Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Epps.
Victoria, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born in East Point, Georgia. Southside native for sure. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I used to have this toy karaoke machine, I carried that toy everywhere with me. I didn’t care where I was or who I was with, my four years old self made sure I had my karaoke machine. My favorite song to sing was “Cooling Water” by the Williams Brothers. I also come from a religious family and my father is a Pastor, so I was definitely a church girl which influenced me musically as well. Aside from singing in church, growing up I would participate in school choirs and plays. I started writing in middle school. Poetry, songs, funny enough I even wrote raps. I just loved writing. I went to a performing arts high school, Martha Ellen Stilwell School of the Arts, where I was a vocal major. There, I was classically trained and taught music theory. It was definitely my high school years that helped me begin to cultivate and nurture my passion for music. I literally had the best vocal instructors and I’m forever grateful. I attended Georgia State University for about two years as a music major.
Certain circumstances occurred and I decided to take a break so I didn’t finish. I finally decided to start my YouTube where I uploaded covers and reaction videos to new music. This is definitely how my love for content creation began. I was editing and uploading my own videos consistently. Finding ways to do my own intros and cover art, even doing intros for other people. I started my TikTok last year. I created an uploading and filming schedule for myself just like I did when I first started my YouTube channel. I disciplined myself and it was honestly fun. Fast forward to today where I’m now officially considered an influencer and growing daily. I love it even more because as an artist and background vocalist, I get to showcase that part of my life as well through my content.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but it’s been a necessary one. As much as I have always loved music, I have given up on it so many times. I struggled for so long trying to find my voice and comparing it to other people wishing it sounded a certain way. I don’t think people talk about mental health enough, but it’s definitely something I’ve struggled with majority of my life. Initially, it’s the reason I decided to take a step back from college which was such a hard decision. I felt like I was letting everyone down, especially with all of the pressure and expectations everyone had of me, but my mental health was more important. I also struggled with low self-esteem for a long time. I’ve been a heavy-set girl my whole life which usually sets me apart from my peers. Women that looked like me didn’t fit into society’s beauty standards. Once I truly started practicing self-love, that’s when everything changed for me. This is kind of what began my newfound passion of modeling. People constantly ask me how I’m able to carry myself with such confidence and it literally all started from within. It started with me being kind to myself and grew from there. Now, I’m able to be comfortable in my own skin and inspire others to do the same.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a singer-songwriter, background vocalist, social media micro-influencer, and model. I have been known to write remixes to songs, but I also write my own original music. As a micro-influencer, I’ve been able to explore my creativity when it comes to beauty and fashion and incorporates it into my everyday lifestyle. I’m most proud of my willingness to break barriers. I’ve learned not to put myself in a box. I do things I love, things that feed my soul and make me feel better. And those things tend to show me love back. The thing that sets me apart is I’m doing this for me. I’m not doing it for other people’s approval or opinions. Expressing through art is so therapeutic. When it comes from a genuine place, it tends to reach those it’s meant to reach.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was such a shy kid! I still am, and people find it so hard to believe, but I have definitely gotten a little better with time. I was usually to myself, but I was always somewhere singing. I also read a lot as a kid. I was running through books like dirty diapers which probably is what influenced me to start writing. Coming from a religious background there were certain things I wasn’t allowed to do and I came from a pretty strict household. I always found freedom in being creative though.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toriisings_/?igshid=obyz5ztsp6i6
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/toriisings?lang=en
- Youtube: YouTube.com/toriisings
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@toriisings__?lang=en
Image Credits
Christina Cortez Skeet Watts
