Today we’d like to introduce you to Tia Reid.
Hi Tia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted to be a model and singer. I had my first photoshoot when I was in the 11th grade, and I knew for sure, this was something I loved to do. It was a hobby for me back then, and also a way for me to escape all that I was going through at the time. In 2014, photographer, Jeff Butler of Jazzy Studios contacted me for a test shoot. From there, I posted the images online and as a surprise to me, they blew up. I would say shooting with Jeff is what jumpstarted my career in modeling. So many people were contacting me wanting to collaborate. I began to build my portfolio as my brand expanded and for the past 7 years, I have been a successful freelance model/entrepreneur. In 2015, I decided to test the waters with another talent of mine, which is music. Prior to 2015, I played around with it… I dropped snippets here and there on SoundCloud, and though I loved creating music, I never actually “pursued” it. Soon after dropping my first single “Childish”, I was on a roll. I won Baltimore’s R&B Artist of the year for 2 years in a row, gained an online presence of over 37k followers, and gained listeners from not only in my area, but Africa, Germany, Asia, Spain and many more. Since then, I’ve been given the opportunity to work with artists such as Wale, Raheem Devaughn, TT The Artist, Dess Dior and the list goes on. These days I’m on the same mission, just going a lot harder.
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?
Honestly, the road I’m on has been quite the rollercoaster. Most of my struggles came from what I was going through in my personal life. At the start of my career I was actually sleeping in my recording studio for a short period of time… basically homeless, but I was able to bounce around between a few friends and siblings until I got on my feet. I battled depression, some days I wouldn’t even have the energy to do anything regarding my craft, but I’d like to say I beat that by consistently pushing through and doing what I needed to do for me and my brand. I have dealt with people doubting me, during a time period where I chose to focus on me and get myself together mentally, but I wouldn’t even consider that a challenge… more like motivation. I’ve always seen the bigger picture, so even when things got tough, I stuck to my plan. I quickly realized that the more I changed and got better, the problems didn’t last too long. Those struggles were just bumps in the road to teach me lessons and get me ready for the next level.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a print model, singer/songwriter, performer, and entrepreneur, but I’m mostly known for my bold images and being a woman of many talents. I would say I specialize in bringing visions to life. I am very versatile with my look and delivery, which allows me to be able to adapt to the needs of a more diverse client base and also gain the attention/likings of a wider audience. I’m most proud of my resilience, adaptability, and elevation, as a person, as a business, and as an artist. I learned to monetize my brand. I turned my print images into merchandise, such as Canvases, T-Shirts, Rolling trays and decorative furnishing items, etc. I believe what sets me apart from others is my raw, unfiltered energy, my confidence and my tenacity. I just keep going.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I’ve had a tribe of people who’ve helped me to push past my limits. My older brother, Gee of Greenlight Studio. I used to refer to him as my “Bromanaducerneer” lol because not only is he my brother, but he was my manager, producer and engineer at the time. I’ve had a few friends of mine who I would create with on a consistent basis, which allowed me to create a strong portfolio. Amongst those friends are Photographers Rachard Wolf, ThePhotoChase, Photomatic Smith, Starks, and Makeup Artist, Destiny Johnson (DolledUpByDj) just to name a few. I met JS1 (VVC Life Magazine) and have received nothing but love and support. I was able to get connected to a plethora of artists and was given great opportunities to showcase my work as a performer. Together, these people (and more) have helped me to see that so much more can come from me following my dreams if I just take it serious and get consistent. I’m forever grateful to have a team of people who believe in me.
Pricing:
- Canvases start at $250+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.OfficialTiaReid.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/OfficialTiaReid
- Twitter: www.Twitter.com/TheRealTiaReid
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCNl3wrJMwYRUqscfZnPSfqA
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/tia-reid?utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing&utm_terms=mobi_google_one_tap.control
Image Credits
Keith Robinson Derek Chase Devon Dooley Myron Smith Cedrian Visuals
