We had the good fortune of connecting with Vicki Lynn Tippit and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vicki Lynn, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I look at risk as a component of growth, and necessary for reward. Being yourself, or pursuing something you love involves risk. There is always a chance of failure or rejection, but if you don’t put your sense of complacency at risk, you’ll never experience the full magnitude of the love and success you are capable of.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been writing, singing, and performing most of my life. I played various instruments in various bands in Texas for over two decades, but my focus for the last few years has been my solo project, Black Kite. I make moody, vocals-focused, electronic music that has been described as a mix between Nine Inch Nails, early Tori Amos, and Portishead. My lyrics are deeply personal and I draw a lot from traumatic experiences as a way to process and exorcise. I started collaborating with a producer friend in 2013, but soon realized I wanted more control over the sound and the pace at which I produced it. 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, and I never looked back. There is a satisfying amount of creative freedom that comes with being a solo artist, but it’s also a lot of work. And because my work is an intensely personal means of catharsis, it can become exhausting. I’ve had to learn to pace myself to avoid both personal and professional burnout.

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?
I’m pretty new to LA so I’m still discovering, but if I were to show someone around, I’d hit the highlights of the unique things LA has to offer. This would include a beach trip, a couple of hikes, lots of vegetarian food, a lot of live music, drinks at all four of my favorite bars, and many, many thrift store trips.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout of gratitude to Jeromy, Leslie, and Madison for all of the love, support, and feedback.

Website: https://www.blackkite.band

Instagram: @black.kite.music

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

Other: https://blackkitemusic.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Jeromy Barber, Amy Monroe

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.