We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Vin Zeal. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Vin Zeal below.

Vin Zeal, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew that I wanted to perform professionally from a very early age. I was inspired by artists like the Cheetah Girls, Alicia Keys, Micheal Jackson, Justin Timberlake and so many others. I have a copy of a writing assignment from first grade where we had to write a sentence every morning along with an illustration and I wrote, “When I grow up, I want to be a singer and I am going to win awards. I will have a bodyguard”. Below the sentence, I drew a picture of future me dressed like a super star sitting in front of a big vanity getting ready for a show. That was definitely a vivid turning point in my life where the vision for my future was solidified.

Vin Zeal, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My artist persona “Vin Zeal” came to life in 2012 after my very first professional gig at a sandwich shop in downtown Houston. Prior to that, I started singing around the house when I was 2 years old, I sang in the church choir as well! Around the age of 6, my parents invested into my passion and placed me in voice lessons, that was a big game changer for me.

Once I started performing on bigger stages I grew to love the entire process associated with putting on a production! My voice coach elevated that even more for me when she convinced my parents to enroll me in a highly acclaimed performing arts program at the Ensemble Theatre in downtown Houston. There I was able to get professional training in acting, singing, dancing, media, etiquette, and so much more. Being on stage there was one of the first times in my life I truly felt alive! I attended that training program every summer until I was 13 and things started progressing significantly with my career as Vin Zeal.

My birth name is Destiny Vinae Woolridge and Vin Zeal comes from my middle name as well as a couple of other creative concepts. My dad and my former manager wanted to create something meaningful outside of just Destiny. “Vin” in Latin means “conqueror” and zeal is the root word of “zealous”. The name is a metaphor for my goals that I go after being achieved. I love the fact that from day one I’ve been speaking and manifesting that over my life. My hope is that anyone that listens to my music or is inspired by my journey feels unstoppable in the most magical way.

I didn’t always have it easy growing up when it came to fitting in. I honestly still struggle with that today. When Vin Zeal was created, I was able to step into my own world and create a safe space for myself. I pray that other people get to experience that same feeling and are comfortable enough to let loose, cry, laugh, smile, dance. I want to create a world where everyone feels loved and seen.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I’ve come across so many different obstacles throughout my journey over the last 13 years it’s ridiculous! One of the biggest things was definitely becoming a mother. I found out that I was pregnant with my son at a time where I felt like I was so on top of things with my career. I had just grown my following on social media significantly, I was about to release highly anticipated single I was working so hard on as well. Days before my song was slated for release drop, my Instagram page was hacked into and I was locked out of my account for months!

During the time away from social media I was able to really process what was going on in my life and try and figure out my game plan when it came to being a mother. I had so many important people in my life at the time that told me that I wouldn’t make it in this industry if I became a mother. Though it was extremely hurtful to hear, I didn’t let their words have an impact on what I knew God had already ordained over my life. I was placed on this earth to impact people’s lives positively with my music and my message and I wasn’t going to allow becoming a momma stop that. If anything, my son has motivated and pushed me more than I ever have throughout my career.

Though I had a lot of confidence in pushing through my new journey I was starting, I always knew it wouldn’t be easy. Surviving as an independent artist is hard enough as it is own your own, let alone adding a child to the picture. I suddenly wasn’t the center of my world anymore, he was. I had so many moments where I was so frustrated or overwhelmed either financially or with time constraints or not having babysitters and having to turn down opportunities. There became a certain point in time where I felt like I was inadequate as an artist and a mother.

I can honestly say that the only way I was able to push through those mental hurdles was through genuine friendships where positive things were constantly poured over me. I was blessed to have friends that validated my feelings of struggle and uncertainty but also affirmed that I was doing what I was supposed to do and that I needed to keep going. Without them I probably would’ve given up. It’s so important that you surround yourself with people that genuinely love and care about you. I’m so grateful to have my friends in that moment and still to this day.

The first year that I had my son, I had to focus on just surviving and navigating the beautifully complex journey of motherhood. By the time my son was approaching age 2 I was back into the music scene full swing. I worked unbelievably hard to pay for childcare and my personal life on top of funding my career as an independent artist. Though the journey hasn’t been easy, I wouldn’t change a thing if I could. I’m such a strong believer in divine timing and I know God has orchestrated things the way he has for a reason. I’m going ever harder now!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I was fortunate to have started my career when Instagram was just getting started. My page was created when I was still in middle school and it was run by my publicist and manager for many years. Though I was young and didn’t understand why I had to do certain things, I’m grateful that I was blessed with a knowledgeable team to support me. I feel like what made my page grow the most was honestly just networking in person. Social media wasn’t as big as it is now when it comes to marketing, but it was a way for people to keep up with me. My management team made sure that I stressed and emphasized what my social media handles were at the end of every performance and I gave out flyers that had QR codes on the back where people could scan and find my information!

My advice to anyone just getting started is to stay consistent. It helps if you treat social media as another part of your daily/ weekly routine. As a single parent with limited windows if free time, it’s great for me to plan out content days where I film and create multiple things I can post throughout the coming weeks. The next piece of advice I would give would be to not put too much pressure on yourself or too much of an emphasis on numbers. The goal should be to create content that you’re proud of first and foremost. I’m also a big believer in quality over quantity in certain situations. I would either recommend posting high quality content maybe once a week or possibly not so high quality content but something that’s raw and intimate and documents your journey on a more consistent basis. Find what works best for you and remain authentic to who you truly are. The right audience will find you eventually.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @iamvinzeal
• Facebook: @iamvinzeal
• Youtube: Vin Zeal

Image Credits

Houston Chronicle