Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Tyler.
Hi Zoe, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began my career in London’s West End performing in musicals such as Les Miserables, City of Angels, Fame, Smokey Joes Cafe, Joseph and his amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and many more. Whilst performing I was also a known vocal coach in London helping performers with technique for auditions and shows. Then I got my unexpected TV break in a show alongside Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, called How do you solve a problem like Maria, coaching and being asked to be a fellow judge on the first BBC TV reality show to find a leading lady for a musical. It was such a huge hit that we filmed another straight after called Any Dream Will Do. We actually got nominated for a BAFTA which was a huge acclaim for us. So that was the world I stayed in for the next 13 years, the world of a TV judge and voice expert. It changed everything for me and led on to many more TV shows like the UK version of The View ( ours was called Loose Women !) and a CBS show called The World’s Best alongside Ru Paul, Drew Barrymore and Faith Hill which was a lot of fun for me spending a month in LA.
I had dipped my toes into the world of the cruise industry a few times performing my own headline show so when I was asked to recommend a few really amazing singers for high end cruise ships it was an easy fix. A head of Entertainment for a cruise line said to me one day , you should be an agent….. I thought YES I SHOULD. That was 14 years ago now.
I then made the bold move of leaving my UK TV world behind and moved to Florida to bring my agency Zoë Tyler International over to the sunshine state.
I started with 5 amazing singer friends and now we have just under 100 top class performers from all over the world!
It took many years to compete with the other talent agencies, especially in America but I kept pushing and never gave up. We pride ourselves in being very selective with who we represent and now have a great reputation of our high end talent. We also book land venues and concerts worldwide.
It is a lot of hard work to look after a large amount of people but I am very proud of what we have achieved and of our product and our now solid reputation amongst the agency world.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It was slow to start then once word got out it grew really fast!
Having 2 years with no entertainment happening during Covid meant it was an no go until the world reopened. That was really hard on all our talent and I had to close my office. But when we did come back we grew more successful than we were before.
Giving up my Uk life was a huge gamble and sometimes I miss it, especially the TV judge life but I think I’m at an age where TV work gets tougher and so was glad I made the decision to expand my career into the agency world.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am most proud of being nominated for a BAFTA ( British Academy of Film and Television Arts) and also winning a National TV award in the UK and using those skills to bring my agency into the forefront of the industry ! I think because I am a vocal coach and performer my skills are much more practical and experienced based and less corporate to decide on the talent we sign which makes us a little different to other agencies. There is no better feeling for me than to watch talent grow and succeed.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I would identify exactly where you want to go in your career and ask yourself who inspires you? Who makes you feel confident and whose path you feel could be similar to yours. The people I admired and maybe even envied a little made me push myself and made my dreams a reality . I had pinned on my fridge in large writing …..face the fear and do it anyway ….for many years.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zoetylerinternational.com
- Instagram: @Zoetylerinternational
- Facebook: @Zoetylerinternational
- LinkedIn: Zoe Tyler International
