If you wander down the creative corridors of West End, you’ll find a salon that hums with an energy more akin to backstage at Fashion Week than a suburban hair studio — calm, electric, and unmistakably world-class. This is Rokstar Salon, the future-minded creation of founder and creative director Brodie Lee Tsiknar, a Brisbane local whose vision has taken her from teenage salon owner to two-time QLD Hairdresser of the Year, four-time AHIA Queensland Salon of the Year winner, global L’Oréal Professionnel ambassador, and a familiar name in the pages of Vogue and beyond. And despite that global reach, she’s kept her entire operation firmly rooted in Brisbane.
“Honestly, it was so random — I kind of fell into it!” Brodie says of buying her first salon at just 18. “But I’ve always been the sort of person who just makes things happen. Failure has never felt like an option for me; I have to thrive and succeed. And if something doesn’t go to plan, I pivot, realign, and reboot. I was pretty naïve and very green back then, but that fearlessness worked in my favour.” That spark — equal parts intuition and audacity — would go on to shape the Rokstar ethos: bold, innovative, and always looking beyond the expected.
From day one, Brodie’s vision was crystal clear. “I wanted to create a salon like no other — a place that redefined what life as a hairdresser could look like. My goal was to build a brand known for elite, world-class hairdressing while completely flipping traditional industry methods on their head.” As the business evolved, that mission expanded into rethinking the lives of the people who work within it. “Over time, that’s evolved into creating a better way of life for my team — introducing things like a four-day work week, closing Saturdays, and designing a space that’s as much about wellbeing as it is about beauty, streamlining our client experience with a work from rokstar option, the salon fitted out with practical benches and USB charges and power points to fit todays busy way of life.”
Her Salon-of-the-Future philosophy came long before wellbeing became a buzzword. Six years ago, Rokstar closed its doors on Saturdays — an unthinkable move in an industry built around weekend appointments. But Brodie trusted her instincts. “We’re coming up to six years of being closed on Saturdays, and even longer with the 4-day work week, and it’s been an incredible journey,” she says. “It’s changed the way we live and work — giving my team balance and energy while making us even more productive and creative.” Even her introduction of an AI receptionist was driven by care rather than convenience. “AI is a smart, efficient way to remove the burnout from my team so they can focus on what they do best — connecting with clients.”
The technical finesse Rokstar is known for traces back to Brodie’s time in London. “My time in London at Sassoon really lit the fire. It opened my eyes to the artistry and precision of cutting, and from that point on, I knew I wanted more — to push myself and the craft as far as I could.” Editorial work, women’s beauty, and meticulous technique became her obsession — one she still feeds through constant training. But even with all that skill in her corner, one thing has never been simple: finding the right people. “Hands down — staff,” she says without hesitation. “You can teach skill, but you can’t teach passion or attitude.”
Even the salon’s name carries her evolution in it. When she first took over the business, it was called Rokstar Hair and Beauty. “When I rebranded and moved to a new space building from the ground up 11 years ago, I wanted the name to grow up with me. I dropped ‘beauty’ and added ‘salon’ — it felt more sophisticated, more me. ‘Rokstar’ became about energy, empowerment, and confidence. ‘Salon’ gave it that sense of community — a place where people feel seen, beautiful, and part of something special.”
Across her career, Brodie has been recognised with awards, accolades, magazine credits, and celebrity clients. But the moment that stays with her — the one that changed her — didn’t happen on a shoot or a runway. A few years ago, just before Christmas, a family reached out. Their young daughter, Karrington, was about to begin aggressive cancer treatment and needed to shave her long hair. The salon was closed for the holidays, but Brodie couldn’t say no. “Whilst we were closed, I couldn’t have just anyone do this for a young girl; I had to make it happen. I opened the salon on Boxing Day just for her.”
What followed was a moment that still makes her pause. “We played Tayt McRae, talked about how pixie cuts were in, and with her family around, in her time, we took the step to remove her beautiful long hair.” When Karrington mentioned she liked Ellie Gonsalves’ hair, she didn’t realise Brodie was Ellie’s hairdresser. “When I said I took care of Ellie and would she mind if I reached out to her, her face lit up.” A meeting was arranged later. Brodie remembers, “To watch a young girl who’s whole life had been turned upside down smile through all the pain and see her mum smile is still to this day a moment I will never forget.” The hair was donated to Sustainable Salons Australia to be made into wigs for other children. “It reminded me that what we do as hairdressers goes far beyond the surface — it’s deeply human.”
For Brodie, the secret to Rokstar’s long-term success is simple, but not easy. “Consistency. I never take my foot off the pedal. I’m constantly innovating, evolving, and investing in education for myself and my team. We don’t settle — we grow.” Awards, she says, are humbling — but they represent something bigger. “For me, it’s less about the trophy and more about what it symbolises — pushing the industry forward and showing that you can do things differently and still succeed.”
Looking ahead, her plans remain characteristically ambitious. “I’m deep in planning for 2026, and honestly — in true Brodie fashion — anything is possible.” And whatever that next chapter looks like, it will surely blend innovation with heart, discipline with imagination, and creative daring with genuine care for people.
Rokstar Salon, Shop 2/57 Vulture St, West End QLD 4101. p. 0448 058 354
In her spare time, she likes long walks down the makeup aisle and performing in Brisbane theatre. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and TikTok @thebeautypalate.
