We recently connected with Tyler Kohrs and have shared our conversation below.
Tyler, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
When this question was asked, it stopped me in my tracks because this one I relate to almost daily and let me tell you why.
Growing up I was one of the few Asians that lived in my smalltown of 2.500. I was born in South Korea and adopted and grew up in Southern Illinois. Automatically I was one of the few who looked like me and in a way I always felt the need to “prove myself” no matter what I was doing, even though growing up I was accepted and never really felt different, I had this sense over me that I always needed to have people’s validation. Now as an adult in his 30’s and in the music world, specifically the country music world it feels like I am back in Southern Illinois at times, but also not and here’s why. In mainstream country music I ask you to name 5 AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islanders) country artists, or even songwriters. Were you able too? Representation in this demographic lacks in mainstream country music and it is one reason why growing up I never thought I could be in this genre of music because there was no one who looked like me. Even in the late 2010’s I was being told by labels and people in the industry that there was no lane for Asians in country music and I was left feeling confused because leading up to my decision of pursuing country music as an artist and as a songwriter it never crossed my mind that there would be people who couldn’t see me beyond how I was born. Part of me owes credit to growing up where I did and having a beautiful support system around me and championing for me, and also back in 2014 I was in college and performing in a band that did country music and our mentor, Jorge Casas who was Gloria Estefan’s bass player up until his passing in 2019 always encouraged me and pushed me because he believed in what I brought as an artist. So when I started to come to Nashville and I was instantly put into a box of “you are an outcast” before I even opened my mouth it was hard. It brought me back to again how important representation is and how it matters because I remember back in 2018 when, “Crazy, Rich, Asians” was released and how important it was for cinema history because it was the first major motion picture that had an all Asian cast since 1993’s, “The Joy Luck Club” and I just remember how iconic that moment was in time because it was people being seen for more than what media and the world has shown. In film, Asian roles are usually either karate/ninja films, or they get type casted as the nerd, the intelligent sidekick, or something that gets an almost afterthought effect. And it plays in the world of country music to because people don’t know that people of the AAPI community have more to offer the world of music than just K-Pop or something along those lines. We are capable of so much more and there are so many of us here in Nashville and all over who represent country music who are also members of the AAPI community. There’s organizations such as Shoe’s Off Nashville (Benn Park) and API Mid Tennessee and Rissi Palmer of Apple Music’s Color Me Country; who are seeing us and championing for us to succeed by booking us and having our voices heard to a wider audience.
What I’ve learned over time is it is not always a fair playing field for us in the AAPI community in the world of country music, but also you don’t want to view it as a crutch, or a “handicap”. For years I was always treated as if being Asian in country music was almost like a disease and for that I viewed it as a weakness in my craft. And it took sitting down and having an honest conversation with people around me who were in this industry and even people who were not and I got a lot of positive feedback that changed my perspective on being an Asian in country music. I now hold it as if it is what sets me apart and what sets me up for standing out and being successful. With that being said I refuse to be a “caricature” of it all. I stand out but I also wanna be known for my voice and my songwriting and for the stories that I have to tell that so many people whether they are AAPI or not can connect with because country music was founded on storytelling and the connection people had with the music being told.
I always show up no matter if it is an event with other AAPI community artists and songwriters, or I am the only person of color/ethnic difference and I am ready to perform at the best level of showmanship and artistry that I can because my goal and my only goal when I am performing live is to get lost in the music and give my best so that the people who are listening can feel the way I do when I sing those words. Music transcends all boundaries, Alicia Keys said that on the stage of the Ryman Auditorium back in 2016 during the ACM Honors and I believe that because music heals and music connects people in ways that sometimes our speaking words cannot. And ultimately my goal from a young age to now has not changed and that is to not just have my Grand Ole Opry debut but to also work hard in this industry to become one of the first Asian American members of the Grand Ole Opry, Henry Cho being the first one, but as a comedian. Country music I grew up on and I only have learned to love it even more as I continue my journey of music and I want to inspire and be that person to the child I was who was wanting to be in music but didn’t know if it was possible. I wanna speak to and inspire the child that’s sitting on the couch watching the CMA’s or the ACM’s or the CMT’s and wishing and praying that one day it might be them and speak to them that it can be and it will be if they put in the work and that, and that alone. That the color of their skin or the place that they were born in have NO roadblocks here, but it is based on their talent and music alone.
Again, I couldn’t be where I am at right now and telling you this without the beautiful community of people who have championed for me and supported me and encouraged me. Whether those moments when I was just singing Youtube covers in my bedroom, or performing on my high school’s stage. Whether it was moments of failed reality music competition show auditions to really bad off notes during a showcase. Whether it was singing at my college with my band to performing in small coffeeshops. To when I decided to leave my smalltown in Southern Illinois and move to Nashville to pursue being an artist and songwriter in country music. And when the world shut down and music went alongside it and I had nothing going on, to then performing on the biggest stage being, NBC’s The Voice. I have had a support system and people around me no matter where they were located who stood by me and believed along with me because they saw something and they believed because I did too. I can’t take the credit, because there were so many times I wanted to give up and a lot of the times it was when one of those 82 failed auditions took place. But people around me picked me back up and they helped fuel the fire that has always been in me and is something I refuse to put out til my dreams all come in full circle moments. God blessed me with a gift and put on my heart that country music is where I need to be and I can’t back down from what I was born to do.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Hey y’all my name is Tyler Kohrs and I am a country music artist and songwriter, living in Nashville, Tennessee. I was adopted from South Korea and raised in a small Southern Illinois town called, Trenton. Music has always been a part of me and what I find so incredibly special about country music and what I do is the songwriting and the community of people that came from pursuing this dream that is now my reality. I would spend so much of my time growing up dreaming about being on stage, performing music for people and being able to say I am doing that means that I am not letting the little boy from Trenton, Illinois down who used to be made fun of for wanting to do music and for wanting to sing. It means I am taking what he fell in love with all those years ago and using that passion that God places on his heart and using it all these years later to connect with other people who feel the same way. Music transcends all boundaries and being able to see how a song connects with others is a beautiful thing.
I represent someone who grew up on country music and was raised with the knowledge of the traditions of the legends of the past and the Grand Ole Opry. Country music lives within my veins and being able to not just represent the small town guy, but represent the AAPI community as well means a lot. Growing up there were not many, if any artists or songwriters in the genre that looked like me and being on the path that is trailblazing for more inclusion and diversity means more than words can say because I know how much weight is on the shoulders of mine. I take the songwriting and storytelling of early, traditional country music and blend that with my voice which is more of today’s modern, country music and fuse that to create who Tyler Kohrs is.
Using my voice to inspire others wanting to be in this genre, no matter who you are is important because everyone is, and should be welcomed because the community that Nashville has for it’s songwriters and it’s artists is a beautiful one to be a part of and so I never want to represent something that isn’t me. I write songs that others can connect and relate to because life is something so beautiful and fragile and it is something we can all experience even if we aren’t the same person, that’s the power of music when you can connect people through a song and make them feel.
I have been extremely blessed for the opportunities and the doors that have opened for me since moving to Nashville and I plan to continue to use my voice, my platform to work hard and make some more dreams a reality. What I have coming up is new music that I hope to be releasing towards the end of 2023, or early 2024 alongside that I will be back on your television screens as I wrapped a television show with FOX that will be airing at the last part of 2023 and I cannot wait to share more, so be sure to follow along on my socials.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
When it comes to qualities, knowledge, and skills that helped me on this journey of pursuing music I have to say these are the three that helped shape it.
1) Understanding and knowing the business. I am someone that soaks up information like a sponge and loved learning every single thing I possibly could about country music. Whether it was from the artist side, the songwriting side, the production side, to the business side. All of it I was interested in and did my research and did my homework so that I could know every single possible thing and also knowing that learning never stops because we are in an industry where it is constantly changing and constantly moving around to something new. So being someone who is teachable is important to me and will always be, I may know a lot of information but there is always someone who knows a little more and that is okay, it means I have more room for growth in this business that I love so much.
2) Always be humble. I want to look back on this journey of mine and be proud of what I did and be proud of the man I am. I never want to be someone who expected anything, I never want to be someone who believes they got where they were because of them and them alone. I know for a fact I am where I am today because of myself and a bunch of others who have taken time to believe in me and to support me and encourage me, especially in the times when I didn’t have anything going for me. Being humble and keeping a good head on your shoulders in this business is important because people want to be around good people who will work hard and be respectful.
3) To be early is on time, to be on time is late, and to be late is unacceptable. I was taught this by my grandpa at a young age and I always kept that in the forefront because I know that people’s time is money and when you are late, or constantly cancel no one wants to work with you because you are not reliable. Being able to be someone who people can count on to show up is so important.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Besides adopting me and providing a life that I would never have had back in South Korea, my parents encouraged the dream that I had but taught me that with having a dream you got to put in the work. I was never pushed into something either, I found what I was passionate about on my own and when I decided music was the dream, my parents were supportive and encouraging, but they also brought reality into play. Nothing was ever going to be handed to me and I am appreciative of that because it gave me the work ethic and the perseverance that people have come to know of me once they get to hear my story and without that my story would look completely different and I am grateful for it. I also give them credit in my choices I made during college because I didn’t pursue a degree in music, but social work and that was because they sat me down and laid out the reality of it and how important it was that if I was to go to college I needed a backup and I am grateful for that because without it Covid would have looked a lot different, especially because music was stopped and I needed work and it allowed me to stay in Nashville during the pandemic when I know so many of my artist/songwriter friends had to move back home. So I owe that, or partial credit to them and pushing me into not majoring in music during my college years. But ultimately the support I’ve gotten from them since day one has always been strong and it’s always been real. Never sugarcoated anything when it came to this and for that I am grateful because again it made me work harder and made me more hungry for what I want out of this and it’s made the moments of victory that have come from this journey so much more rewarding and meaningful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/tylerkohrsmusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerkohrsmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylerkohrsmusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tylerkohrsmusic?lang=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TylerKohrsMusic/featured
Image Credits
Rebecca Howell-Thomason Edward Schaechterle Courtney Anders Emily Shackelton Nashville Soccer Club NBC’s The Voice
