Many of us have goals and dreams regarding our favourite artists, we support them in our ways, and those go onto creative endeavours. Once again the power of the fangirl prevails, and her insight led to her working with the iconic Janet Jackson. Aimee has the perfect outlook on the word “fan”, aware it is loaded with connotations, as she says, “Even the word ‘fan’ can feel a little loaded since it’s short for ‘fanatic’.” But her passion was embedded in her creativity. Of course today many can be involved on social media, but that can always be a blurred path between attention and genuine love for the craft.
I speak to Aimee (Bruckner) Stevland, an illustrator who, as a fan in the 90s, led the way in fandom 101. Before social media, magazines, fan clubs, and MTV were our gateway into discovering artists and meeting our people. It was her love for Janet Jackson and being able to create illustrations for the star’s album that helped launch her successful career. While failed attempts could make many stops, if anything, they fuelled her love for design. Merch today has hits and misses, and it becomes part of the fandom uniform. Sending a message to others about their love for said artist as well as the stamp of “I was there.” Aimee is truly inspiration and proof if you stick to what you know and, importantly, believe that your goals truly can come a reality.
Like many, most of our creative tendencies can be traced back to our childhood. Yours was sparked thanks to the album covers in your father’s collection. Was there a specific album cover that captured your attention and imagination?
Aimee: There are probably too many to name. Some stood out for the illustrations, others for the photography, and some just because the use of type was unique or clever.
I remember one cover called Super Hits Vol. 2. It was kind of like those “Now That’s What I Call Music” collections we have today. It was a collage of cartoonish little drawings, each one representing one of the hit songs of the day. Another really great one I found a bit later was Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, featuring an incredible painting by Ernie Barnes called the “Sugar Shack”.
When it comes to design, have you always seen yourself within the music industry, or did you play with other areas first?
Aimee: Early on, I saw the music industry as a place where the “commercial art” I was learning about in school was really happening through album covers and merchandise catalogues. But growing up in Michigan, I wasn’t sure how to break into that world, so I started out learning and building my career in the local printing industry.
Merchandise can play a vital role between artists and fans. In your view, how important is the way merchandise should look or be viewed? Merch is a way to express particular support for that artist, and people find community through wearing or displaying it.
Aimee: I’ve always loved how music t-shirts quietly telegraph so much about someone’s taste and how they can create connections, sometimes without a single word. These days, fashion trends have blurred that signal a bit, but a cool T-shirt design still makes for a great conversation starter.
And with some huge shows that are really difficult to get tickets to, like a BTS, Beyoncé or Taylor Swift show, a shirt becomes almost like a badge of honour. That shirt says, “I was there! ” And that’s pretty rare and special.
I have noticed that merch design lately leans toward simpler, photo-in-a-box styles that are quick to produce and bring in fast revenue. Which I understand to a degree, given how much the music business has shifted. But when you can’t distinguish the official tee from a cheap Etsy bootleg, I can’t help but hope we’ll see more artists push to give their fans more distinctive, imaginative designs again. Those are the ones that become the future “vintage tees” people will treasure.
The term ‘fangirls’ is a word many creatives face at some point. But your story to me is incredibly inspirational. As a fan of Janet Jackson, you actually worked alongside her. Considering your art was originally influenced by her, that must have been the most surreal full-circle moment. What lessons from that did you feel have helped shape how you approach making designs today?
Aimee: Yeah, even the word “fan” can feel a little loaded since it’s short for “fanatic”. As much as I admired Janet and her music, I always felt more like a friend or supporter rather than someone staking out hotels or chasing autographs. I think that came through in how I connected with her and her team during the early online fan club days.
I enjoyed Janet’s work so much that my drawings became a way of sharing that appreciation with other fans and giving something back I hoped she’d enjoy. And to my great surprise, she did.
When I was asked to create a concept drawing for The Velvet Rope album cover, I couldn’t believe it. I was just a teenager from the Midwest, but they saw something in my drawings and gave me a chance to shine. In the end, I was a little too green to pull off the concept I had in my head, so they went in another direction. And I can’t imagine that iconic album cover any other way!
At first, it was pretty mortifying to fail right in front of your favourite artist, but looking back, it was also such a valuable experience. Not many people get a masterclass like that early on in their career. Janet’s initial belief in me gave me a boost of confidence, and the failure provided the push to develop my skills and look closely for the bits of knowledge gained behind every setback.
MTV later reached out to you to help create animations for Janet’s biography BIOrhythm. What was it about Janet Jackson in particular that made you want to create art around her? When it came to working on a project focused on your favourite musician, did you find it easier, or was there a layer of pressure for that very reason?
Aimee: In the ’90s, Janet was one of the biggest stars on the planet, but as a teenage music fan, I noticed there wasn’t a lot of positive, creative representation of successful Black artists like her in mainstream media. I’d also read that, as a kid, Janet used to watch her brothers’ Jackson 5 cartoon show to feel close to them while they were on the road. That stuck with me because I also loved cartoons, and I started wondering, what if Janet had her own cartoon world too? These ideas became the spark for the first “Janetoons”.
After the failed album cover attempt, I did feel a little pressure to redeem myself. Even though my animations appeared on screen for just a few seconds, I worked very hard to get them right and bring my favourite artist to life as a cartoon! It was fun, but also a lot of hard work in a short amount of time.
There’s the old saying: don’t meet your idols. But having worked with her and for those hoping to perhaps one day be in the same position with their own idols. What advice do you have to approach those goals to make them come true?
Aimee: I think the first thing is to be honest about your motives. Social media can really blur that line and make people do all kinds of dumb things for attention. When I worked on those projects, social media didn’t exist. Even so, I didn’t tell anyone outside my close family for many years. Some might think that was stupid, but for me, it was about protecting and respecting that connection, not using Janet’s good name to boost my own. My goal was always to support her work and to learn from her creativity.
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to meet and collaborate with so many amazing people from her creative circle, and those relationships mean way more to me than a few minutes of online attention. Maybe what it comes down to is knowing your values and sticking to them.
The long-standing debate continues about whether being a fan and an industry professional can coexist. Your career is proof that it can be done and also deliver great results thanks in part to you knowing the artist and their world in a way those on the outside might not. How has your perspective as a fan helped shape the work you create?
Aimee: Things are so different now, but being part of an online fan community for years gave me a lot of insight. Not just Janet’s fan base, but music fans in general, which I brought to a lot of my merch design work.
There were also times I’d be at a concert and observe the merch stand instead of the stage for a while, just to see how people reacted (or didn’t) and what could make the products or experience better. I’ve always felt that if you focus on creating something fans genuinely connect with, the money will follow naturally. I think the artists feel this way too, but the tricky part is often getting that idea past the gatekeepers.
Why do you think people are hesitant to understand the power of fandom and why it is a key asset within the industry?
Aimee: I think some in the industry hesitate to embrace fandom because it’s unpredictable and can’t really be controlled like a typical corporate brand. It’s a delicate balance. Social media definitely fuels a lot of clout-chasing, but true fandom at its core is rooted in love, identity, and community. So when fans are treated like cattle or ATMs instead of valued partners and supporters, artists can diminish the very people who are doing passionate, word‑of‑mouth marketing for them, usually for free. And just as quickly as fans will sing your praises, they can be just as loud in calling out a bad experience.
In today’s digital era, where social media reigns supreme, do you think this has helped fandoms be able to share their art and create opportunities? Or do you think the MTV era was a simpler time, more focused on the product and not fast trends?
Aimee: The opportunities are still there, but now there is just way more noise to break through. It’s important that people support the artists they love for the fun of it and are not attached to any particular outcome. The artist doesn’t owe you anything personally. Also, remember that what you focus on grows, so be sure to support and join forces with others who are doing cool creative work, and tune out the haters and trolls who just steal your energy.
Every creative goes through periods of either writing block or facing some form of burnout. Have there been moments when that has struck you or you’ve had to face challenges? If so, how did you overcome that?
Aimee: Sure, I’ve definitely had periods where I’ve been less inspired, or life just gets in the way and I don’t get to create as much as I’d like. That’s okay; you don’t have to churn out content non-stop. You also need time to recharge and take care of yourself.
I learnt that one the hard way at the height of my career, when I developed a neurological movement disorder called focal dystonia. It caused my drawing hand to curl inward, preventing any fine motor control needed for drawing and nearly ended my career. I had to basically start all over. It wasn’t easy, but it turned into a rare chance to approach things fresh as a beginner, seeing both my work and life in a whole new light.
You’ve worked with high-profile clients such as MTV, Usher and Mariah Carey. When you look back at your younger self and the goals you had then, how does it feel to see what you’ve achieved? And what advice would you give to those who are creative and might feel at a crossroads when it comes to aiming high?
Aimee: To be honest, those goals never would have crossed my mind if it weren’t for Janet’s early encouragement. I’m grateful to have worked with a variety of incredible artists, and hopefully, I served their fans well.
Something I keep coming back to over the years is that creativity doesn’t wait for perfect conditions, so just know that sometimes opportunities unfold differently than you might expect. You might be super focused on one particular outcome way over there when another opportunity might be right under your nose. Stay open to all possibilities.
Your achievements are incredibly impressive, from a permanent art installation in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park to major video game franchises like Madden NFL. What is the number one rule you would say is paramount when working towards this level of success?
Aimee: Thank you, that’s very kind. I don’t really have a “rule”, but maybe I’d offer this: success isn’t always a solo act. Big projects like those have tons of moving parts and many talented people involved to pull them all together. Just as you have skills or expertise to offer, every project is an opportunity for listening and learning things outside your expertise, so make the most of that as well. You never know when it will come in handy.
Portraits of Excellence is a gorgeous illustrated tribute to the Black creators whose artistry has shaped music, style, and culture. It brings together illustration and, importantly, education to honour their contributions and spark new conversations about influence, recognition, and cultural impact. What made you want to start the series, and how do you decide who to include?
Aimee: Thank you, this project has been quietly simmering in some ways for over 30 years and is incredibly close to my heart. Again, it started with Janet Jackson as the initial spark. The first portraits marked the 30th anniversary of her iconic Rhythm Nation 1814 album. Although it had no major platform, it was my continued attempt at pushing back against years of media erasure and the cultural backlash directed at Janet after the Super Bowl incident.
The project expanded as I reflected on other experiences I had in my life and career where I witnessed up close how racial bias created unfair barriers to business opportunities and how the media often whitewashes the cultural contributions of Black creators. Some of the portraits are of icons deeply personal to my own experience, while others, whose cultural impact has remained hidden, I’ve learnt about along the way.
In this difficult political climate, I feel it’s more important than ever to keep telling the truth that Black creativity has always shaped American culture. My hope is that my portraits continue to push back against erasure and contribute affirming images to the historical record.
Having achieved so much, do you have to make new goals, and what are you currently working on now?
Aimee: It’s hard to know what opportunities or challenges the future, or technology, will bring to the design world, but my focus right now is to bring the Portraits of Excellence project into the real world as a collectible art book and educational resource that gives these incredible creators some permanence beyond the digital screen. My goal is to make the project successful enough to generate resources that can be reinvested in Black-led cultural and educational communities, supporting the next generation of artists and innovators.
This next phase is just beginning, and I’d love for your readers to be part of the journey. They can follow the project’s progress, see behind-the-scenes updates, and help support its future by visiting portraitsofexcellence.com.