We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gillian Kohn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gillian below.
Hi Gillian, thanks for joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
The moment I knew I wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally…
I remember making my bed at three or four years old, and vocalizing (not words, just sounds) and I felt the vibration of my voice hit me back as I was throwing my blanket up in the air. I remember in that moment, feeling a sense of safety. I knew then, my little body enveloped in the warmth and frequency, that using my voice was something I was good at and something I wanted to do my whole life.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Gillian Kohn, and I am a jazz vocalist based out of Charleston, South Carolina.
From my earliest memories growing up in small-town South Carolina, I recall my family and friends saying things to similar effect, “Gillian, you were born in the wrong time.”
So I don’t think it’s any coincidence that as an adult, and performer, it’s my mission to take listeners back in time – to “renew old memories” on a sentimental music journey.
Furthermore, my mother says I sang before I spoke, and I know for certain that my first crush, despite my parents’ insistence that he wasn’t “real,” was piano-playing “Schroeder” from the “Peanuts” comic strip. A spirited, “too talkative” girl with a penchant for the classics, I spent my childhood devouring black and white films by night and dreaming of Broadway’s bright lights by day.
Point of the matter, night and day (not to be confused with Cole Porter’s timeless standard), music and performing were always at my core, the consistent driving forces in my life. So my choice to be an entertainer was perfectly made right from the start, natural in its conception.
One could question from there though (after the decision was made), that the rest is just work? You know, the stuff you have to do to make headway and succeed. And yes, there’s some truth to that statement, but the upside to having a lifelong dream is just that… I’ve spent my whole life dreaming about it, imagining every small detail and nuance from both a delivery and presentation standpoint. (From a branding and marketing perspective too.)
And I wholeheartedly believe that when you love what you do, and you truly live to do it, there’s joy everywhere, throughout each stage. Even in the setbacks. Even at rejection’s doorstep.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Life isn’t easy, it’s probably been said 10 million times just today? But I truly believe in life that one’s hardest trial(s), can also be their best!
While there isn’t one story in particular that best embodies my strength of character and/or delineates my resilience, the health of my loved ones have most contributed in making me the woman, performer, and dream-navigator that I am today.
In particular my firstborn son’s autism diagnosis at 20-months-old in 2011, and more recently, my husband’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis in spring of 2021.
At the hands of any diagnosis/illness, in the wake of any hardship, with all of life’s great emotions swirling (grief, anger, desperation, uncertainty, fear), you find a way to firmly plant your feet in the moment, and celebrate the small triumphs. Or at least, these are the choices that I have made…
Following my son’s diagnosis, after a year of overwhelming (at times all-consuming) grief, as I desperately waited like any new mother to hear my child speak, I woke one day and decided instead to speak for him. To be his voice, the voice I knew he needed. Funny how I found my own voice in the process?
I’ve learned from my husband’s disease (that has so unfairly robbed him of much functionality, that has also robbed our young family of so much too) to boldly and bravely steal each special moment that I can. Because there’s no time like the present to LIVE, and to be appreciative of what you have. Health is never guaranteed, and I know it dearly.
It’s strangely all been a gift too, traversing these chronic diagnoses?! Finding a way to channel my heartbreak, angst, and happiness in the lyrics I interpret and the songs I sing. Our stories, our humanity, our truths… make us who are, and on my “sentimental musical journey” back in time, I’m not scared to give listeners my everything. It’s all about connection.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I am, by no means, an expert in the realm of social media, but I do know we all want connection. It’s through our vulnerability and shared life experiences that the most meaningful relationships develop.
Simply put, I respect my audience, and I care.
I also adhere to the idea: quality over quantity.
Lastly, a quote from restauranteur, Danny Meyer, has been wildly impactful in my personal approach to business, social media, and life in general…
“Constant. Gentle. Pressure.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gilliankohn.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/gilliankohnjazz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gilliankohnjazz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-kohn-a564a5174
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC6NNS8PBOxPePs1d5TGT6PA
- Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/gilliankohnjazz TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gilliankohnjazz
Image Credits
Images #7 and #11 are to be credit to Larry Monteith