Through the different mediums that happen within the music industry, there comes a lot of talent that becomes unrecognized. From her astonishing background and captivating designs, we had the opportunity to have a creative conversation on spotlighting Brielle Bishop.
With an impressive resume, working alongside artists like Eliminate and Mad Dubz, and being Creative Director for Sora, Bishop is gaining more recognition within the electronic community. Recently she moved to Dallas to be onboarded as a Multimedia Specialist for XXV. Brielle Bishop keeps her creativity flowing and makes an impactful imprint within the space.
Electric Hawk got the opportunity to sit down with the talented designer to chat about her background, accomplishments, and more through this creative conversation below!
In Conversation with Brielle Bishop
seradopa: Well this is your spotlight! Do you mind giving us the inside scoop of your creative background?
Brielle Bishop: Oh, goodness, where do I start?
[Laughs]
I’m Brielle. I’m a graphic designer. I have been freelancing in the music industry now for I believe, coming up on three years this summer, which is crazy, because it feels like a long time, but it also doesn’t feel like three years.
Funny enough before that I was a film student. I did film from about middle school until college. And at a professional level, once I got to film school, I already knew this was coming out of my pocket. So, the decision was, “Do I finish my degree or, do I pick something else?”
My graphic design interest funny enough came from yearbook!
I was one of the Editors in Chiefs of my yearbook during my junior and senior years of high school. I actually enjoyed it a lot, a little too much. It was a lot of InDesign! I don’t think I’ve touched InDesign since, which is hilarious. That’s when I really got my hands on graphic design.
Other than that, I would make my own Spotify covers, or I would just do graphic design for fun. I never once thought of pursuing it as a career. I finished my degree in graphic design and immediately started working a nine-to-five job for apparel. Both of the full-time jobs that I had, were in wholesale apparel, which was cool, minus the fact that both were remote because this was around COVID times.
I wish I could have been in the studio, once I had gotten introduced to a bunch of people that work there like creatives and DJs. They kind of threw me under their wing and I literally quit my nine-to-five [terrible decision]. But with no leads, I was like, “This is it, I just feel it!”
I’ve loved EDM since I was a kid, and I used to get bullied for listening to it. So being able to be an adult and work in this industry is like childhood healing for me. I’ve always wanted to DJ and all that kind of stuff.
Also, I’m a talker. So please cut me off because I will keep going. That’s a little bit of my background!
seradopa: That’s funny. I’m about almost the same way as you with my upbringing ten years ago. I took one high school graphic design class and liked it. But I didn’t care much for it. Then when I went into college, I went in as an English major. But it was too easy and I was bored. So, I thought, maybe I can double major in something. I knew I liked music and art.
I could try this. And then funny enough, I had a friend who was a producer. He asked, “Hey, do you mind making me a cover art?” And I said, “Sure, I don’t know a lot, but I can give it a shot.” Then it just grew from there. Also, quit my nine-to-five during the pandemic to focus on freelancing for two years before my current job now. It was very rewarding to quit and focus on art for a solid two years. Although I did drain my bank savings!
[Laughs]
Brielle Bishop: Exactly! It’s one of those things that every single person I’m sure will tell you. Parents especially but they don’t get it. And it’s all crazy until it works out for you!
seradopa: How do you typically start a project? What programs are you using?
Brielle Bishop: I make the biggest mess.
I’m a big mood board person. I love making mood boards. I’m also an avid Pinterest user, that’s probably where I start. I gather and brain-dump all the information that I can. I’ll throw in 30 different fonts I like, or I’ll throw in color palettes. So, it’s more than picking pictures off of Pinterest. It’s a little more outlined and organized towards, you know, branding and stuff. That’s where I would start. Then I mess around and try and make something from the mess.
And that’s when I send that first draft to the client. [Laughs]
I start in Illustrator because that’s where I like to do my text and vector stuff. First, I don’t really find that any shape tools in Photoshop are that lenient with how you can manipulate them. It’s almost more of a hassle. I will work in Illustrator and Photoshop in tandem, copy and paste to each other. Do the fun stuff in Illustrator and texturing in Photoshop. Then, if I want to take an extra step, I’ll do some extra posts, depending on the project.
seradopa: From an outsider’s perspective, how would they describe your creative style compared to how you would describe your style?
Brielle Bishop: I feel like my friends and my peers would describe me as obviously Cyberpunk. I would also say Y2K or Gothic. That’s pure perspective. But I also have to be honest with myself and remember that a lot of the work I put out is commissions. To me, it’s truly not my style. It’s what the client wants, and I’m going to give them exactly what they want and damn good.
It’s not very often that I have made a lot of personal art and the style that I really like. It was just easier for me to stick with Cyberpunk and Y2K. But I would describe my style as something that I won’t get into too deeply because it might be a secret project in the works.
The word is called Anemoia. It is the name of a project that I’m working on. Anemoia means nostalgia for a time or place one has never known. It’s piggybacking off of the Cyberpunk and Y2K and all this kind of stuff. I feel this angry urge when I watch a cyberpunk movie, or recently my boyfriend just got me into Horizon Zero Dawn, the video game. I’m obsessed with it! If the world ever ends, and it doesn’t end up like this game – I’m going to be upset!
I have to indulge myself in it. I would say it’s still along those Cyberpunk and Y2K vibes, but with little hints of brutalism, retro-futurism, Frutiger Aero, and some Webcore – more towards the Webcore or Cybercore. There are a lot of words, I need like a Wiki aesthetic for myself, apparently!
[Laughs]
seradopa: I’m curious because I find it very interesting. For you, who makes physical designs, especially in your merch – How does it feel seeing people wear merch that you’ve designed?
Brielle Bishop: It genuinely doesn’t get old. I cry like a baby every time. Every single time because I have had this conversation a lot about how I feel about graphic design. There’s this lost art of physical media.
We used to have really cool video games and DVD covers with booklets. CDs and cassette tapes are a whole lost art. PS2 ads used to be killer posters, you know? And apparel is the closest thing we can get to it, right? There are a lot of emotions I feel seeing other people wear them. Obviously, it’s one feeling if they’re wearing a personal design of mine. It’s almost the same feeling to see merch that I designed for a client and see their fans wearing them.
I love seeing the artists have that moment, you know what I mean? That’s one of my favorite parts because I’ve worked with many smaller and up-and-coming artists, and I love that! Part of it is because I get very invested. I love to see the growth and I love to be there from the beginning. They’ll always come back or text me to say the merch sold out or something like that.
It feels really good. It doesn’t get old, and half of my closet is my designs.
Even my partner was playing a show in Arizona and I have a client that lives there. He gave him two of the shirts I designed just because he happened to be in the same town. He was like, “Hope you enjoy your gift.” And I just cried because I had no idea he was going to send me one.
I want to frame them all or do something with them because they’re taking up so much space in my closet. It’s beautiful and fulfilling.
The number one thing as an artist is for people to love your art. And, you know, it’s a different feeling to watch somebody look at a painting, take a picture of it to analyze it and dissect it. But to have people wear it, they feel themselves. They feel cool and stylish, and like they’re supporting their favorite artists. It doesn’t get old – it really doesn’t. It’s weird to see people wearing my clothing. It’s a weird feeling and it’s also beautiful, and it’s so many things.
seradopa: That’s very wholesome. In my realm, my biggest one is Rossy. She invited me to go to her debut at Red Rocks. And I made the visuals for her. So I witnessed them run at the legendary venue and it was so surreal. It was incredible to see them in person.
And I liked how you mentioned you want to frame the clothing because that’s what I started doing. I print my tour flyers of artists that I’ve done and hang them along a whole wall.
Brielle Bishop: I’ve been wanting to do that forever. Dude frames are expensive!
seradopa: Exactly! Getting the print made – two dollars. But getting all the frames, yeah that’s a different story!
seradopa: How do you avoid burnout and constantly stay creative?
Brielle Bishop: I wish I had an answer for that one! Burnout is a fun topic. The best advice that I had been given for that was from my partner who told me to make art about how you can’t make art. And so I don’t know if you’re familiar, but I made a burnout poster literally called burnout.
It’s in my old style and has a bunch of quotes of my intrusive thoughts that I think while designing. It was really nice, it felt like a journal and then somebody put it on a T-shirt!
seradopa: It’s hard in this industry!
Brielle Bishop: It is really difficult! There’s no lie about that.
Being a creative, freelancer or your own boss, is not an easy road. Honestly, I would say that for a year and a half of the last three years, I was fully burned out.
My 2022 folder is pretty empty. I didn’t make any art, I was literally only doing commissions because that was the only thing paying the bills and the only option I had. What did I do? The really corny therapist’s answer is,
“I kept telling myself this is your dream. It will get better. Money will come. You were meant to do this. Just push through.”
I was also a huge workaholic. I wake up thinking about art. But I enjoyed it you know? Still, it’s a little different when you’re doing that for yourself versus when that turns into a career and art turns into work.
Now I’m taking healthy breaks. I used to get down on myself for taking a break because I thought it wasn’t consistent. We are artists, not machines – making personal art now and then is okay on your mind. Art that isn’t necessarily always personal to you will burn you out.
A few weeks ago, I told my Instagram that I was taking a break from commissions for a bit because we’re moving, starting a new job, and getting figured out. I’m going to be running around, I’m not going to want to even focus on commissions. It will be a lot of change, so maybe I could take this time to work on my personal Anemoia project instead, so it’s kind of like taking a break.
You’re hopping from one medium to the other. Another thing that I do, piggybacking off of that is, move my creativity to other things. There are plenty of days that I’ll sit at my computer with literally just a blank Photoshop screen. Eight hours later it’s still white. It still says “untitled-1” and hasn’t even been saved. You’re like, “Okay, I’m calling the day. I’m clocking out.” And I’ve learned to be okay with that.
I used to not because it’s like, why can’t I make art? I’d get so frustrated. So now, I’m not going to force it.
I also try and do things like creatively so I play The Sims – I love games. I’m a big video gamer. The Sims, I love, because you can get really creative. I love the building aspect of it, you know, creating characters and outfits and stuff. That always keeps me creative or makes me feel like I’m still doing something creative, even if it’s not.
Man, I wish I had better tips for burnout. If anybody out there has tips for burnout, let me know.
[Laughs]
seradopa: What was a project you worked on that you were most proud of and why?
Brielle Bishop: Do I cheat and say the last one? Okay! I will say the last one! The last project that I did was the Eliminate Tour Merch.
Oh my goodness! That one was the scariest project I’ve ever done! His team is beautiful, lovely, phenomenal people. I had imposter syndrome the second that I got that email.
Oh, man.
They were like, “We need it by this Friday.” The sad part about this project though is that I didn’t procrastinate this time. Except I advertently did because it was an eight-hour blank Photoshop screen for three days. I was literally thinking, “I can’t come up with anything. Like, this kid’s not going to like it. I don’t know what to do!”
Hilariously enough too, because I am very familiar with him and his music, I had a bunch of the songs off the album on repeat, while working during the day. So, to get that email and it’s for this album, tears just ran down my face.
Then Thursday and Friday [came along] I stayed up for 48 hours, making up for the three days that I couldn’t get anything on paper. Finally, I got them all turned in and then I could breathe. I didn’t let myself give up. And I really wanted to. I was so close to emailing them back and saying, “I think you guys should go with another designer, I won’t meet your deadline,” but I couldn’t even do it. Most of the week, I was telling myself, “Hey, you can do this, stop letting your imposter syndrome win. They reached out to you, you are worthy of this. You know, worked your ass off, and you’ve built this up for yourself.”
Maybe one day, it’ll click with me, and the imposter syndrome will go away. But the music industry has a really, really funny way of consistently putting impostor syndrome right in front of your face.
That’s the first piece of my art that was made solely for a tour. I’ve always wanted to do tour merch. I have a lot of graphic design friends that are either in the music industry or you know, doing merch. For example, Doron makes incredible merch – he is a phenomenal designer.
Probably that one, or another cop-out answer, but I do a lot of graphic design work for my partner, Sora. He lets me have full creative freedom. By the time I met him, we did the first rebrand where he had more of a Y2K logo. We ran with that for Dawn and all that kind of stuff. And now we’re moving to something more edgier and Cyberpunk. He got tired of it pretty quickly [the Y2k era]. Then, I thought, why don’t we do [the redesign] together?
So we did!
These are the logos and visuals we designed together. The whole Summoning Era of that project, the “Rouge Machine” shirt, all of those we did together. That was the first time I had had a shirt sold at a festival! On day three of Summoning, his manager came up to me, sat me down on the couch, pulled out his phone, and showed me a screenshot. He basically showed me how many [shirts] sold during the festival and my jaw dropped. Everybody around me is jumping and screaming and I’m just crying. Like I’m telling you, I cry like a baby every time.
Those are also probably my favorite merch designs that I’ve made. The “Rouge Machine” shirt one and the Eliminate tour merch!
seradopa: I’m curious what your thoughts are on this. What do you find challenging about being a graphic designer in the music industry?
Brielle Bishop: Another long answer for this one too.
I would say the music industry can sometimes be challenging when working with clients, because there’s a lot of excitement from clients, but there is little to no direction. That’s my job to brand you and give you the direction. But sometimes creative freedom hurts a little, you know? Like, when there’s too much creative freedom. When you’re an upcoming artist, how would you know until you try it out? It’s definitely hard sometimes.
And another challenging thing that I can think of is the imposter syndrome part.
I have worked with people that I grew up listening to. It is such a weird, full-circle thing. The imposter syndrome thing, never gets old to me, either. I feel grateful and lucky to have had the clients that I have, and have met the people that I, never in a billion years, would face. To have them in front of me and tell me they love my art. I don’t think that that will ever get old. It. It feels really surreal.
Oh, and the last thing I can think of, that I know Electric Hawk did an amazing job of, is talking about being a woman in the industry. In the beginning, people weren’t taking me seriously. A big part of the music industry is networking. I would go to as many things as I could, and meet as many people as I could. I told people what I did, started capturing traction a little bit, and then I started going through message requests. I’ve had clients, for days talk to me about art, then basically told me that they never wanted art, and they just thought I was cute.
I’m flattered, I guess. But I want people to take me and my art, regardless of my appearance, seriously. I want to grow as a professional in this industry. For the first year, I felt like I was cycling around. It sucks, but at the same time, where I am now, versus how it was maybe three years ago. Again, one of those things that I would have never thought that within two or three years, I would have people like you, wanting to interview me and be taken seriously. I guess, you know, that means I did the damn thing or something like that.
[Laughs]
seradopa: You are doing the damn thing!
Brielle Bishop: We’re trying man! One day at a time!
seradopa: Well Brielle, you’re a pleasure to talk to! Thank you so much!
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