Today we’d like to introduce you to Keyonna Singletary.
Keyonna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Podcasting found me. I began blogging in high school on Youtube, Tumblr and progressed to Blogger uploading OOTDs and my favorite songs of the month. I would binge-watch interviews and mini-documentaries and think that’s what I wanted to do: shed light upon a topic or someone I thought was cool. In 2016, a new chapter had begun. I created my own website with the intentions of writing articles and posting interviews I had done featuring the people around me.
Through trial and error, I realized my strength is in public speaking rather than writing. For my first attempt at podcasting, my friend Bahbi invited me to a studio nearby to record my first episode interviewing him and a group of friends. I uploaded it to Soundcloud and received a rewarding response. Since then, EOK has transformed from audio only to visual episodes available on outlets such as Youtube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Of course, it hasn’t been smooth sailing, but I can’t complain. I had to find my balance maintaining a busy schedule of school, work, interning, and making time for EOK. At one point in time, I was not creating any content.
I had to pull myself out of this creative rut I was in. I’ve struggled with standing in my own way. I had a professor tell me that I wanted to do “too many things at once.” Podcasting has allowed me to find the intersection of all of my interests. I used to think that no one was going to listen or not having a wide range of equipment, followers or even a set location for my podcast would alter its reception.
For all the young women who are just starting their journey, keep pushing and remain patient! Dedicate some time every day to learn more about your field and enhance your skills. As a black woman, we have to work twice as hard than everyone else. Your time will come.
What should we know about ERAOFKEYONNA? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I’d like to think of myself as a personality. I’m most known for being myself while hosting and conducting interviews on my show, ERAOFKEYONNA. Something that once started as a personal blog, expanded to a brand. EOK has opened many doors for me including hosting events, creative directing, and modeling from time to time. As an interviewer, I fully invest myself into the guest, allowing more of a conversational tone rather than a simple Q&A which sets me apart from others. I feature an array of guests with creative backgrounds in music, art, fashion, and more from Atlanta and surrounding cities. Overall, I’m most proud of the support I get from my audience. I take all of their feedback into consideration, making my show more inclusive. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Generally speaking, one barrier to female leadership today is this notion of incompetence. Just because I’m a woman, doesn’t mean I can’t be successful in a male-dominated industry. However, the podcasting industry is constantly growing, allowing more women to have their own safe space to be and say whatever they want. Us women in creative media are “in our bag.”
Another barrier today that we all face is something Issa Rae stated in an interview. Creatives often make the mistake of trying to network up rather than across. We should take advantage of the people and resources around us. Don’t be afraid to call on someone or ask for help on a project.
Contact Info:
- Website: eraofkeyonna.com
- Email: keyonna3@hotmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yonniefiles/
- Other: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/eraofkeyonna/id1305412818?mt=2
Image Credit:
Nick Hattings, John Dierre, Amos Hudson
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