Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Lynn Tippit.
Hi Vicki Lynn, 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?
I’ve been writing and singing songs for as long as I can remember. I played various instruments in various bands in Texas for over two decades, but my focus for the last 2 -3 years has been my solo project, Black Kite. In 2013, I started working with a producer friend (James Templeton of LIMB and By the End of Tonight) to fully flesh out some songs I had written on piano. We liked working together and ended up playing the songs live for a few years. I had a great time, but I wanted to create at a faster pace and play more live shows than James was available for. I also felt dissatisfied with the disconnect between the sounds we made as a team and the ones I heard in my head. Eventually, I taught myself to use Ableton (a music production software) so I could produce the sounds as I heard them and at the rate I wanted. I relocated to LA from Houston last year because there are more opportunities here to work in music – which is all I want to do.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There have definitely been a lot of challenges. I endured a lot of trauma as a kid, and I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, which is a really oppressive, conservative religion. There was no room or tolerance for me to be an independent thinker, let alone a queer artist. I left home when I turned 17, and because my family was unable to support me financially or emotionally, I had to figure out a lot on my own. Getting to where I am now was a long difficult journey, and music was crucial to my survival and success.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I make moody, vocals-focused electronic music – chaos-witch wave, specifically. My lyrics are raw and honest and deeply personal. I’m a private person, except when it comes to my music. I lay everything bare and it’s pretty vulnerable. Live shows for me are cathartic exorcisms that don’t preclude me from crying or writhing around on stage to express what’s in the songs. It’s intense.
What were you like growing up?
I was a shy, thoughtful kid who sang all the time. I have a lot of siblings, and I’m older than most of them, so I was a responsible big sister type for the most part. However, there was a performer buried in me that eventually tore its way out. I’m still shy when I’m not on stage.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: blackkitemusic.bandcamp.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/black.kite.music
- Facebook: facebook.com/blackkitemusic
- SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/black-kite
Image Credits:
Amy Monroe, Jeromy Barber
