We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lorin Lee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Lorin , thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Lately, I have poured my heart into a wide range of creative projects, from music and film to social media storytelling and volunteer work. While each has shaped me in different ways, two stand closest to my heart: my debut EP and the launch of my creative marketing agency, both set to release this year.
I fell in love with music at a young age and always knew I wanted to tell my story and connect with others through art. My upcoming project explores the growing pains of stepping into adulthood and navigating my mental health journey, both of which have deeply shaped who I am. Music has always been my emotional outlet, especially during seasons when I felt out of place or misunderstood. This project speaks to the beauty of imperfection while also honoring the hope and growth that come with becoming our dream selves, a journey shaped by trial and error, heartbreak, discomfort, and moments of joy along the way. My debut as an artist represents me stepping out of my shell and sharing something deeply personal with the world.
Marketing and creative directing entered my life unexpectedly, yet in hindsight, it feels inevitable. I am currently completing my final semester of my Master of Business Administration at the University of Houston, and storytelling has always been at the core of who I am. That curiosity led me to explore how creativity could evolve into a career and how I could help others bring their ideas to life. Beginning as a DJ and music producer at 18, I learned every aspect of the craft independently. Today, I am focused on sharing that experience by blending strategy with creativity to help brands refine their identities and strengthen their voices. My creative marketing agency, Lepora, will launch this year as I continue to perfect my craft and build a portfolio that reflects the intention behind everything I create.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Whew! Get your popcorn ready! This is a long one!
I was born in Danville, Illinois, and spent much of my early life in Champaign before eventually relocating to Houston, a move that played a major role in shaping both my personal and creative growth. My journey into artistry began during my freshman year of college, a time when I felt deeply bored, homesick, and disconnected. I was attending school in San Antonio and found myself taking the bus home nearly every weekend. I tried pushing myself to attend parties and be social, but I often felt out of place. There is a video my mom once saw of me sitting quietly in the corner of a party, plugged into the aux cord while everyone else was having fun. That moment stayed with her, and that following Christmas, she surprised me with a DJ controller. That gift changed everything.
I began teaching myself how to DJ, posting mixes online, and slowly gaining recognition. Before long, I was getting booked and discovering a version of myself that felt confident, expressive, and outward in a way I had not experienced before. When the pandemic hit, I made the decision to go deeper into music by pursuing artistry, music production, and songwriting. That chapter came with challenges. I encountered people I could not trust, faced setbacks that came with being a woman in the industry, and quit three different times out of frustration and exhaustion. Still, music followed me. It remained the one place where I could fully be myself and process my emotions and ultimately led me back with more clarity and intention.
As a multidisciplinary storyteller, my work is currently rooted in music, while I also intentionally study and immerse myself in the art of film and performance. I am drawn to understanding storytelling beyond sound alone, learning how narrative, movement, and visuals shape emotion and meaning. This season of exploration is focused on growth and foundation, allowing me to expand my creative range with intention as I work toward becoming a prominent voice across music, film, and business. I am currently filming for a series, and I am thrilled to show everyone that I am truly a jack of all trades.
Alongside my artistry, I am also the founder of Lepora, a creative marketing and creative directing agency launching this year. I have always known I wanted to own something that was truly mine, a space where I could remain creative while helping others bring their ideas to life. That vision became clear when I entered business school and began pursuing my Master of Business Administration at the University of Houston. Lepora offers creative direction, brand strategy, social media marketing, storytelling, and visual identity development for individuals and businesses looking to refine their voice and presence. What sets me apart is my ability to blend strategy with lived creative experience, approaching branding with the same care and intention I bring to my art.
The problems I solve for clients often center on clarity and confidence. I work with individuals and brands who know they have something meaningful to offer but struggle to express it visually or strategically. Through Lepora, I help translate ideas into cohesive stories and brand identities that feel aligned, authentic, and intentional.
What I am most proud of is not only how far I have come in my craft, but also how much I have grown as a person. That growth is evident in my work and in the way I show up creatively. I feel more confident, more determined, and more present in the process than ever before. I am learning to romanticize the journey rather than rush it, and I want people who engage with my work to know that everything I create is rooted in intention, resilience, and a genuine love for storytelling.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
It is disheartening to see how overly critical society has become toward art. Throwing your work into the spotlight now often traps creatives in a cycle of comparison and constant examination, not just of the art itself, but of the person behind it. It can feel as though people are searching for something to dislike rather than allowing themselves to appreciate what is being shared. Art is meant to be expressed freely, inviting curiosity and connection rather than comparison or judgment.
Society can better support artists by choosing openness over criticism. Enjoy the art or do not, but make space for creatives who are still growing and have not yet reached billboards or big stages. Music and art are not dead, but the attention and patience required to truly experience them are thinning. Supporting creatives starts with uplifting your friends, sharing their work, introducing people to new artists, and pouring more love into creative spaces so artists feel safe enough to create.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the belief that perfectionism was the only acceptable option.
I grew up dealing with anxiety, and I still experience it at times. It made me a persistent overthinker and made me feel like everything needs to be perfect at all times. There was a small voice in my head that constantly questioned my leaps of faith and planted doubt about whether I was good enough to sit in the rooms I had always dreamed of being in, let alone the rooms that I was actually invited to sit in (crazy, right?). That mindset is exhausting, and it drained me for years.
Nothing and no one is perfect, so why slow myself down or hold myself back from pursuing my desires out of fear of making a mistake or failing? Learning to enjoy the process and simply do my best has been far more fulfilling and rewarding. Realizing that trial and error is a blessing, one that brings necessary wisdom and experience, has been both freeing and deeply satisfying.
Contact Info:
- Website: Lepora official website coming soon…
- Instagram: @lorinlee
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorin-lee-a4248a25b
- Twitter: @thelorinlee
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@lorinlee
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/SA3lSbdCHIWq7N2HHJ
- Other: Substack: https://substack.com/@lorinlee
Image Credits
Leah Legend
Jyasi Galloway
Color Du Jour Photography