Read more>>

Jah-Isha | Newborn Photographer & Content Creative

I choose to pursue an artistic career in Photography because of the freedom and peace I find in creating work that will always be appreciated. Read more>>

Artra Johnson | Educator &Independent artist

Knowing that I’ve went to school received a Master’s degree in Education and continue to work in the educational and artistic parts of my career is nothing short of a blessing. I feel so honored that I had the ability to balance both throughout the years . I always thought what life would be had I just focused on one part of my career but I truly have no regrets from pursuing both besides it adds on a lot of pressure to succeed! Read more>>

Davo Alxndr | Wardrobe Stylist & Fashion Influencer

I chose an artistic career because it is the only thing that brought me pure happiness and made me feel whole. For the beater half of my life, so spent it living to first appease others, whether it was family, spouses etc. The day I made the decision to bet on me was the day I began to live for me. I don’t think I chose my art form; it chose me. Art is creative expression & I believe art lives in us all, in different forms, & in unique capacities. Read more>>

Tazz B | Creator Of The Black & Unfiltered Podcast

So when the Pandemic first started I had more time at home to be in my thoughts and about 2 years ago me and Pooch and Reign had talked about creating content and writing skits but we just never really had the time to go all in on it. Fast forward to the start of the Pandemic, now I’ve always been a fan of podcasting but I was like “nah I could never do that nobody would probably listen” but with all the things that were happening with the incidents of police brutality and The George Floyd situation it left me wanting to talk about it so I said bump it I’m starting a Podcast. Read more>>

Autumn Hart | Performer, Musician, Writer, & Artist

My mom gave me a career book my senior year of college and we talked about me pursuing arts VERY heavily. I scanned through that book so many times trying to find something that I could make work for me as a career but yet I realized really quickly. If my art, music, and performances are all I can think about when I think about a career-isn’t that what I should spend my time doing? I have always had such a passion for making people smile via my creations so why would I stop when it can to earning a living? Read more>>

Brittany Bodden | Waistbead creator & Mother

I have been artistic since I was a child, doing ballet for 18 years, being a self-taught artist from the age of 8, designing and decorating clothes for fun, creating handmade invitations for classmates, all of these casual pastimes brought me peace. As I grew older, the need for peace grew stronger. I will be honest, Lilas Alexandria is not a career just yet, it is a strong passion of mine that I am slowly but surely turning into a career. When I was a child in school answering the questionnaire of “what did I want to be when I grew up” I could never answer with confidence the way my fellow classmates did. No government job appealed to me and I knew for a fact I would only thrive in an artistic environment. Read more>>