Rising Stars: Meet Zy’Mir Dixon of Other / Not Applicable

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zy’Mir Dixon.

Hi Zy’Mir, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Zy’Mir Imon Dixon, and I go by the music moniker of “King Mir Mir”. I was born on July 23rd, 2003, and I have been raised & currently reside in the state of Delaware. I have been making music for the past decade, starting out in the spring of 2016 as a 12 year old boy full of nervous excitement. As much as I would love to claim that I was fully confident in the decision to create my own music, it took constant persuasion from my closest friends for me to start my journey of creating my own songs. My love of music blossomed from an early age, with vivid memories of being in the passenger seat of the car with my mother listening to R&B and Neo soul music. What gravitated me to music was the ability to express myself in a manner that I wasn’t able to in my day to day life. I started to take singing seriously during my 5th grade year, as my mother told me about Cab Calloway School of the Arts and encouraged me to apply (while also learning that my mother attended the school in her middle school years as Cab Calloway did not yet have a high school program until 1997). I ended up applying and I was accepted to the school. I spent my middle & high school years at Cab Calloway, and those 7 years being around the arts and music day after day only reinforced in my mind that being an artist was one of my callings within life. The freedom of being able to create art that I resonate with and having the ability to release it & share it with others is quite the thrill for me, and over the past twelve years, I have only continued to learn and better myself as an artist while also learning over and over again that pleasing everyone is impossible and that I have to believe in my art, even when nobody else does. I graduated from Cab Calloway in May of 2021, and quickly found myself attending the University of Delaware in August of that same year. While I didn’t attend the University for a degree in music , the passion didn’t leave me in the slightest, as I continued to create my own music and took the time to take college courses that focused on music. In the spring of 2023, I released my debut album “Episode 1: ThePinkEscape”. In addition to my own solo musical career, my friends & I have begun the process of building a multi-media artist collective named I.L.L.M.E.D.I.A. This process has helped open my eyes to the business aspects of the music industry, and as we continue to push to make this collective more well known, I take a lot of responsibility on my shoulders to be an ambassador for the collective by dropping music, performing at shows/gigs, and trying to set up events within the local and neighboring communities.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would be lying if I said that my musical journey has been smooth in any way. It is easy to have the dreams & aspirations of making a name for yourself in the music industry. However, the music industry is relentless & unforgiving. I have lost/not gotten chosen for countless artist competitions/sweepstakes. I have had many critics of my music, from the style of the music to the way that my voice sounds. I have had many people (from acquaintances to close friends & family members) tell me about how chasing a musical career may not be seen as the most realistic course of action to take for my life. I have battled creative fatigue & burnout within myself many times, and I have taken multiple breaks from creating music altogether (with my longest one being nearly two years long). I have been on the receiving end of numerous instances of racism in my life. It is a GRIND trying to establish myself as an independent artist, but honestly, there is a thrill that comes from putting in the work to be undeniable, and thrill is something that drives me each & every day.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Being an artist is one of the biggest joys that I have in my life. From being in multiple school choirs when I was attending Cab Calloway to creating my own music & songwriting for others, I have tried to expand my range within the music world in multiple ways. I believe that the trait that sets me apart from others is that I understand that no matter how much experience and achievements that I may obtain throughout my lifetime, I will always be a student looking at how I can improve upon my craft. In addition, my mindset of using music as a form of expression helps me stay grounded and focused on my journey while also celebrating those around me as well.

I am most proud of my first album “THEPINKESCAPE”. The process of creating the album took me over two years of focus, dedication, and constant tweaks as I pushed through the end of my high school life and started through my journey at university. I based the album about what emotions that the color pink stirred within me. One of my biggest goals as a musician was to put out an album, and “THEPINKESCAPE” will always keep a special place in my heart as the first full length body of work that I released!

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
To my mother – Thank you for allowing me the space to chase my dreams. You sacrificed so much for me to be able to be afforded the opportunity to follow my passions, and this is my way of telling you that I will reward your faith in me. You have cheered for every accomplishment that I have achieved in my nearly 23 years of life, and I hope to give you so much more to celebrate. I love you momma!

To my grandmother – Thank you for giving me the fire to believe in myself in the face of any challenge. Your fire still burns brightly within me, and I hope to honor you with each day I get to spend on this Earth. Until I see you again, my favorite angel 🙂

To my fellow I.L.L.M.E.D.I.A. Members – Thank you all for believing in my abilities as a creative. Without y’all, I would still be content with only helping others with their songwriting and song structuring. I am humbled that you guys have stuck with me during this journey, and I would never be in the position that I am in right now without the hard work and dedication that we’ve put in! I’m so excited to see what the future has in store for us!

To all of my friends & loved ones that have been there for me throughout this journey – Thank you for treating my passions with respect & legitimacy. I can not properly put into words how deeply I appreciate the support that I have received through the years! I can only hope to continue to make you all proud with the art that I create.

To everyone that has doubted or will doubt me – Thank you for reminding me that no matter how hard I try, I cannot please everybody. Throughout my life, I have repeatedly heard the phrase “If everyone loves what you’re doing, then you are doing something wrong.” That phrase helps me put into perspective that my style and my sound will not be for everybody, and that there will be people who don’t like my art. That is the risk that is taken when you want to make a living & a reputation for yourself via releasing music for anybody to hear. I appreciate any feedback or criticisms that I get, even when they aren’t the most positive!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://unitedmasters.com/a/kingmirmir
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zymir_imon_dixon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zymir.dixon.7/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zymir-dixon-8381353a9
• Twitter: https://x.com/kingmirmirreal1
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KingMirMir302
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-928278759