Through a sophisticated blend of melody, lyricism and vibe, Donny Dee takes listeners into a powerful journey to his own sonic worlds, as best displayed in his latest release, the infectious track titled “Messages.†Inspired by artists like Trilla Venus, Zpluto and Yeloboi Tommy. And Quando Rondo, Nba Youngboy, Tupac, Polo G and Lil Tjay, he creates unique aesthetics that instantly separate him from his peers in terms of signature style and sound.
Known for his authenticity, he talks openly about his experiences with depression, self-medication and the nihilistic spiral that almost took his life. He goes quiet when he says he lost his dad early in life. His dad had his own struggles, being born mixed race Cape Coloured in apartheid South Africa, where everything was set against him.
“I really lost my way,†he says. “I started self-medicating with all the wrong drugs, which ended up only making things worse. When my friends started dying, I got a real wake-up call. I was already hanging around artists and rappers and they really inspired me, so I started writing my own beats and lyrics. When people started digging for them, it gave me confidence to keep going.â€
Stepping into 2022 in the most ideal way with the release of ‘“Messages,†a song that also offers a first glimpse of Donny Dee’s upcoming EP Empathy, this fast-rising artist has a bright future ahead.
