With the recent successes of both ‘Party Hard’ and ‘Riot Music’ it’s clear that London’s own Donae’o is one to keep an eye on and is almost certainly destined for very big things. He’s a man of many talents; producing his own tracks as well as singing and MCing and producing tracks for other artists. With his most recent work, ‘Riot Music’ currently smashing dance floors and being featured on playlists nationwide as well as his highly anticipated second album due to drop soon there are all eyes currently on Donae’o and awaiting to see big things happening in 2010. The current single has also been put out on Shy FX’s much respected Digital Soundboy imprint along with his collaboration with bass guru Breakage on ‘Speechless’ which has been seen in the boxes of the country’s best selectors. So with his burgeoning career all ready well and truly underway we caught up with the king of funky to find out a little more about how his journey to the forefront of the scene.
Q – I’ve read somewhere that your mother was a singer, so I’m guessing that music always played a big role in you life?
Yeah, kind of, and kind of not really. We followed in the same footsteps but she didn’t make a song and dance about her past life before she got married and had me and my sister. But I guess it’s in my blood. To be honest its weird because before my success she and my father thought that getting into the music industry was a fools game and that there was no longevity in it in regards to having a stable income, you know. I guess parents just want the best for their children and now they don’t want me to stop – my mum is always singing my name around the house, LOL!
Q – Did you sing/perform much as a kid?
Not really. A few talent shows here and there but nothing big to be honest. My first major performance was in Ghana at the National Theatre (now called the Conference Centre) it was called Kidafest I think. It was the scariest thing that I had done but the crowd went will still, it was heavy.
Q – How did your career in music initially begin?
It properly started with a song called Bounce (My Philosophy) that I produced and mc’d over. I played to Sticky and Jason K who owned Social Circles at the time and they wanted to sign the track to Social Circles which then lead to them wanting to sign me for 5 album’s. That track just blew up and it was the first track that introduced me to the music industry…
Q – How long was it before you started making tracks that you were really happy with?
Soon after Bounce really – I made that when I was about 17 – I’m now 27 – but it took me a while to work out how to work things properly when it comes to producing. I find that making music is a searching process to be honest, bangers just don’t come, you have to keep creating until you find what you are looking for. Then you have to learn to give your self space to be creative. I find that writer’s blocks are just your brain telling you that it needs a rest, you know? There are so many things you need to take into account when it comes to being creative.
Q – Where does your name come from?
My name come from South America and I didn’t find it, it was given to me. I asked God for a Name like Deniro but if you’re not Robert Deniro you can’t pull it off! So there was a group called Donaeo and they asked me to join, because I thought the name was so heavy I wanted it so I joined – if you can’t beat em join em and basically I did. Then the group broke up and I asked each member of the group if I could have the name and they said yes, then one of the members said that the name means ‘Gift From God’ so I always took it as I asked for a name and God gave me a name I wanted. Ask you shall receive as long as your eyes are open to see the gifts and your heart is open to receive them.
Q – How did you get into dance music in the first place?
It was jungle that got me into dance at first, then I moved onto Garage then Bassline and Grime and now I’m in to Funky, Drum and Bass, Dubstep and anything in between. To be honest I wanted to create Hip Hop but that music wasn’t in my face like dance music is. Going to a rave and seeing Skibadee perform with Shy FX and Nikky Black Market or going to an EZ rave and watching Viper and Melody mash up the rave or Heartless crew murk a rave and singing along to Mighty Moe’s or one of Bushkin’s lyrics or seeing Dizzee Rascal perform at Sidewinder – it’s all close to home. I can just get in a car or on a train, go to a rave, pay my ticket and watch then perform or turn on the radio and listen to what’s new. That’s what really got me into Dance music the fact that it was at my door step. Also I love fast music, drum patterns just sound different in intricate after 128 bpm. It’s amazing, there are so many different styles, how can you get bored? It’s too much!
Q – I’ve heard that in the early days of your career you decided to make a go of things on your own with no management etc, do you think this has affected the way you approach work in music now?Was it a struggle going it alone? Or was it kind of easier only have commitments to yourself?
The only reason I went it alone was because there was no one there to help me out at the time. At the beginning of my career I was signed to different companies and I had management but after the Bounce era I just wanted to do my own thing. I wanted to find out what I wanted from my music, I wanted to take my own direction without anyone adding their two pence because if I was going to get signed or have management working for me they’d have to be on the same wavelength. I wanted people to come to me to understood what I was doing and where I was going and that’s why I went out alone to attract the right people for me, not look for people to handle my affairs. Going it alone helped me understand what it was to market my own product – it was hard but well worth it, it gave me independence and ownership over my destiny and no one can take that from me.
Q – Did you or do you find it harder being an MC/singer in the underground scene?
Nah, not really. I have a career because of the underground. I have no restraints when it comes to my music – I make what I want when I want and nobody tells me nothing, and that’s what I’ve always wanted. I make music for me first and foremost and being in the underground gives you that freedom.
Q – Your tracks seem to have a more ‘underground’ or ‘alternative’ feel than some of the other MC’s/Singers who have ventured into more commercial areas, is this a conscience decision? One that you’ll continue with?
I didn’t make a conscience decision to make my music sound underground I just always wanted to make music that I liked with out no one telling me what to do. I find that my peers – especially the ones signed to major corporation’s – are restricted because they have to sell a certain amount of units or reach a certain level in the charts so they might have to make their music sound a certain way to reach those requirements whereas I don’t have to do that. But what I will say is that most majors have a formula that works whereas I have to hope that people like what I like when I put out music so even though I have more freedom I still like to please the people and finding that balance in any industry is hard to do.
Q – You tend to produce your own tracks, do you have any intentions to make use of other producers?
I have always produced my own music but that’s because I find it easier and less hassle to work by myself. I just wake up make a beat and sing on it, no long ting, I only have to wait on me. I produced the majority of my last album ‘Party Hard’ and I have produced the majority of my second album. When comes to my third album I want to work with other producers I respect just to get a different feel for creativity. Working with other people always brings out something new in you because there are other elements involved when it comes to a collaboration. Sometimes if you’re cool with the producer you can have a conversation for ages before the creative process begins and the convo will fuel the creation – I love it when there’s a journey towards the final result, then the music becomes more than just beats and words. Its like taking an audio picture of your emotions at that particular time in your life.
Q – How have the current sounds of house/ukfunky/dubstep influenced your work?
Every time I make music there’s more than one influence involved in making that track. When Breakage and I made ‘Speechless’ I was speaking to Shy FX about how I wanted to write a song that had the same passion that ‘Sex on Fire’ by Kings of Leon had. I find that when Indie bands sing certain songs the words have meaning but the way they sing it also has meaning – it’s like there could be no words but the way the singer sings the melody you could feel they mean what they say and I wanted to write a song like that. That is was ‘Speechless’ meant to me. Dubstep is up tempo enough to be played in a club but slow enough to sing on and convey what emotion you’re going through, it’s like the perfect music to sing ballads over and also the perfect music to play in the clubs and in privacy if done correctly.
Q – Has this development of the scene given you a more cemented place or helped you find yourself as an artist?
Not really, I’ve always loved Dance music and I have always wanted to be a Dance Music artist, even before Dubstep and Funky House where around. All it means is that I have more toys to play with and that is all I want, more influence to involve in my music. SIMPLES – LOL!
Q – Your now releasing on the Digital Soundboy imprint, how did you get involved with the label?
Shy FX called me one day to do a collaboration on his album – at first I didn’t believe it was him to be honest but it was. Over the month we started and I was playing him stuff, one of the tracks that jumped out on my album for him was ‘Riot Music’ and he was like “when you’re ready to push that track let me know”. So it came to the point where I wanted to put ‘Riot Music’ out there, so I went to Shy and asked if he wanted to get involved and he was like “yeah”. So we licensed the track to Digital Soundboy. In regards to, ‘Speechless’ Shy and Breakage called me up at 4 in the morning after coming from YoYo’s in Notting Hill and was like “come down!” After ’nuff drunken vibes we came up with the bassline melody for the beat and Breakage was like “yes this is the one, it’s the one!” Then I took the track home wrote the song sent it to Breakage he worked his magic with the beats – because boy Breakage is a scientist when it comes to riddims anyone that knows him knows that – the rest is history…
Q – ‘Riot Music’ and ‘Party Hard’ seem to be tracks produced with the dance floor in mind, is it fair to say that you’re giving a nod to the bass aficionados or the party crowd with tracks dropping in everybody’s sets?
Like I said before, I love Dance music and I’m addicted to bass and fast beats, I can’t help it. When a tune drops and the bass is just thumping I go nuts and I want people to have that same feeling with my music. It’s nothing long.
Q – Which artists you most like to work with?
Shy FX and Dizzee Rascal to be honest.
Q – What have you got in store for the coming months?
Well I’ve got my new, second album coming out this year. I have the first single ready to be released called I’m Fly. I’m also writing for other artist and producing for other acts as well so look out for a couple of collaborations including with Sway and another with Shy FX.
Q – And finally, I’ve got to say that Come Grime With Me was one of the funniest thing I’ve seen on the net, how did that come about?
To be honest they just called my manager told me the concept and we agreed I think it was a good move. It was a fun day out for me. The people where excellent I would defiantly do that again with the same people. Shouts to Jammer for the voice over LOL!
Q – How was Miss Manara’s cooking really?
It was cool, I haven’t died yet so I’d defiantly buck some more of her munch , LOL.
