We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Charissa Whillock a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Charissa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful part of my career settles neatly in the music scene on Twitch.TV. This live streaming platform fosters the “best keep secret” of music on the internet. Here you can see musicians performing from their personal studios all around the globe.
This online platform is especially powerful for tenacious and eclectic performers to build a community around their unique talents. The nature of this type of long-form content creates an audience that is more interested in the philosophies behind the content creator, and so, the platform creates an inherently deep connection with viewer and streamer.
Before I found Twitch, I had been told by a mentor that I “need a one-woman show” and I can’t help but feel that Twitch has provided me with just that. Twitch is the first time in my career where I have felt embraced for every single creative endeavor and talent that I have built up in my professional and personal life.
The platform has offered up some of the best contacts in my professional network, high profile gigs, and helped me reach an international audience that truly makes me feel like a rock star every time I perform.
Charissa, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Charissa Whillock is a multi-genre singing actress from Austin, TX.
Her two degrees in Vocal Performance ground her knowledge in the craft on stage & in front of a camera.
In addition to her vocal expertise, her talents lie in a myriad of creative spaces.
In any given week she can be found voicing a singing cat for a children’s show, musically mentoring & producing industry professionals, and performing in a free live show where she sings anything from Mozart to Mazzy Star.
Charissa’s goal is to spread a positive narrative around creation & performance.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron;
An Incredible journey all creatives should take with themselves. I’ve done the 12 week process two times and want to go through it again. Its a great way to dismantle beliefs and personal creative blocks.
The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer;
A wonderful personal account of what it takes to get out there as a creative and live unapologetically.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
I get the most joy when the people in my online sphere tell me that they picked up their instrument or sang again because I inspired them to do so.
I get a huge grin on my face when people in my chat type in and tell me that they are harmonizing or singing along at home.
It means a lot to me that I can create a space for others around the world that encourages their own artistry and creative playfulness.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.charissawhillock.com
- Instagram: crrissa_the_cyberbard
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charissa-whillock-69a5bb276?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Twitter: crrissa_thebard
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@crrissa_the_cyberbard
Image Credits
Poultry Motion Photography