Mind Behind the Music: Donn Sirrah
By: Vontae Jones
In this first installment of Mind Behind the Music, I’m here with up-and-coming rapper, singer, and the co-founder of the rap group Sound Shinobi, Donn Sirrah. Donn is a young, Detroit-based artist fresh from releasing his new single Saturday Night in Detroit and who has featured on multiple titles on Allante’s Twisted Nightmares Vol. 1, most notably the fan-favorite track Regret. He’s seen success on SoundCloud, reaching thousands of listeners, and has expanded into multiple platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube with the release of a music video to his song Wild Ones featuring Nuke VI. He’s been kind enough to participate in today’s Q&A. Here’s the mind behind the music.
Q: How has living in Detroit molded your musical identity? What aspects of Detroit’s culture and music have you adopted and or rejected?
A: It’s made me want to be different. Most musicians in Detroit tend to have the same sound. It’s cool that my city has its own style, but I never wanted to sound like everyone else. I have used some of the signature “Detroit Rap” sound on a few songs, but I’ve put my own little twist on it. I keep it me. I don’t rap about guns or violence like they do. I keep my music true to me, and that’s not my life, so those parts are left out.
Q: How have the hardships you faced getting to this point in your musical career affected you? Does the grind ever get to you, and if so, in what ways?
A: I’ve put in a lot of work, and it feels like I’ve received little to nothing in return. I’ve been through several heartbreaks that left me feeling like less of a person. I’ve been sold countless pipedreams that have amounted to nothing. Worst of all, I’ve been slaving a 9-5 that I absolutely hate. There are several other things, but these are the main points. They may not seem like much, but over time they feel like they are killing me slowly. It makes it harder to keep going, but you can never stop. You have to keep grinding until you get what you want in life, and then you keep working hard to maintain it. No matter how much it seems like it isn’t working, if you genuinely believe in yourself, you keep going because you know deep down that it will happen eventually.
Q: What drives you to continue climbing in the music industry? What will make it all worth it in the end, and do you ever fear this ending won’t come?
A: What drives me most is the need to know that the world will be a better place when I leave. I want my creations to help people and spread peace, love, and positivity. I know what it’s like to not have those things and to be in a dark and negative state of mind. It’s not fun, and I don’t want anyone to have to live like that. Just knowing that my work has touched people permanently will make it all worth it. Knowing that they will go on and affect someone else’s life, and the cycle will continue, all because of me. I know that it will come true because I’ve already programmed it into my brain. I truly believe that you can do whatever you put your mind to, and this is what I’ve chosen to put mine to.
Q: Which one of your songs do you connect with the most? What did you feel when creating it?
A: Currently, I connect most with my song The Final Note. It’s about being in that dark state of mind and finally crying out for help. When I wrote it, it felt like I was relieving myself from an otherworldly burden. When I recorded it, I put my all into every section of the song. I’m not saying it fixed everything, but it did take some of the pressure off me. Now I know when people listen to the song, they can hear and feel exactly how I felt during that time in my life.
Q: Like other music artists management companies, Sound Shinobi has introduced you to like-minded artists (Allante and Eliyah among others). How has working with these creators helped you along your journey? What lessons have you learned while collaborating with all the artists you’ve seen come and go?
A: Those guys really keep me going. We all push each other to new limits. In a way, we’re like rivals. When I hear one of them make a good song, it inspires me to go and create something better. It will always be us versus the world. Working with a lot of other artists has taught me how strong the Sound Shinobi bond is. Most people come and go. A lot of them are fake, and it reminds me to keep my guard up. Not everyone wants to help you, they’re looking out for themselves, and that’s something you have to pick up on early and remember. Most of those people won’t go far; they’ll eventually give up eventually. Not us, we’re going to the top, and nothing will stop us.
Q: What are your thoughts on the songs and artists currently representing Hip-Hop and R&B? How do you want your image to differ and or be like these icons?
A: Today’s songs and artists honestly get too much hate. Most people don’t like the fact that music is changing and intermingling. That’s just the direction it’s going. If you can’t accept that, so be it, but why waste your energy hating on it? If you hate it so bad, why don’t you get up and make the sound you wanna hear so bad? I think my image will be slightly different from the rest but not to a large degree. I feel like I have a sound and image that’s unique, but it can still blend with literally every artist. Pop, rap, rock, I can mesh with any person in any genre.
Q: What can fans and fans-to-be expect from you in the future?
A: Big things. I’m dropping a song every two weeks, and constant content thoughout the week, so stay tuned. Everything else I’ll let speak for itself. Actions speak louder than words, and I can show you way better than I can tell you.
I want to thank Donn Sirrah for taking the time to share his thoughts. I’m looking forward to seeing how he will shape the industry with his ability to mix and match the styles of multiple genres and bring listeners into a state of introspection with his melodies and lyrics. As is with booking music artists, you can inquiry Donn regarding live performances via email at donnsirrah@gmail.com. Also, check out my favorite songs by or featuring Donn (Bring it Back, Your Lie in April, and Dubai) on nearly all streaming platforms.