The ideal jam for Valentine’s Day is “LUVERBOI”! Donn Chii creates his best work on this collection of love songs, which were written over the last few years of the pandemic. This EP is entertaining and can be enjoyed by any listener because it has a little something for everyone! Check out the exclusive interview below:
1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?
DONN CHII: Definitely! I was born in Detroit, raised in Dallas, TX, and relocated to Atlanta after the 2020 pandemic. I’ve always had a drive and passion for music. I first got involved in high school after hanging out with some kids who listened to rock music and liked to skateboard. From there, I picked up bass guitar and began learning my favorite songs. I eventually approached a friend to start a band and the rest is history. I played in bands for a few years after that but after all the failed attempts, I decided to do my own thing and go solo, trying my luck in rap/hip-hop. I wanted to take all my influences and make something unique, my very own music.
2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?
DONN CHII: I’m mostly self-taught. I took some music classes in high school and music theory in college but never one-on one lessons.
3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘DONN CHII’?
DONN CHII: My influences come from such a wide range. Linkin Park was probably the biggest influence for me growing up in high school. They bridged that gap for me between rock and rap. They were my favorite band for a long time and overall changed my outlook on music. I chose the name “Donn Chii” because of the meaning behind the word “chi”, which means “energy”. I wanted to bring a certain energy/vibe with my music in a positive way.
4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
DONN CHII: My sound is very different than most genres, mainly because I have so many influences. But I really just make whatever I think sounds good. I like to experiment a lot but you can usually find hints of my style in every song. The hip-hop elements are almost always in the drums/bass, the rock elements in my guitar/instrumentals, and there’s a lot of personality between the singing/rapping in the vocals.
5. For most artists, originality is first preceded by a phase of learning and, often, emulating others. What was this like for you? How would you describe your own development as an artist and music maker, and the transition towards your own style, which is known as HIPHOP?
DONN CHII:
That’s a good question. I make most of my own songs/beats so when I hear a song I really like, I usually save it and try to craft something like that so it brings on that same emotion as it brought me. So, for example, I might take a melody from a song and play it on guitar, except backwards or change the key or something. And although it might sound ridiculous, if it can bring on that same mood as the original song brought me, then I’m on the right track. I like to recreate vibes of my own and tell my story.
6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?
DONN CHII:
I welcome the adaption of speaking your mind in music. I personally have covered both grounds, covering topics on police brutality and systemic racism and also telling my story and creating fun songs. There’s no rules to music creation, that’s what I love about it. I think it’s okay to cross boundaries. But I don’t condone pushing negative agendas through music, that’s not what it should be used for.
7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?
DONN CHII:
I think it’s all about perspective. I think there are times when you may view your music journey negatively because things aren’t going your way or maybe you sucked at the gig and now you wanna quit but you may have gained one extra fan that night who’s gonna go tell 10 of his friends how awesome and talented you are, so you really have to look after the 1%, they are the ones who will propel your career and make you feel more fulfilled about your life than a million likes from fake users who will never check out your music. I’m always focused on the future and my future tells me that I have everything I want, so it is.
8. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song? Do you usually start with a tune, a beat, or a narrative in your head? And do you collaborate with others in this process?
DONN CHII: There’s so many ways to start and finish a song. My ideas sometimes start as melodies played on guitar. Sometimes they start as themes or lyrics. But I almost always try to lay down whatever ideas are coming to me at that moment. You never know when you’ll get another chance to catch that vibe again so you wanna get all your ideas out, on paper, record them, whatever, just don’t forget it!
9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
DONN CHII: In 2020, after the pandemic hit, I didn’t have much of anything. I lost my job, my apartment, no music career and was basically back at ground zero. So life gave me two options: move back in with my parents and keep doing the same shit I been doing for years or take a chance and move out to Atlanta with my sister and start a new life and pursue music full time. So, I obviously took the latter. But it hasn’t all been so easy. Moving to a new city has had challenges and adjustments of its own but I haven’t regretted it. I’m finally getting to a place where I can sustain myself through music and am only growing in my artistry so I’m excited to see what the future brings.
10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
DONN CHII: I don’t have one specific moment or memory that I’m most proud of but I do take pride in some of the contests I’ve won in the past. I’ve gotten to play SXSW a few times and those are always plenty fun. I’ve gotten one of my songs placed in a movie once. I’ve gotten to travel and meet lots of awesome people and share the stage with a lot of talented artists so far.
11. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?
DONN CHII: Honestly, that stuffs gonna happen anyway, you can’t control it, it comes with the job. Some people let it get to them, me, I don’t really care. I like to play along though sometimes when I get bored, I’m the biggest troll on my page. You wanna play, we can play lol.
12. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?
DONN CHII: I like to create in a home or studio environment most of the time. I still haven’t figured out a way to get excited about going on live yet. It just feels awkward sometimes cause you’re talking to yourself on camera while a ton of people watch menacingly lol.
13. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?
DONN CHII: I think everyone is free to interpret my music however they want. I do like for fans to understand the background of a song or album but they are always free to interpret my music however they like.
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