Creativity: McKenzie’s Story

As we go through our twenty-somethings, it’s important for us to explore our creative side. If you haven’t checked out the first blog post in this series, check out Twenty-Something Survival Guide Part 1 for a few tips on surviving your twenties.

This week’s Twenty-Something Survival Guide features McKenzie Jones, an all-around creative. She writes poetry, she sings and writes her own music might I add, and she paints! Talented is an understatement for this amazing young woman. Check out her interview below.

What inspired you to start your YouTube channel?

McKenzie: “I started my YouTube channel to steer my mindset in a better direction. I was stuck in a lifestyle of low self-belief and cycles of depression and I was inspired to use creativity to fight my way out of that mindset. So I named the channel ‘Mckenzie blaze’. My real name is Mckenzie Jones but ‘Blaze’ was an instruction to myself to not be blown out by fear and anxiety, to quit worrying myself in to a mess of negativity- that whilst fear is present it must be the driving force propelling me forward opposed to the burden weighing me down.

I am not thrown in to the fire. I have the power to be the fire. To burn through fears, lies and everything blocking my path…to let my life and influence never be stamped out.

As of now, my channel is very quiet as I needed a year to build myself back up, after some events in my life really knocked me back. Many of my videos are currently on private. But a bigger season of bigger creativity is coming for my channel very soon…with the release of my first EP, a business and all my old videos will be off private and so much much more. The silent period has aligned me with God and my gifts in such a powerful way. It has been very purposed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBHUJ4d1zsQ

What things are you currently working on?

McKenzie: I’m currently working on my first music/ spoken word EP. It features 7 songs + spoken word poetry and a few extra items to be streamed across all platforms. Produced by @Essiebmusic and featuring @Christianjones_music and some other incredible musicians.

I also paint so I’m currently completing my first professional art website. It features all my hand painted artwork. I see my art as an extension of my music/poetry performances as it all reflects the same powerful messages. One of my greatest passions is children. So I’ve combined my love for writing and art and have been illustrating and completing my first children’s book collection- featuring poetry and positive affirmations for little ones. They look awesome so I can’t wait to share them. They will introduce the launch of my own business called ‘Braver beginnings’.

I am really looking forward to your upcoming EP. How did your EP come about?

McKenzie: Over the course of 2019, I was experiencing floods of new song ideas and new poetry. I knew I had to share them on a larger scale so I prayed over the vision for an EP….and I’m basically just watching an idea come to fruition everyday. Everyday I’m watching the way that God took pain in my life and birthed so much purpose from it.

Putting your personal work out there can be scary. How did you handle fear and have you ever gone back and deleted a video? 

McKenzie: It’s terrifying for me because what I do is rarely performance. It’s always a genuine and transparent outpour of my mind and life. So..it’s a lot. Especially because my nature is timidity and hiding. So God is literally pulling me from my comfort zones every day. Again, I watch the way God likes to take very unlikely candidates and turn their battles into beauty…fear into boldness. I grow in courage daily. I remove videos all the time because if I don’t like something, I’d rather just keep it to myself. I always remind myself that it’s not everything I have..that is for public viewing.

So I delete, retreat and share as I please. Yet still, when God wants me to share to something. My spirit can’t rest. He’s on my case to at all times….reminding me,

“You are the light of the world.. A city on a hill cannot be hidden” – Matthew 5:14

We are lights. That power can’t go unused.

What is the editing process like for you?

McKenzie: It’s always time-consuming to edit. I edit on my MacBook using whichever editing software, (Imovie or Final Cut Pro.) Hours and hours can go in to creating one short video or one painting time lapse. So finding the balance between work-life and creativity is hard.. as I work long shifts. Hence, why I aspire to collaborate with some editing professionals and videographers after lockdown. My return to my channel has to be nothing short of incredibly beautiful.

How do you choose a topic to write about?

McKenzie: My poetry and singing videos are never something I sit and think about creating. I never think about what topic to do. The pieces normally flow from an event that happened in my life. So choosing a topic just never happens. Most of the songs and poems were written when I’m in my feelings. Often, when I’m in tears. So I normally start to create a video, when God urges me to share what I made..but that can be weeks after creating it.

During lockdown, my camera and laptop has been broken…so I’ve been using just my phone and a mic and I edit on my phone and share on instagram. This has actually encouraged me to realise that without all the fancy devices…with just my phone and my gifts. I am enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83uc3Hq2Ono

 

What advice do you have for a young person interested in exploring the creative space?

McKenzie: Do it. Be as creative as possible. Our approaches to life are either to build, destruct or stay stagnant. Creativity is a beautiful way to stay rising and aspiring in life. My worst use of imagination is anxiety. That was my destruction but in exploring a creative space. You are choosing life. And to anyone who discourages you or wants to knock you down a few pegs. Keep irritating them by continuing to rise, create and build yourself up. And remember, you don’t need a big Instagram following or a massive YouTube or fancy devices to create. You are enough in your simplicity. You can be operating on a low level and impacting lives in ways you can’t imagine. Impact and numbers don’t go hand in hand.

What’s your top tip for surviving your twenties?

McKenzie: Survive it on your knees. Direction and focus is so vital to steering your life on a path that the future you would be proud of. So seeking God diligently is a lifeline to surviving youth. Anchor your mind in a power that is higher than yours.

“My ways are higher than your ways. My thoughts higher than your thoughts”

-Isaiah 55:8-9

I believe this is the source of all joy and perseverance. It is immovable faith in God. Faith is how you’ll find yourself surviving things that the devil set out for your destruction.

Choose Joy. Overthinking every move can be lethal to the mind. Free yourself by letting go of the desire for everything to fall in to place in your own timing. We are all just winging life and searching for solid ground. Joy is allowing yourself to pause and breathe and be present in your youth. Forget about the silly timelines and expectations for your twenties.

---

I hope McKenzie’s story inspired you to go out and CREATE! If you felt inspired by this blog, share it with a friend.

To follow McKenzie’s creative journey, follow her on Instagram @mckenzie_blaze and subscribe to her YouTube Channel McKenzie Blaze.

What was your favourite quote from McKenzie?

Let me know in the comments!