Today we’d like to introduce you to Komplex Simplicity.
Hi Komplex, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
With a long background in music and performing back home (in Los Angeles, CA), I began authoring books in 2016. After leaving LA, I navigated my talents to Clarksville, TN, and expanded into the spoken word. (Spoken word is a form of poetry, which has a stronger emphasis on performance and delivery versus written/read literature.) I spend a vast amount of time in Nashville and, as a result, have connected to many artists who are passionate about similar things. Using spoken word as a conduit, I started the UNPOPULAR Movement, which reminds people to be whoever God created them to be, regardless of age, gender, or other societal stereotypes and norms. I am a curious writer, exploring the things I observe in life with metaphors and beautiful word pictures. I have a dynamic approach, whether I speak on the stage or my words are written on a page. I hope to enlighten the truth with every release, while exploring topics and emotions everyone can relate to. In that, I hope to help make the complexities of our reality simple, and that is the basis of my name, Komplex Simplicity. I enjoy activism through labor and community organizing, photography, podcasting, and blogging when I am not writing or performing. I co-run a clothing printing business where I serve the needs of people who desire to express themselves through what they wear. I’m also the co-host of Clarksville’s Power of Words, the official open mic night of Clarksville, TN. We host our open mic night monthly at the Good People Lounge in downtown Clarksville (anyone and everyone can join!).
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No — this journey has not always been easy. Like anything in life, there have been ups and downs. I have my hands on various projects at any given time, which can be stressful. Furthermore, to write poetry, is to be vulnerable. This vulnerability is magnified when I am standing in a room full of people, unzipping the outer person to show the essence of who I am, and what I have experienced. As a result, organization and mental health are so important to me. There have been seasons where the band-aids placed on water leaks have burst open, and those seasons became unproductive (from a work standpoint) while I worked on healing. Now that I have a better work-life balance, it is easier to spot moments of unease. Yet, true to artistry, even those moments are purposeful. Being able to identify and express not only what is going on inside of me, but around me is key to my artistic style.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a creative professional specializing in Spoken Word Poetry, Podcasting, Blogging, Photography (most of my pictures are self-portraits), Hosting, and Co-run a lifestyle brand, and Co-Run a clothing printing company. It seems like many disconnected hats, but they’re centered around truth. That makes me most proud: My ability to inspire truth. Whether from the stage or in helping people wear what they feel, that is my north star. As a result of social media and easy access to other people, we often equate popularity to truth, which is simply false. Social media tends to highlight the wins, the snapshots of your very best moments while hiding the journey of the process. The overly used filters, the clever angles, and the voice notes over reels help us to forget what is real. That’s where I’m different. Vulnerability and freedom set me apart. I am not afraid to share my truth, highlight the moments that feel like losses, and apologize. While this can be anxiety-provoking, openly sharing my truth allows other people the opportunity to do the same. Facilitating a safe space for honesty while being a space of freedom is one of my superpowers (smiles). I frequently share content on social media that creates this space in the social world and love the dm’s and responses that create dialogue.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Be proactive in finding a mentor! Also, your mentor is not simply a friend but someone who will push you. You won’t always agree, but the perspective is invaluable. Networking is essential in any field, and being genuine has always worked well for me. Opening myself to meet, engage, and collaborate with other creatives has been essential to my growth as an artist and opened up opportunities that were not on my radar.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linqapp.com/komplex_simplicity
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkomplexsimplicity/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamkomplexsimplicity
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamksimplicity
- Other: iamkomplexsimplicity.com
Image Credits
@kompleximages
