Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyra Tillotson.
Kyra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up with a deep love for country music and always had this dream of ending up somewhere in the South. During my time at the University of Washington, I interned with The Walt Disney Company, and that experience really solidified for me that I wanted to work in entertainment. Being surrounded by such a world-renowned company and learning from incredible executives showed me the impact storytelling and community can have on people.
I was also really fortunate to grow up with a supportive community that encouraged me to chase big dreams, and I think that’s what inspired my passion for helping artists tell their own stories and get their voices heard. Nashville felt like the natural next step – a place where my love for country music and entertainment could come together.
When I first moved to Nashville, I started as a Project Coordinator at MadeFirst, an experiential marketing and fabrication company. Through that role, I had the opportunity to work on activations for events like South by Southwest with Paramount Global and the Super Bowl in Los Angeles with Bud Light. Even though it wasn’t directly in the music industry yet, it taught me so much about project management, live experiences, and the power of creating real-life moments that connect with people.
From there, I kept networking around Music Row and eventually came across The 615 House on Instagram. I reached out to founder Chris Ruediger, and after meeting up, I started helping bring structure and operations to the project while it was still in its early stages. In 2022, I officially became the first full-time hire.
I started there as a Project Coordinator on a two-person team, and over the years I’ve grown into the role of Operations Director. We’ve now worked with hundreds of independent country artists through media opportunities, live event bookings, and paid brand partnerships. Through that experience, I’ve continued deepening my passion for artist development and storytelling, and today I also independently manage an artist.
At the core of everything I do is a desire to help artists feel seen, supported, and empowered to chase their dreams – because I know firsthand how much having people believe in you can change everything.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Growing what was once essentially a TikTok page into a full media company with a reach of over 10 million people, four owned-and-operated channels, and several partner networks has come with a lot of challenges along the way.
One of the biggest hurdles has been building credibility and helping the country music industry understand what we’re creating. Country music is such a relationship-driven industry and can sometimes lean heavily into tradition – even when it comes to media and marketing. Because of that, there were a lot of doors to knock on and a lot of groundwork that had to be laid before people really started to see the vision.
I think another challenge that comes with building something in a fast-moving digital space is that there’s no exact blueprint for it. We’ve had to constantly adapt, learn in real time, and prove that social media and digital storytelling can create real impact for artists and brands alike.
That said, those challenges have also been the most rewarding part. Watching independent artists gain opportunities, build audiences, and have career-changing moments through platforms we’ve helped create makes all of the growing pains worth it.
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?
My work primarily focuses on artist development, media, live events, and brand partnerships within the country music space. As Operations Director at Fort Nash, I help oversee day-to-day operations across our platforms while working closely with artists, brands, labels, and other industry partners to create opportunities that help independent artists grow their audiences and careers. A lot of what I specialize in is building community and creating moments, whether that’s through digital storytelling, live events, or strategic partnerships that connect fans and artists in authentic ways.
I think what I’m most known for is being someone who can take an idea and bring it to life in a way that feels both creative and operationally strong. Because I came from an experiential marketing background, I naturally gravitate toward creating experiences that people genuinely remember and talk about.
Some of the projects I’m most proud of have been community-driven events. One was our Zach Top lookalike contest in London, which organically took on a life of its own online and became such a fun example of how country music fandom can bring people together in unexpected ways. I’m also incredibly proud of the Women in Country event we hosted ahead of the CMA Awards in November. That event was really special because it created a space for women across the industry – artists, creatives, executives, and fans – to connect, support one another, and celebrate female voices in country music.
What sets me apart is probably the balance between creativity and operations. I genuinely love the creative side of entertainment and artist storytelling, but I also love building the structure behind the scenes that allows ideas to actually succeed and scale. I think that combination has helped me navigate both the startup side of media and the relationship-driven side of the music industry.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fort-nash.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fortnashmedia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050621507124
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@fortnash
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thefortnash?_t=8rI1dx3Kqek&_r=1
