Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayla Brown. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kayla, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Everyone has crazy stuff happen to them, but often small business owners and creatives, artists and others who are doing something off the beaten path are often hit with things (positive or negative) that are so out there, so unpredictable and unexpected. Can you share a crazy story from your journey?

I can’t believe I’m going to share this, but this genuinely is the craziest thing that’s happened to me in my career, and I truly consider it the start of a butterfly effect that shaped the entire trajectory of where I am today.
In May of last year, I had a huge opportunity to photograph a show at First Avenue. Before I get into that, here’s some backstory. A few months earlier, I saw a tour announcement for Citizen Soldier as the headliner, and I noticed one of the supporting bands was Nerv. I’ve known their vocalist, Dil, for almost 15 years. I first met him through his old band, Incredible Me, which I was a huge fan of back in the day. They were a Sacramento local band, which is where I’m from, though I was living in Fresno at the time. I saw them live a few times, ended up befriending some of the band members, and the rest is history.

Incredible Me has since disbanded, and all the members moved on to other musical projects, one of those being Nerv. Fast forward to when I saw that Nerv was touring and coming to Minneapolis. I was about six months into building my portfolio and reputation in the local music scene, and I really wanted to try to photograph them on this tour. The catch was that I hadn’t spoken to Dil in YEARS. I didn’t even know if he’d remember me.

After fighting through a lot of internal anxiety, I decided to go for it and sent him a message. Long story short: he did remember me and welcomed me to shoot the show with open arms. I was beyond excited. This was the biggest show I had covered up to that point, I would be photographing a friend I hadn’t seen in a long time, at the legendary First Avenue.

Now fast forward again to about a week before the show. I got the worst flu of my life. I couldn’t keep anything in my body… what went in came right back out, however it wanted to come out. I’ll leave it at that. I was absolutely miserable. I lost over ten pounds in a week, and even when I started to feel better, my body was still rejecting food and fluids without warning. That continued all the way up until the day before the show.

I was terrified. I felt “okay,” but I was genuinely scared of embarrassing myself in public. Still, I was determined not to miss this opportunity. So… I went and bought adult diapers. Yep. It was that bad. On the day of the show, I wore the diaper, took every medication I could reasonably take, and hoped for the best. On the bright side, I did not soil myself, and the show went incredibly well.

This is why I consider this the craziest story of my career. During that show, I met several people who have since given me countless opportunities. One of them is my buddy Milad. He was filling in on bass for another opener, Thousand Below. After the show, we started talking on Instagram, and I learned he’s also in his own band, Lost In Separation, and regularly goes on tour doing merch for other bands. Since last May, I’ve seen him a few times, photographed his band, and photographed several bands he’s toured with. I’ve also shot for Nerv four separate times since then. Honestly, I credit a huge part of where I’m at now to the guys in Nerv and to Milad.

It’s wild to think how different things could be if I had been too sick to go to that show. Somehow, everything worked out because I refused to miss the opportunity, and because I wore a diaper.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up loving cameras, you can even ask my mom. She always had a camera ready, and because of that, I was never shy either behind or in front of one. That comfort followed me into my teenage years, right around the rise of YouTube vloggers. Inspired by that era, I started my own YouTube channel focused on vlogs and music-related content. My channel gained a small following, enough to build some local recognition in my hometown. That visibility opened doors for me to work with local promoters and venues, where I began taking photos, shooting videos, and interviewing bands. At the time, my main focus was video, but I was dating someone who was pursuing concert photography. He taught me a lot, and that exposure pulled me deeper into photography. I quickly realized how much I loved it.
Not long after, I met my now ex-husband, toured with his band, and continued doing photography and video work for my ex-husbands band. Creating in live music environments became second nature to me. When I moved from California to Minnesota in 2021, everything stopped. I had no connections, my mental health was at an all-time low, and I completely stepped away from photography. I gave up on it entirely.

In October of 2024, I was laid off from my job, which sent me into a bit of an existential crisis. I found myself job-hopping, considering college, and struggling with the feeling that I had no real direction. Eventually, I took a seasonal job at a mall doing photos with Santa and unexpectedly, that reignited something in me. Being behind a camera again reminded me how much I missed photography.

Not long after, I saw a local band I’d seen before, Odds of an Afterthought, was opening for A Skylit Drive at 7th Street Entry. I wanted to attend the show but couldn’t justify the ticket cost at the time. On a whim, I reached out to the local band and explained that I wanted to start building my concert photography portfolio again. Honestly, I didn’t think much would come of it, I half saw it as a free way into the show and didn’t expect a response.

I was wrong.

They put me on their list with a media pass, and that night changed everything. Photographing that show lit the fire again and reminded me that this is exactly what I’m meant to be doing. That single opportunity marked the beginning of my return to the music scene and my commitment to pursuing concert photography seriously.

Today, I specialize in live music photography, capturing the energy, emotion, and authenticity of artists on stage. I also offer video and visual content for bands, helping them tell their story and present themselves professionally in an industry where visuals matter more than ever. What sets me apart is my deep understanding of the music scene from every angle: fan, creator, touring partner, and artist collaborator. I know how important it is for artists to feel seen, comfortable, and accurately represented.

What I’m most proud of isn’t just the work I create, but the fact that I came back to it after walking away completely. I rebuilt from nothing, found my confidence again, and rediscovered my passion on my own terms. Every time I pick up my camera, I learn something new. I started in concert photography and have been branching out into areas I hadn’t explored before. Recently, I coordinated an entire creative concept photoshoot event, where I photographed a wide range of portraits for nearly ten hours straight; something I never would have had the confidence to do in the past. Reconnecting with my creativity reminded me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. While concerts and events are a major part of my work, I enjoy exploring many forms of photography and adapting my style to fit each project. I want people to know that I care deeply about creating images that feel real, meaningful, and true to the individuals in front of my camera.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being in a creative field is honestly just seeing what you can make. In creative work, the finished product is such a big part of why it all feels worth it. It’s also one of those fields where things never really get boring, you’re always learning something new. With my photography, for example, I’ll look back at photos I took just a few months ago that I thought were amazing at the time, but don’t seem as “great” to me now compared to then. They’re still good shots, but every time I do a photoshoot, cover a live band, or even sit down to edit, I pick up something new. Being able to see my growth over time and watch my skills keep improving is incredibly rewarding.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

I have always wanted to work in the music industry, so right now I am attending college working towards an associates in marketing, and I’m also debating getting a degree in visual communications afterwards. I have a huge love for photography and content creation, but I also don’t want to be a one trick pony. So while I’m in school, I’m using my photography as my networking opportunities for once I graduate. Then the entire goal is to be able to combine these two worlds together!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kaylaswickedvisuals.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kaylaswickedvisuals/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Kaylas-Wicked-Visuals/61568489730202/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kayluhbobayluh
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kayluhbobayluh