Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Whitley Wilkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Whitley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about the best boss, mentor, or leader you’ve ever worked with.

My favorite mentor is Rashan Ali. Rashan and I are from the same place (Decatur, GA). In fact, we’re alums of the same high school. Rashan is a mother, wife, daughter, tv personality, actress, host, business owner and humanitarian, amongst many other things.

What I like about Rashan most is her demonstration of integrity and authenticity. Over the years, Ive watched her move through both personal and professional spaces with style and grace, showing that you can still be authentic and professional at the same time, without compromising yourself or your journey.

Being from the same city, down to the school district, Rashan is the representation I needed to see, in order to believe that my own dreams were possible. I can only hope to be that same representation for other women that come from where we come from and beyond.

Whitley, 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?

Hi, I’m Whitley—or Whit, for short. I’m a drummer, music producer and audio engineer. I have 6 years of honorable military service, as well as a B.M. in Music Production/Engineering from Berklee College of Music.

I’ve been a musician since the age of 2. I started producing/engineering other artists in 2014. To increase the quality of my clientele, I was encouraged to study audio engineering in school. As a stepping stone to pay for Berklee’s $70k/year tuition, I joined the Army. After 6 years of honorable military service, I enrolled at Berklee. At graduation, I was the only black woman from America to receive the B.M. in Music Production and Engineering, arguably the school’s hardest major. Shortly after graduation I moved to LA, where I currently work as a sound engineer in the film/tv industry, Masha’Allah.

I think what sets me apart from most people is my tenacity, personality and energy. I tend to be very authentic and genuine with people, while keeping my intentions pure. Other things that set me apart are my ambition, confidence, persistence, and fearlessness. I like to believe that no one works smarter or harder than me. I am “black excellence” in every aspect of the phrase, Masha’Allah.

I’m most proud of making history as the 4th black female audio engineer to join the LA union. My brand is built on keeping God 1st, in addition to morals, values, and authenticity. Just as Rashan has been the blueprint for me, I hope to inspire others that when you create a lane of success for yourself, you don’t have to compromise who you are for anything or anybody. Insha’Allah.

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

When I first got into the tv/film industry, I had a not-so-pleasant experience working my first tv show that resulted in me having to end my work on the show earlier than expected. After that, I felt really defeated and helpless.

I could’ve let that experience deter my career and break me, but resiliently, I kept going on my journey. A few months later as I was working on another show, I ran into the same producer from the show I had to leave early. Somehow, I stood out to her. She said she remembered that we’d worked together and invited me on the spot to join the crew of her next project.

I accepted her invitation and was flown out to Miami a few months later. My work in Miami earned me a spot in the sound union, making me the 4th black woman in Hollywood history to join the union in LA as an audio engineer, and the 1st black woman this producer has ever had in the sound department on any of her shows. Masha’Allah.

The producer’s name… well, let’s just say it rhymes with “Visa Bae”, lol.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I moved to LA at the end of 2019. I thought I would continue my work in the music industry, but the pandemic had other plans.

LA got hit the hardest and it nearly shut down the music industry altogether. As a result, I lost all the potential work opportunities I had lined up. I found myself at home a lot, watching tv. And then one day it hit me. Realizing that there would always be a demand for tv watching (even in a pandemic), I developed an interest in doing sound for tv, and the rest is history.

It hasn’t been easy, but seeing as how my clientele roster now includes names such as: Issa Rae, Cardi B, J. Cole, Nelly, Megan The Stallion, Teyana Taylor, and Marsai Martin just to name a few; coupled with the fact that I purchased my first home within a year of living here, I’d say my future is pretty bright, Insha’Allah.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @whit_the_drummer