We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Derek Strong a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Derek, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

I often think about the timing of my creative journey, and while there’s a part of me that wonders what might have been if I’d started earlier, I’ve come to appreciate the path I took to get here. Growing up in a poor family, I didn’t have access to the resources that might have supported an earlier start. In college, I pursued Musical Theater, but after a negative experience from my peers and from the program director, I switched to studying electronic media and broadcasting. Due to life events, I had to leave school and join the workforce to make ends meet.

For the past 11 years, I’ve worked full-time with the same company, but the pandemic in 2020 became a turning point for me. With the world slowing down, I finally invested in some basic equipment and began teaching myself content creation and music production. It was a way to reconnect with my creative roots and build something meaningful.

Now, three years later, I’ve released three songs on streaming platforms and am collaborating with talented artists on new projects. My work often leans into nerdcore, blending my love for music with my passion for video games and geek culture.

Looking back, I wouldn’t change the timing. The struggles and setbacks shaped who I am and gave me the resilience and perspective I bring to my creative career today. If I’d started sooner, I might not have had the same drive or the stories to tell through my music.

Derek, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Derek Strong, but I also go by Tibbers in my creative endeavors. I’m an autistic ADHD LGBTQIA+ content creator, furry, musician, and voice actor with a passion for storytelling, performance, and building community through my art. My creative journey began during the pandemic in 2020 when I started creating content on Twitch and TikTok, inspired by drag queen friends who turned to Twitch for performance opportunities. But I have been singing, and playing piano since 5 years old.

I initially focused on asymmetrical horror games like Dead by Daylight, but over time, I found my niche in mascot horror—a genre that captivates me with its blend of eerie nostalgia and creative storytelling. By the end of 2022, I began traveling to furry conventions, leading panels about content creation, and diving deeper into discussions about the world of mascot horror. In 2023, I was thrilled to join Mob Entertainment’s Partners in Crime program, becoming an official partner for the studio behind the hit game Poppy Playtime.

This partnership opened incredible doors for me. I was featured in an advertising campaign for Chapter 3 of Poppy Playtime and began collaborating with amazing talents in the gaming and voice acting industries. My voice acting career took off when a casting director discovered me through my Twitch streams, leading to roles in two anime series and a main character role in an indie game called Whispering Death. I’ve also interviewed prominent voice actors and developers for the Poppy Playtime series through a podcast I created, featuring guests like Elsie Lovelock (Hazbin Hotel, Murder Drones), Baldwin Williams Jr. (Poppy Playtime, Sly Cooper), MaxVoidcore (Conceptual artist for Mob Entertainment), Amberluvsbugs (Mixed media artist for Mob Entertainment), Robin Nelson (Poppy Playtime, Fazbear & Friends), and Avalon Delaney (Poppy Playtime, Adventure Mode).

On the music side, I’ve released three songs, including:

Fragmented Echoes—an original nerdcore song inspired by the mascot horror game Indigo Park.
A glamrock cover of ABBA’s Mamma Mia inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s: Security Breach.
A cover of Alice DeeJay’s Better Off Alone.
My music is heavily influenced by artists like CG5, Kyle Allen Music, The Living Tombstone, Groove Coverage, Evanescence, and Alan Walker. As an audiophile and musicophile, I’m passionate about sound design and am exploring a future career in game development and freelance sound production.

Ultimately, my goal is to transition into a full-time creative career as a content creator, voice actor, and musician—sustaining myself while continuing to grow my craft. I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come, achieving my dream of voice acting, releasing music, and sharing my passion for horror and storytelling with others.

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

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative is the recognition and connection that comes with sharing my work. Knowing that people genuinely enjoy the content and music I create is incredibly fulfilling. Meeting fans—whether at conventions, through streams, or even just through kind messages—is a true highlight for me.

As someone who struggles with anxiety and often questions whether what I’m doing is “right” or even any good, the validation and support from fans mean the world. Hearing that my art resonates with others or brings them joy reassures me that I’m on the right path. It’s not just about being seen or heard—it’s about building a community and inspiring others the way I’ve been inspired. That connection keeps me motivated to keep creating, growing, and sharing my passions with the world.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Building an audience on social media is a combination of strategy, consistency, and understanding how to use the tools available to you. For me, it started with learning how to advertise effectively and leverage algorithms to my advantage. One of the first steps was setting up a centralized hub—a website or a link tree—to house all my social media links, making it easy for people to find and follow me across platforms.

If you’re a live streamer, having a bot in your chat that periodically shares your social links is a great way to remind your audience to connect with you. It’s also important to call out your socials in your videos, include them in your descriptions, and ensure your social media profiles clearly state who you are, what you do, and how people can contact you. Adding a website link to your profiles gives your audience a single place to find all your other platforms.

Using hashtags effectively is another crucial part of growing your audience. Research which ones are trending or relevant to your niche, and don’t be afraid to experiment. For those who can afford it, investing in services like X Premium (or similar platform boosts) can also help increase your content’s visibility.

My advice for anyone just starting out is to focus on consistency and clarity. Post regularly, engage with your audience, and make your brand message clear. Be patient—it takes time to grow an audience, but with persistence and strategic planning, you’ll get there. Most importantly, don’t underestimate the value of being authentic and kind; people connect with creators who are genuine and passionate about what they do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Tibbers.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Tibberrz
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-strong-03a78a310/
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/TibbersTTV
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tibberrs
• Other: Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/Tibberz

Image Credits

Photography by Derek Strong, and Price Thomas.

Mamma Mia and Better Off Alone album artwork by Derek Strong.

Hooty artwork and Fragmented Echoes album artwork by Pixelishious.