We were lucky to catch up with Tyler McLaughlin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tyler, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

If I could go back in time, I don’t think I’d change when I started. but I might change how I approached it. I actually did start early. Music was a huge part of my life growing up in North Carolina. I was involved in the music scene there but I wanted more. I dreamt about doing it full-time but that wasn’t the best location for it. Somewhere along the way, I took a detour. I went to school for mechanical engineering and spent years working in a field that didn’t feed me creatively. So technically, I started early. But I didn’t commit early.

Looking back, I don’t regret it. Taking the long way around gave me perspective, grit, and a real hunger to make this work on my own terms. When I finally returned to music full-time, I was all in not just as a performer or producer, but as a business owner, collaborator, and creative entrepreneur.

Starting sooner might’ve meant more time honing the craft, more connections, but starting later gave me clarity. It taught me discipline and how to show up even when inspiration takes a day off.

Now, everything I do from producing or performing under my alias Tyyla to collaborating with artists and instrumentalists is intentional. That wouldn’t have happened the same way if I’d started earlier. So I’d say… I started exactly when I needed to.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I go by Tyyla for most of my producer and artist based work, but I also release music under my own name. My work lives in that space between structure and improvisation. I love building live looping sets and blending genres like hip hop, R&B, house, jazz, and ambient textures in real time. It’s about creating an atmosphere that evolves and pulls people into a moment.

My journey into this world wasn’t linear. I started out studying engineering and working in fields completely outside the creative world. But music was always there in the background. One thing I’ve realized as I’ve gotten older is that the creative inside you needs an outlet, and if it doesn’t have one, it affects your mood, your mental health, and your overall happiness. Eventually I hit a point where I knew I had to fully commit, not just as a hobbyist, but as someone building a career around what I love.

Now I produce original music, perform live, collaborate across genres, and offer audio and production services. One of my biggest passions is helping artists bring their vision to life, however that process works best for them, and most of all, making sure we have fun doing it.

What sets me apart is my musicality and my ability to stay objective. I’ve always respected Rick Rubin for how he creates space for artists to be great, for their best selves to come through. Taste is subjective, but greatness is objective. That’s something I really believe in. My taste is always evolving, but the goal is constant: help people unlock their full creative potential.

Musicality has always been at the heart of what I do. Over the years, learning a wide range of musical styles has helped me adapt to so many different situations and gigs. More recently, I’ve been able to leverage that as a producer, whether it’s understanding an artist’s influences or blending genres to create something fresh.

One of the projects I’m most proud of is my recent EP Found It on the Sill, a live improvised collaboration with saxophonist Noah Sills. It wasn’t traditional in structure, no strict verse chorus format, just evolving musical ideas that take the listener on a journey. It captured a real moment, and that’s something I’m always chasing.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to push more house and EDM influences into my work. Those genres open up space to build music that feels cinematic, not just structured, but sculpted in real time. At the core of it all, I’ll always be working with other artists and creatives. That collaboration is the throughline of everything I do. I’m excited to see who shows up in my life next.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

One book that really shifted the way I think about communication and collaboration is Verbal Judo by George J. Thompson. It is technically a book about law enforcement communication, but at its core, it is about how to listen, connect, and redirect energy, especially in high stakes or emotionally charged moments.

What stuck with me most is the idea that you do not have to meet force with force. Whether you are dealing with conflict, creative tension, or just a moment where two people have different visions, there is always a way to stay grounded and find common ground. That has been huge for me as a producer and performer.

In music, you are constantly navigating creative differences, different personalities, communication styles, egos, insecurities, and inspirations. Verbal Judo helped me realize that collaborating is not about winning or being right. It is about understanding where someone is coming from and guiding the process in a way that keeps things moving forward.

I have worked with artists across genres, cultures, and experience levels. That book gave me tools to not just manage those relationships, but to actually build trust and get the best out of people, even when we do not immediately see eye to eye. And that is where the best stuff usually comes from anyway.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the people. Hands down. I have had the chance to work with so many different types of people, not just other creatives, but people from all kinds of backgrounds and walks of life. And one thing I have noticed is that no matter who you are, everybody loves music!

Music creates a space where people let their guard down. Whether I am collaborating in the studio or playing a wedding or street corner or art gallery, I get to connect with people on a deeper level. Sometimes that connection comes through shared taste or a creative vision. Other times, it is just a conversation or a moment of real appreciation.

What I love most is learning from those experiences. Everyone sees the world a little differently, and being around that energy helps me grow, not just as a musician, but as a human being. It reminds me that creativity is not limited to artists. There is so much wisdom and perspective out there if you are open enough to listen.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tyylamusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tyylamusic
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/48xGENjBGTRlkRa8dM26hg?si=yk2mno3bTyi-eY_sOqpVCw

Image Credits

All studio shots are by Brandon Crocker Photography