Today we’d like to introduce you to Breonn Lyons.
Hi Breonn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Oh man, it’s been an insane journey full of pivots and resilience. To sum it up, my journey started in my bedroom back home in Colorado where I would stay up super late and create. I found that between the hours of 1am and 4am I felt most relaxed and in tune with myself, and I could easily enter a flow state. Since the rest of the world was asleep, the loudest voice I could hear was my own. I would paint, write, draw, photograph myself with props I’d buy from Amazon, and just create endlessly until the sun met me in the morning.
Moving to New York, I graduated from NYU Tisch in 2023 with a BFA in Drama and decided to stay in the city. I worked a multitude of jobs including retail, assisting and photographing for high profiled individuals, galas, I got the chance to photograph for international publications, and then I started working at a photography studio. I didn’t have much time or money to invest back into acting, so during this time I was pouring into other creative outlets, including making YouTube videos of my photoshoots that I was doing, which I still do to this day.
One day while I was working in retail I took a chance on myself and quit my job after a customer encouraged me to shop my resume around Chelsea and see what I could land in production. Thankfully, I was able to land a job as a sound engineer at one of the top podcast production studios in New York City. From there, I’ve been able to expand ever since while also being able to continue with the additional hobbies that I would do back home in my room but at a larger scale. So I’m very grateful for how far I’ve come.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all a smooth road, but a blessed road. I have dealt with emotional abuse, scam attempts, bullying, exclusion, and manipulation at intense degrees post grad, and truthfully I am still healing from those experiences. But without sounding cliché, I can recognize that each of those experiences sharpened certain qualities that were already within me, qualities I still draw on to this day, and that I ultimately needed in order to become the person I am now. I don’t owe who I am to those experiences, but I do acknowledge the lessons they gave me and the ways they helped refine me.
The biggest lesson has been learning to establish boundaries, especially with those who have more experience or seniority. Seeking guidance while building your career should never mean tolerating disrespect or being belittled. I’ve learned that kindness is sometimes mistaken for weakness, but you can be kind and still advocate for yourself. Wherever you are in your journey, you are worthy of respect, and you will never regret speaking up for yourself while remaining a good person.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I can say that I’m known for being a very versatile creative. Those who’ve been following my social media for the past 5 years have seen my different eras in different artistic mediums. Currently I’m known for my show “What’s The Rate?” which is a show where we get into the turbulence and triumphs of being a self produced artist in your 20s in New York City. In the show, we dive into how the personal journey influences the professional journey, and vice versa. I believe this is a necessary platform because successful people often don’t feel justified speaking openly about the turbulence it took to achieve their goals until after they’ve achieved them, or received recognition for their work. My show shines a light on the imperfect in-between: the uncertainty, growth, and persistence that happen before the breakthrough. Just as importantly, it creates a community for artists who are still in the weeds and gives us space to collaborate, because we need each other. It’s the show I wish existed when I graduated college and was shackled a 9 to 5 in retail as a creative, and I know there are other creatives who will find something in it that speaks to where they are in their own journey.
With everything I do, I’ve found home in the title “visual artist.” I am a performer, a creative director, a producer, a writer, and so much more. I enjoy showing people something, or even myself, and invoking emotion within them, whether it be joy, reflection, sadness, inspiration, etc. I believe what sets me apart is that I can touch a tender and organic spot within another human through multiple artistic vehicles.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Setting boundaries and taking up space.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lyonsmedia.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breonnspov/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@WhatsTheRatePod
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/@BreonnLyons
