Today we’d like to introduce you to Shanley Thompson
Hi Shanley, 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’m Shanley, I’m 29 years old from Newport News, VA. I’m a visual artist, tattoo artist, music artist, producer and model. Ive been drawing since I was around 3 or 4 and fell in love with music since I could remember. I’ve always been into reading, video games, computer games and artsy activities growing up. I grew up the baby so I was pretty much like the only child because all my siblings had left the house already. I moved to ATL in 2015 to start my life. I originally planned to go to LA to go to school for graphic design, but once I ended up in Atlanta, I decided to focus on music. I knew nothing. How to write, record, I had never sang in front of a crowd, I had never been to the studio, didn’t understand music theory, completely started from scratch. Now I’m able to produce a track, write and record my own vocals, edit and mix it to the minimum all in the comfort of my home on my own. Creating for me has been a unique journey discovering levels I have and haven’t imagined. In between working at Tyler Perry Studios in costumes, I began my tattoo journey in the summer of 2023. Because of someone i met working at TPS, I was able to elevate into a new artistic skills set that could push me in to entrepreneurship. I’m currently working towards creating visuals for my music to drop a project in 2025. In January of this year I began my streaming journey uploading gaming videos to YouTube to showcase my love for tech and my personality. This also gives me a window to show my recording sessions online to grow my audience and fan base. I have fun doing all of these things. My goals have always been make money doing what I love because I don’t believe we’re on this earth to survive off of someone else’s time or business unless you choose to. I choose to not pick one niche, but to choose me and what I am good at, and what I enjoy and show that to the world.
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?
It has been a rocky road that soon became smoother. I was in a girl group situation that was a little tough for me. Over time, it became a push for me to be better. Learning from different producers and Reddit posts, hours of trial and error in technical difficulties, holding on to records and not knowing the direction in where I want to go, and simply doing every ounce of it alone, my biggest challenges. After a while, I started to acknowledge how much I truly had everything that I needed, I just need to utilize my resources. I realized a lot of my journey was me stopping myself.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I explained most of what I do in the bio, lol. But out of everything I do, I’m genuinely not proud of one over the other. I’m at a new level in all of my skill sets, so it’s tough to differentiate. I would probably say the art because I took art classes in my one year of college, and everything that I learned I still apply. Although I am a self taught artist drawing portraits, it has always been beneficial to get the additional knowledge and education. Because of that, my tattoo career started smoother than most. Of course things weren’t perfect and I am not the best, but I was able to adapt to the change in medium from canvas to skin fairly quickly.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Mmm, a year ago I would have probably said confidence, which is true but I think it’s all about the perseverance. The confidence that something is yours while persevering until you achieve that goal.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shanleyofficial?igsh=MnM4Ym82eDYzNzB4&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/PoAknuWKoWk?si=r5ydOGIVainMtHP3
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/msnRZapii5vkBYKd9
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/album/3lGrCtMg3Pi04a7XewH3ml?si=s9cUR49SRmOq-ClWbDci-g
