Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lyric Swinton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Lyric thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
I want to build a platform on knowledge and pure joy rather than what’s popular. I’m always studying wrestling whether it’s keeping up with multiple promotions all over the world or watching vintage content. I also like to read a lot about wrestling, from journals to autobiographies to historical accounts. I’m a firm believer that you must know where you’ve been to figure out where you want to go.
Lyric, 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?
I consider myself to be a pro wrestling creative with an emphasis on international and alternative brands. I use the term “creative” because I don’t want to be confined to any one thing. I write, host, podcast, strategize, and do my best to serve as a bridge for other fans who may be looking to broaden their wrestling horizons. A lot of my work is centered around highlighting diversity as wrestling’s greatest strength as it relates to race, gender, country or origin, culture, style, and background. My articles, interviews, and current projects can be found at https://linktr.ee/lyricwrestling.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I come from a background in politics & and I’ve had to unlearn the societal pull to work with the goals of pleasing others. In my current work, especially because wrestling is something I’ve been passionate about for over 17 years, I aim to tackle my work with as much passion as possible. Wrestling is a special art form. It saves lives, it heals souls, and it connects human beings across all types of differences, whether it’s language barriers or geographic distances. I’ve seen firsthand that passion for this art form inspires me deeply so I hope to inspire that feeling in others with the passion I put into my work.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I lived a fast-paced, extremely busy life for a long time with numerous leadership & community roles and responsibilities. I hit a wall in 2022 and encountered the worst depression I’ve ever experienced due to burnout, anxiety, and life changes at the time. Reconnecting with one of my first loves a.k.a professional wrestling really helped me regain my joy and passion. My undergraduate degree is in Sport & Entertainment Management and my original goal was to work in wrestling but I got discouraged by the lack of opportunity and diversity in the industry at the time so I decided to pursue other career opportunities. I turned 25 in February and decided that for one year I was going to bet on myself and my childhood dream. If it turned into something substantial, awesome and if it didn’t, I’d go back to a “normal” career path. That year is now nearly up and by the end of 2023, I’ll be able to say I have experienced & covered wrestling in 9 cities, 4 countries, & 3 continents in 2023 for at least 6 promotions.
Contact Info:
- Website: lyricswinton.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/lyricwrestling
- Twitter: twitter.com/lyricwrestling
- Youtube: youtube.com/@lyricswinton