'You Can't Think of the Negatives': 'Love on the Spectrum' Star Tyler White Opens Up About Autism and Music

AnnaMarie HoulisWed, May 6, 2026 at 2:39 AM UTC

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"You can't think of the negatives; you've got to think of the positives," Love on the Spectrum star Tyler White tells his fiancée Madison Marilla in a new YouTube video, where she interviews him about his autism journey. "I don't want to hide or curse what God has blessed me with."

Tyler White is a fan-favorite cast member on the Netflix docuseries. Known for his down-to-earth personality and Southern charm, White is a DJ and musician. He has built a career around music—something deeply tied to how he experiences the world.

White was diagnosed with autism at just three years old. In the recent YouTube video, he reflects on how autism has shaped the way he learns and processes information—especially through sound. Music has been central to White's development; he famously taught himself to play drums "by ear," meaning he learned not through written instruction but by listening and repeating rhythms.

"I learn music keys just by hearing them," he explains when Marilla asks him to expound upon what it means to be an auditory learner.

His auditory learning style is something White highlights as a strength, not a limitation. His intense cognitive focus, exceptional pattern recognition, and heightened sensory perception have allowed him to connect with the world through the music he makes.

After all, while some individuals with autism are strong auditory learners, Marilla puts it best that "autism presents itself in very different ways," adding that she, for example, is more of a visual and hands-on learner. An estimated 80 percent of people with autism actually experience atypical auditory processing, according to Autism Speaks. This means that they may struggle with hypersensitivity (especially to high-pitched sounds) and/or have difficulty distinguishing speech from background noise.

Still, research from empirical studies suggests that many people with autism possess musical potential largely because of those sensitivities and enhanced pitch analysis skills—and researchers argue that this "unexploited potential ... can and should be developed."

Leveraging his sound skills is one clear example of how White has turned his autism diagnosis into something positive: a career in music and, soon, a marriage with a partner who loves country classics as much as he does.

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Related: Madison Marilla and Tyler White of 'Love on the Spectrum' Are Officially Engaged

White started out playing the drums in church, but he didn't start singing publicly until he was 13 years old. He played percussion in the high school band and sang in his high school choir. In 2014, he won the Van Buren County Fair Youth Talent Competition in the Vocal Solo category, earning him the spot to sing at the Arkansas State Fair in Little Rock.

Flash forward to 2017, and Tyler launched DJ TyWy, his own wedding and event DJ business.

"I always enjoyed going to weddings, school dances, and proms," he writes on DJ TyWy's website. "One day, I began to think of a way to play all types of music for a living, and DJing was the first thing that came to my mind."

He DJed his first gig on September 23, 2017, in Clinton, Arkansas—his cousin's wedding. Since then, he has not only performed at weddings, school dances, and proms. White has emceed at major Autism Speaks events and performed at places as big as the Grand Ole Opry.

While White and Marilla share with fans their different learning styles, fans have responded with just how much they have to learn from the "perfect pair."

"Couple goals," one viewer commented. "The world could learn a lot from you both.

Related: 'Love on the Spectrum' Star Shelley Wolfe Gets Candid About Her Late Autism Diagnosis — and She's Not Alone

This story was originally published by Parade on May 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”