According to my mom, I didn’t really talk much until the age of 3. As a kid, “holding a conversation” was one of life’s great mysteries.
Today, I interview strangers for a living.
The secret? Magic.
That’s not a joke. Since the age of 8, I've always practiced sleight of hand in my spare time. Card tricks were my go-to conversation starter as a kid, until I was informed that most people don’t start them that way. My first part-time gig in high school was working as a magician for a BBQ restaurant in Austin, Texas, where I was raised. Funny enough, constantly performing for (and often being rejected by) patrons waiting in line gave me a first-class education in getting people to talk to you.
My first experience with journalism happened when I was
15, when I spent a day shadowing radio host David Brown. Even then, my interests bounced around for a while. It wasn't until an apprenticeship with YouTuber and magician Brian Brushwood that I knew my calling was working in media.
After graduating high school and enrolling at the University of Texas, I initially wanted to apply to the film program. Afraid I'd get rejected, I chose a major in journalism. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
It wasn't easy, and for a minute, I wasn't sure if I was cut out for it. A class I took in junior year with TV anchor-turned-professor Kate West changed that mindset completely. Her mentorship helped me understand that video-centric journalism, backed by reliable reporting, was where I shined most.
Now for the boring resume part: My previous experience includes working at Texas Standard (the statewide NPR station), KXAN's Investigates team, and Austin PBS. In the student media scene, I really cut my teeth at two outlets: The Daily Texan and Texas Student Television; at the latter, I spent my last semester serving as its digital media producer.
I graduated from college in May. Two months and a job at a taco joint later, I was hired by The Tennessean.
Throughout my teens, I'd visit my dad in Nashville often. So obviously, I'm over the moon that I not only get to join this city's incredible community, but also serve it directly through my reporting.
If you live here and think there's a story that needs telling, you can send me a message on Instagram at @elijah_reports or an email at ecarll@gannett.com. I'll always take the time to look into it.
Abracadabra, y'all, and I hope to meet you soon.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet Elijah Carll, your friendly neighborhood breaking news reporter
