More Than Music: Beth Gatlin's Journey to Empowerment

In this episode of the Beyond Normal Podcast, we sit down with soul singer and creative force Beth Gatlin to explore her inspiring path from personal struggle to musical and community impact. Beth opens up about the life experiences that shaped her artistry and how embracing creativity helped her transform pain into purpose.

We also dig into how Beth is using her platform to spark change—through local performances, children’s books, and a nonprofit vision rooted in mental wellness and self-expression. Whether you’re a fellow creative or someone looking to reconnect with your own purpose, this episode offers a heartfelt reminder that our stories, when told honestly, can heal and uplift.

🎧 Tap in with Beth at bethgatlin.com and follow her journey @bethgatlinmusic across social media.

Thanks for tuning into the Beyond Normal Podcast!

Don’t forget to like and subscribe to stay updated on all our future episodes from Beyond Normal Media. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them in the comment section below—we love hearing from you!

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Transcript

Kenny: 0:39

Welcome, welcome everybody to another great episode of The Beyond Normal Podcast. I'm your host, Kenny Groom. We have a very special episode and guest, for those that have been following our journey. We have been, connecting, at an incredible coworking space by the name of Alchemy Coworking here in, in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. I've been meeting some incredible individuals, and so for this episode. I think this is a little bit different than where we normally typically go. where we're highlighting there's a, there's a, there's a primary focus just on business. Yeah. but I've been connecting with some incredible creatives. and I have today, Beth Gatlin, she is a, let me, lemme make sure I get this right. I want to make sure that I, I say this right'cause the, the bio is amazing. Beth is a soul singer who's, influenced by some really incredible, singers that we all grew up listening to. but she's doing some really amazing things in my local area. And, thinking about like how she can really build out her brand. You've got some focus on, the nonprofit space as well that we're definitely gonna touch on today. But without further ado, Beth, how are you doing today?

Beth: 1:53

I'm great. I'm happy to be here.

Kenny: 1:56

sounds good. I we're gonna, we're gonna dive right into, things obviously this, with this being an episode where we're focusing much more on your creative story. Can you let us know just a little bit about, Your background, like what, what, what drove you to be a, a creative and musician in this day and time?

Beth: 2:20

So it's really cool to be on here because, Previously I wouldn't have thought of being a musician as I own a business. So it feels really satisfying to be on a podcast like this, to talk about it that way. and what got me here, I've been asked this question a couple of times in the last week, and I like the answer I've been given is my life was just awful. My life was awful and full of cycles that I did not want to be in anymore. And I came to a position where I needed to change my life. And just allow everything to fall apart and rebuild. And I just was blessed enough to be in a position where I could choose anything I wanted to do within reason. that was, authentic to me. and a musician always called to me, I've always been a singer. I learned how to play guitar in 2021 and had been doing open mics and I found a little bit of success with that. So something in me just said I could start making some money from it. And I've went from there just making a little bit of money here and there to playing full-time now, two years. Two years in that. That is

Kenny: 3:31

amazing to hear because the, the. The normal thinking that when pe, when people hear of a musician is that they're broke. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Decision. There's money in it. Starving artists. And it's, it's, it's really interesting because there is a whole business around just music and like maximizing the dollars that come from it. And so maybe I, I think historically, the platforms that promote the music have. Probably stripped away a lot of that value before it gets to the musician. But it feels like we're in a time now where the musician has a little bit more power. Like how, how, how are you, how are you feeling about being a musician and being able to make your, make your, make your art while, while making sure you're getting, Compensated for it, if I, I can say that. Say it that way.

Beth: 4:27

Yeah. previously, like as I was growing up as a teenager to now, like in the last three years or so, what I thought about music was way different. I don't think we understood just how little the musician, gets from all of the big things that come their way. I, I just thought, if you're singing and performing locally. It has to be a hobby or a side hustle. and there was not, any direction, unless you went to places like Nashville and, sought that journey to become famous. It was go big or nothing. and I mean, am I making what I want to make right now? No. What I'm seeing are doors opening to places I didn't realize were there. it's not just about being a musician. Ah, it doesn't have to just be about being a musician. Like I can be a figure in the community and like I have a whole creative drawer full of ways to, to be of service in the community. And I just happened to get started with musicianship and that gives me. So many opportunities for like communities and, I go visit, what is it called? Hope Haven in Charlotte. I'm able to go and sing there and, not everything pays, but opens up more doors for more opportunities that do pay. So there's just a networking group, like Alchemy.

Kenny: 5:47

For sure. For sure. a shameless plug, there I'm not mad at it. I, I think it, what you're, what you're really speaking on is, The, the time we're in now. It used to be, like you said, you'd have to go to like a Nashville or like a New York to, to have, or like a la to have like the, what you, the end goal of like the glitz and the glamor. Yeah. it feels like now the technology and just where we're at now with music is really this like global community, right? Yeah. Like people can embrace your. Your music here locally and, where we're at. Right? Yeah. In the alchemy space. Yeah. Or they can connect with it, on the opposite side of the world. Yeah. And so that's amazing to, to see some of these, these shifts occur where in the past the artists didn't necessarily their music, I think the music was still traveling worldwide, but it was like the artist wasn't even aware of. How big their impact can be. Yeah. If that makes sense. Right. Like

Beth: 6:55

social media, set it up to where we can control our impact enough to feel empowered. And I mean, you never know if you're gonna go viral. You can buy some views and followers and things, but you can watch your impact grow and see what works and come at different angles. And have I went viral? No. Not by any means, but. I think what it is is that we feel like artists right now, at least I do, I feel passionate and hopeful and success feels obtainable. like reaching out to my community and growing in my community has empowered me to be able to see what I can do to branch out into our region, our state, like out of country even. And like you're saying, like. There's roads now to go, like you could go viral on TikTok and you don't have to go viral, but you can reach someone over in China, There's all kinds of places you can touch now. Without even going viral.

Kenny: 7:50

So yeah,

Beth: 7:51

lots of doors. Lots of doors that I'd never thought about.

Kenny: 7:54

That's interesting. So now that you're, there's some parallels there as you were just talking, that I want to touch on first around. The business owners, I think now in terms of like their brand and like promoting what they're doing, they're having the same struggle. Like it is almost like everybody has that experience now that a artist has, where it's like, how do I maximize and ensure the most people are hearing what'em created? Yeah. Business owners now, whether they have a, a business on Main Street. they, they own a bar, they own a restaurant, or they own something in tech. Like that's something that is a big challenge for folks now. Like, how do I, how do I use my megaphone Right? To, to let the world know like what I'm doing. Yeah. And so I think people, hearing artists such as yourselves, like explaining it that way is really relatable. Now, even for someone like myself or a lot of the people at our community here at Alchemy, where they're business owners. But they're still having to overcome the same things you are as a a, an up and coming artist.

Beth: 9:04

Yeah, yeah, for sure. Yeah. I think, I think as, I think an artist. Is a business owner and a business order. Ah, a business owner is essentially an artist. Like we're all creatives and it's all coming from that place inside of us that gives us the visions and the desires and, is the driving force. I think we all have that. We, whether you call it passion or like a gut intuition, spiritual, whatever it is, is guiding us. I think we all, find that common source within us. and I think especially right now. As a business owner or as an artist, there's a real heavy call for authenticity. Oh yeah. Because we can tell the difference now that we have all of this access with TikTok and Instagram and people are really loving it. And paying attention to it. We can tell when it's fake. We can tell when something's off, even if we can't put words to it. Something's off, within, like we can just feel the lack of authenticity and with authenticity comes like this beautiful way to sort of. Show the best parts of ourselves, but it's still truthful. and it's almost like empowering in a way, like on your own personal journey, everything just comes together and it lets you be you. And there hasn't been another time that I know of that, that's been possible, like on the internet. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

Kenny: 10:26

So you, you, you threw a word out there, which was that, that stood out to me was, authentic. and that's a very powerful word. And you, you touched on this earlier, as well, where you were speaking to just your life experiences, what it was. and it seems like that is a common thread for musicians, right? To take something that's an, could be an uncomfortable, experience in life, some of the pain that you've experienced, and then make it into something that's authentic. That's relatable to people. Yeah. So can you talk about a little bit about, if you don't mind some of the experiences in your life that you may be drawn for inspiration now? Yeah, for sure. Right. Even if there, at the time it may have not necessarily been something, you thought the best of that experience itself, but now. It's allowing you to make incredible music.

Beth: 11:24

Yeah. Plenty of things. so I recently published, a little ebook called Glow Up Girl, your Guide to Authenticity. So I'll, I'll just go back to some things I wrote in there. it's a short, like 15, 20 minute read, but in it, you get my story, the gist of it. the real like heavy hitters of my life. and I talk about. in the smer of 2018 where I was just overcome with mental health crisis, just depression really took over everything. I was working as a manager. I was a mom to two. I was in a very toxic relationship and just everything crbled and essentially I said, bye, I gotta go figure this out, or I'm gonna kill myself. I mean, I hadn't told anybody anything at that point, it was the first time anybody knew something was really wrong, and so. I end up getting on drugs. I go on this drug binge for a while. and I just thought I was meant to die. Like just depression really had its grip on me. And there's years of different up and down traas and li little and big traas and, things that could explain it. But we all have our baggage, right? Well, the baggage just got too much. and in that is where I just, right as right as I felt like I was. At rock bottom and like the grave was just being dug. I just found something with inside of myself. It was just the first time I was able to turn things around and say like, oh, I am worthy of a different life. I don't have to stay stuck. And so as soon as I turned around and started seeing the light and whatever situation came, I was homeless. I was. I was essentially a drug addict, hadn't been arrested or anything. but I was on my way to either dying or getting arrested'cause I was making poor choices. It was just, I could turn my head and see the positive side of where I could go for the first time. So I was able to say no. I was able to ask for help, from the right people that could give me the, the, the little start that I needed and. From day one of that journey, I started writing songs. Mm. And I didn't know how to play guitar. I didn't know, any, I had no dreams that I would allow myself to ponder on when it came to music. But from day one, I started writing songs. And then I had a lot of growing to do at that point, coming off drugs and understanding how to take care of myself mentally. And from 2018 to 2021. I was continuing to kind of, lean on the songwriting here and there when it would come. And it's funny because as soon as I said I'm gonna really pay attention to this gift, everything changed that same year when I decided that creativity, deserves a little attention. And it was really just a cope. As soon as I did that, everything changed. I was able to get out of the toxic relationship. It's like something clicked in my mind. When I decided to do something authentic to me that was, from that creative place that a lot of people probably won't ignore because there's way more important things, right? But as soon as I said yes to that, it's like something clicked inside of me and showed me the way out and to what I was. Feeling called to do, which essentially was music.

Kenny: 14:44

Mm.

Beth: 14:44

Yeah. And those songs, I still sing some of those songs that I wrote before I could even play guitar. I have recorded and released. That's

Kenny: 14:53

awesome. Yeah. That's awesome taking that experience there. And I appreciate you, being vulnerable with us, and sharing that part of your life and, and what, how you were able to make it into what you're doing now. Yeah. I'm curious. With the writing the book, like what, how does that process compare for you to writing music?

Beth: 15:18

There's like a very similar feeling. I'm a feeling person more than I'm a words person, and so hopefully I can convey what I really feel. and essentially it just like flows out of me. I'm a little bit hippie, a little bit wooo and a lot spiritual and it just feels like a God thing, honestly. Like it just comes through me.'cause, like I can thank thoughts, especially knowing my anxiety and how that attacks my thoughts and gives me all of these negative, ideas. There's a difference in when those thought come than when something comes from like, my gut or my intuition or the creative flow. and it all comes from that place. And like sometimes I can be intentional and sit down and be like, all right, let's do this. And, I'm partnering with that creative flow. and then other times it just hits me. I'll wake up and have something and I can ride it out right away, or I'll be in the car and I can just put it on my phone. Mm. but it's just about paying attention, like. I think from hearing other people talk. What do you think, you're a business owner. Do you feel the difference in your head and those thoughts and then that creative flow? Is there a difference for you or is that just me?

Kenny: 16:32

I definitely am probably much more along. I'm one of those people where. Hit. When it hits me, I want to do it, then I want to like get it out. Yeah. Because I have so many ideas and so I'll forget an idea if I don't really like explore it enough because I haven't put the time and the energy into it, and so that's my thinking. Whereas like if I have something. In that moment and it, and it's like calling me to explore it more and I don't explore it. That meant that it wasn't, it just wasn't meant to be. Yeah. And I'm okay with losing that thought, but if it's something where it's like, I'm gonna drop what I'm doing right now, and this thought in my head, I need to actually flesh it out. I need to write it out. I need to go to my computer and take some notes on it. Yeah. That's like the best feeling for me. Yeah. Getting it out. And at least like. going through the process of acknowledging it, like it may end up being where you, you, you kind of write these things down and then you're like, nah, it's, it, it wasn't what I thought it was. Yeah. But at least I, for me, when I, when I go through that process and dissect it and just like, write out what, what this thought is, why I'm feel, why it's in, why it's bubbling up for me, what does it make me feel like that going through that process is what? That's the exciting part for me. That's what gives me energy.

Beth: 18:01

Okay. Yeah, I mean, that definitely resonates for sure. It is a, it's a rush.

Kenny: 18:06

Yeah. The rush of it. Yeah, the rush of it. and thinking along the lines of like the podcasting, like this has been something where it kind of keeps, like I have a conversation with somebody incredible like you, and then it like. It feeds more thoughts for me. Yeah. It's like food for thought. Yeah. And then, so this conversation here is definitely when I listen, listen back on it, it's gonna like spark some even more ideas for me. And so it's like this ever-growing tree. I love it. Yeah. Like for podcasting specifically for me, this is one of those areas where it does that for me. I'm not sure what every, everybody like, to your point, everybody who's creative probably has. That specific thing that does that for them.

Beth: 18:53

Yeah. Like inspired action. Yeah. Inspired action. Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. So that's

Kenny: 18:58

the, I'm, I'm happy that I found this, like when I found it right. Yeah. because I'm not sure the other activities I have, I have had in my life, or the ones I even currently have would, would give me. That type of food for thought feeling. Yeah.

Beth: 19:16

Yeah. So as far as creatively goes, is it just podcasting or do you have, like say content creation, does that give you that same, do you get that inspired action from that, or is it more work?

Kenny: 19:29

So for me it's, it's become more about like storytelling. So we're having this dialogue, this back and forth, we're crafting this story. And so that's where I think that can be applied to areas. That's why I asked you about writing the book, like I'm interested in that, but that's not my forte sitting down and like actually sitting, sitting there and like going through chapter by chapter, writing it out and structuring it. I'm more the person like. Let me sit here and have this amazing conversation and I know at the end of it, it is gonna be great. Yeah, that makes sense. So, what I mean, like, so it's, it is just one of those things where I think now there's much more focus on like the stories that people are telling. Then that allows people to be creative in their own ways. Yeah, for sure. Like no matter your creative element, you're trying to tell a story at the end of the day. Yeah,

Beth: 20:24

definitely. Like all of the people I've met through, the networking groups and stuff, I wanna know all of their stories No matter what business they're in. So Yeah, definitely onto something for sure. And then they

Kenny: 20:34

tell you, like, they tell you a, a moment, like when you tell me, something about your career or just like your life in general. Then I'll start to be like, well, where, where was that in the, in the arc of, of Beth? Yeah. Like tell me like where in the story this was, what did, what did it do for you? What did it feel for you? Right. Like your life is really a movie. Like our lives are really movies, I think. Yeah.

Beth: 20:58

I, I definitely live that way. I, I definitely do. I'm not dramatic, I don't think. Maybe my family would say I am, but I don't mean, I don't mean I'm dramatic, but in my head I just want to romanticize everything and I want to feel everything. And sometimes I have to like force. the feelings not force, but create the feelings. if I let the world create the feelings, they ain't always fun. Yeah, for sure. So I, I think I tend to live in a movie inside of my head. I romanticize everything I possibly can. And if it's hard, I probably am a little dramatic on the inside. And then I go and be dramatic alone.

Kenny: 21:36

Let

Beth: 21:36

the hard pass for a little bit in my long time and then go back.

Kenny: 21:41

So let's talk a little bit about, you touched on it earlier about the. You just said a word romanticizing, and you touched on like dreaming. Earlier a little bit. So I'm curious like what, like you spent that, that time in that period in your life, 2018, like you have some thoughts, you have some dreams, and now you're, you're manifesting those. I'm curious, like what are you dreaming about now in terms of, where you'll be in the future? I'm

Beth: 22:08

so excited to answer. I'm dreaming. There's some details for sure that I would love to happen, but I think now I'm about to turn 34 in May, and one thing that I've learned is it doesn't have to be my way. I don't care if things happen the way that I envision them.

Kenny: 22:29

I

Beth: 22:29

just have a vision because I gotta at least have a direction to go. Right. So right now what I'm dreaming of is not a detail, but I just want to feel. I'm flying. I'm seeing some beautiful things and I'm experiencing like higher parts of success. if it's singing for thousands of people, amazing if it's doing what I'm doing, but it's just being able to fund my life even better.'cause I love my life right now. I love working like locally and regionally and just building this beautiful community I get to see every week. It's amazing. so if I lived like this and I could just fund everything I need to fund, I'm great. But I wouldn't mind traveling the world and incorporating more books. I wouldn't mind speaking, specifically on my story to like large rooms full of people. I think if I could do anything differently right now. It would be be more intentional on sharing my story through my music and having, the light on all of me. Not just having to separate it. Sometimes I get to talk and that's great and I don't wanna force those opportunities just yet. I'm working on some ideas, maybe that'll help that. But I have this like show inside my mind that I'm hoping to create where I'm singing and sharing, and there's. Inspiration and lessons to learn, but I feel like, emotionally there's something beautiful and powerful about feeling someone else's healing. And I have like a whole full circle thing to offer and maybe someone else can experience that. And whether it gives them hope or maybe, truly helps them heal in that moment, whatever, I think there's some powerful things in sharing that side. So I'm looking to share that a little bit more.

Kenny: 24:20

Mm. I like that. Yeah, I like that. There's a quote, I can't remember. Was it, I think he said, I think it was like, it was like Quincy Jones said something where it's like, like when all this is like said like when everything's done, all of like, han history has kind of been written, like the thing that'll like be here at the end is like music. Yeah. I was like, that's. That's a really powerful way to think of like the medi itself. Like what music is, is, is doing like, like you said, you can put your stories in music. And they can last for, I mean, it's pretty much gonna last forever at this point. Right, right. Like in, in terms of the, the frequencies and all the stuff that, that music does. Like it really does outlast our lives. Like that's incredible. Yeah. That's an incredible way to think about it. Yeah. So, I wanted to, pivot a little bit and let's talk about, with the life that you live, you do still have some focus, or you have, you, you want to build out, a nonprofit focus of what you're doing. You want to talk a little bit about, What you're doing with that and and where it fits within the brand of Beth.

Beth: 25:40

Yeah, for sure. So what I aim to share about my life is how creativity is essential. And I think if we as a community were more proactive with certain things like creativity, it would. It would just shift, whether mental health, emotional, like there's a lot of things to heal from right now or to to work out in our nervous system, just the climate of our society is a little high strung, right? So I feel like music, art in general, helps your nervous system. It helps be proactive with your mental health. So what I'm aiming to do is do more events, for the community and. I feel like just singing in general and being in that sort of connection, brings an impact. So that's one general way that I'm already doing it. Of course. And then what I'm aiming to do is build these programs in schools. I've already taken my children's book, which was published last year. I want to be Wild. I'll go and read that to elementary school. It's good for like four to seven year olds. and I then I have a song I sing and it's all, it's talking about how to be wild, but there's like an acronym and it teaches them essentially to be self-aware and how to be positive about their. Trying new things. Mm. Love it. And getting in touch with that creativity inside of them. So I wanna have that program be able to grow and go to more and more schools. And then I want to establish, an open mic sort of event, for lack of a better way to put it, for middle schools and high schools. Mm. Like do a pep rally and give these people, like, give the children like a way to experience a musician. And like a connection with what it's like to perform in a new way. Because I know in school, for me, it seemed like, you had to be in band, you had to be a nerd. I was a nerd. I chose to be the nerd then, but it was like, nerdy to be involved with music, you had the musical theater, stuff like that. And I just want to be able to show another side and offer, positive. Impact where, you essentially have the starving artist or the, the alcoholics and the drug addicts get, get a lot of flack, musicians get a lot of flack for that'cause you're in a bar a lot and stuff like that. And for me, I've even gotten side eyed by people who have that. And for me, I've, just that idea about an artist because I represent things like that. So like you're involved. things like that. But there's a different side. It's a business and we have something to offer and I just wanna show that side to children. It's a business and we have some else to give them that creative outlet. Could be give experiences for. Connection, creativity, and inspire.

Kenny: 28:36

I love that. shout out to the, like you mentioned, like the band geeks. Yes. I played clarinet. Yeah, I played clarinet. I played trpet from like, I played clarinet years, I think growing up Nice. And that definitely like

Beth: 28:47

high school steel to. To this stage 20 years later are in my life making huge impact.

Kenny: 28:57

Mm. Shout out. Remember to the Underwood, remember? I do remember my music teachers.

Beth: 29:01

Yeah,

Kenny: 29:02

for sure.

Beth: 29:02

I mean, they're still doing stuff in the community retired.

Kenny: 29:06

I bet. Yeah, I bet. I bet that's how,

Beth: 29:07

but that's how the people in music are passionate. People are like, there's some hurt people, and I hope that I get to help some of those hurting people, but there's hurt people everywhere and it's not musicians and it's not artists. So like there's just people in music are special and we're real passionate and we're going to keep going. Got it. Yeah.

Kenny: 29:27

So, in closing, I want to thank you for coming on the platform. I don't normally have the opportunity to interview just straight out creatives and musicians, and so you're, I appreciate you coming on our platform. This has definitely been insightful for me, and I think our, our audience will, they'll be able to. Really translate, like you said, like we, we all have a story to tell, like at the end of the day and how you own it. Like there is no wrong way besides just owning it. Yeah. And I appreciate you. I feel like that was a common theme in the examples that you've given us on this conversation. But in closing, I want to pass it to you. two things. How can listeners tap in? What's the best way to tap in with your brand and all the things you're doing, and then that. That closing thought that you want our listeners to lead this conversation with?

Beth: 30:21

Okay. So you can find me on beth gatlin.com. You can find me on all social media platforms under Beth Gatlin, music, G-A-T-L-I-N. Nobody ever knows how to spell Gatlin. let's see. Last thought. Well first off, thank you for having me, like super honored to be, on this podcast. And if I have one last thought I would say. if you feel like there's something calling you creatively, don't just think of it as, something to put on the sideburn. Like just a, you can't put it as a priority. Like there's something calling you, there's a reason even just to write it out. There's a reason. Get it out of you. I heard Brene Brown. Speaking today, and that's what I'll leave you with. She said creativity, lift un. Unfinished left un, what's the word? If you don't pay attention to it, it's not benign like it will metastasize. How do you say that? Metastasize.

Kenny: 31:23

Oh, I think I know what you're saying. And it'll

Beth: 31:24

manifest as, depression, anxiety. It is gonna be something negative. whereas all you gotta do is pay a little bit of attention and it's got something for you. Just pay a little bit of attention. I believe in it. I believe in you. Whoever you are, I think this is worth paying attention to.

Kenny: 31:41

Either way it grows. Yeah. You determine which way it grows. Yeah. I love that. Well, thank you for leaving us on that, that that thought, food for good, food for thought for our listeners to close out with and for those that have been tuning in, thanks for tuning into another great episode of the Beyond Normal Podcast. Thank you.