It goes without saying that the creative world is full of unsung heroes, all of whom hold vast amounts of stories and knowledge ready to share with the world.

That’s exactly why our Rebel of the Month series exists – to shine the spotlight on these creatives who make the world go round, give ‘em the chance to tell their stories, and inspire us all with their respective journeys.

For our fourth edition of the series, we’re taking a look at the world of writing and journalism to focus on Tyler Jenke. ✹ An Adelaide-born music-obsessive, Tyler is a freelance music journalist these days, with roles like the Editor of Rolling Stone Australia, a lecturer at Melbourne’s Box Hill Institute, and two spots on The Music Network’s 30 Under 30 list on the CV.

Who are you and what do you do?

As the heading up the top suggests, I’m Tyler Jenke – jokingly known to some as Tyler, The Content Creator. Though I’m based in Melbourne, I’m originally from Adelaide, which is where I fell in love with the world of music.

Over the years I’ve held a number of roles, but these days I’m a freelance music journalist, a Content Manager at Gig Life Pro, a lecturer at the Box Hill Institute, and an all ‘round music nerd.

But when you’re not challenging me with obscure music trivia (bring it on), you can also find me playing guitar in Dental Plan, or working on my own burgeoning solo project; Cheap Domestic.

How did you start your journey to where you are today?

I’ve always been a lover of music, and as a kid, I’d always dreamed of being involved in the creative industry. So naturally, when I finished high school, I embarked upon a career in finance, having been told to overlook my desires in favour of stability. After a couple of years of that, I figured life was too short, and I attempted to switch to a Bachelor of Music at Adelaide University.

Ultimately, I ended up in a Bachelor of Music Education, where I studied subjects such as Musicology and Ethnomusicology. A guest lecturer for the latter class assigned us a review writing assignment, and when he marked my submission, he suggested I look at writing as a full-time career.

I moved to Melbourne in 2015, and the following year, I began an internship at the publication Tone Deaf. The site was sold to the company now known as The Brag Media in early 2017, and I came onboard as a full-time writer, ultimately penning thousands of articles across the sites in their network.

By 2019, I’d become the News Editor for the company, and later that year, the company announced they were bringing Rolling Stone Australia back to local shores, and I took on the role of Editor – the youngest in the publication’s history.

In early 2022, I parted ways with the company and decided to head out on my own as a freelance journalist. Since then, it’s been an extremely exciting experience getting involved in so many different facets of the music industry, having so many varied roles, and ultimately just having the chance to try and make a difference through my writing.

I’m always open to any freelance opportunities (be it journalism, PR writing, copywriting, consulting, etc.), so don’t hesitate to hit me up if you want to make some magic happen!

What are you most proud of in your career?

Honestly, it’s so hard to pick one thing. On one hand, I could say that it’s been amazing to have interviewed so many iconic artists, and to get to know so many musicians I’ve admired on a personal, first-name basis, or I could even talk about how I had the hugely-appreciated chance to write the liner notes for one of my favourite bands’ albums. It’s been wild to see my name in print, to write cover stories for magazines, and to stand at a gig in a crowded arena knowing the vast majority of those in attendance have read my work.

But honestly, I think I’m most proud of being able to help artists. It’s such an amazing feeling to have artists seek out my writing skills for something they’re working on, or hoping to promote, and tell me they want my own words behind their work because they know I innately get what they’re trying to do. Hearing an artist I admire – whether they’re internationally famous, or just getting ready to go beyond their bedroom – tell me they’ve never had their work effectively put into words until I gave it a shot, that’s pretty special.

What's the biggest risk you've taken as a professional?

Undoubtedly, heading out as a freelance journalist. Though my hand was somewhat forced into making the decision, there’s nothing more daunting than leaving a world of security and consistency in favour of heading out into the unknown.

Would I find enough work to sustain myself? Would I be able to survive following such a career shift? It’s a terrifying prospect, but ultimately one that I needed to embrace with as much self-confidence as I could (despite near-endless bouts of impostor syndrome) in order to make things work.

Thankfully, it has since worked out, and I consider myself lucky that I can surround myself with some amazing like-minded individuals.

What inspires you to do what you do?

I’d love to say something hard-hitting and tell you that I’m inspired by some of the great music writers, like Greil Marcus, Robert Christgau, or Lester Bangs, but honestly, I’m inspired to do what I do because of the people I work with.

These days, I’m lucky enough to work with people I respect, I admire, and who I strive to be like. As a result, I end up working with musicians, artists, and creatives that fit that same brief. Being surrounded by people like this is a surefire way to inspire yourself to continuously aim high, and to never settle into a period of stagnation.

You’ve worn a lot of hats across your career, but is there any role that stands out as the most fulfilling?

Earlier, I touched on the moments that have filled me with pride, and I do admit that there’s a great sense of fulfilment in knowing I’ve been able to help artists have their stories told. First and foremost, I’m a journalist, but I’m not someone who was trained in the craft to operate with the motive of getting salacious quotes and airing dirty laundry.

I view my job as being a storyteller, telling the story that the artist wants to get out there, or telling a story you’ve never heard before. This more ethical practice has led to some amazing opportunities and opened up doors in the world of PR and lecturing as well.

And it’s that last point that I do want to underline in regards to fulfilment. I’ve been teaching Professional Content and Writing at the Box Hill Institute for a couple of years now, and that’s something I find wholly fulfilling.

To be able to share my own lived experiences and insights with students who are themselves going to be the artists, the creatives, and the vital lifeblood of the music industry, that’s incredibly special. I count myself very lucky to be around such people, and to be able to help provide some guidance on their journey.

What advice would you give yourself if you were starting out today?

There’s so much I would tell myself if I could, the vast majority of which has come through trial and error over many years:

Follow your desires; don’t let others dictate your path.
Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Be unapologetically you and embrace any of the associated weirdness. (I’ll drop a name and say Ben Lee taught me that!)
Don’t hesitate to surround yourself with people who share your vision. Isolated thinking can leave you very isolated.
Know your value, your worth, how much respect you deserve, and be prepared to stand up for yourself.
Keep your mental health in check. Failure to do so can be catastrophic.
Don’t be afraid to take risks: opportunities are limited, excuses aren’t.
Most importantly: Don’t sweat the petty things (and don’t pet the sweaty things).

Got any life hacks?

Know how to make a good playlist. I could talk for hours on this (connect with me via email and we can do just that), but a well-made playlist can make or break a gathering.

Bonus life hack: if said gathering will feature a musician who releases music, pop one of their songs into the playlist. It’s not only a great conversation starter, but loads of fun to watch them try and work out where they recognise the song from before the realisation dawns upon them.

You can get in touch with Tyler by shooting them a line at tyler.jenke@gmail.com.

Rebel of the Month: Tyler Jenke