Article by Melody Brooks

Dani Darling is a 2021 fellow for Amplify Washtenaw, an organization committed to empowering Black artists within Washtenaw County. Dani heard about the Amplify project during the COVID-19 pandemic and applied during our state-mandated quarantine. Playing guitar at home during a time of uncertainty allowed Darling to remain connected to music. 

“Having Amplify find me during that time made everything come together. It’s awesome,” stated Darling. Under the direction of Dr. Rod Wallace and Maia Evans, Dani Darling curated her 6 track EP “The Future.” Darling’s track titles are as follows: The Sublime, The Down, La Femme, The Interlude (Made It Back), The Future, and The Age. In 2021, Darling created her EP with fellow band members on New Year’s Eve. Darling is heavily influenced by musical icons from the 70s, including James Brown and Diana Ross. Darling described her EP as ambient and psychedelic.

From singing in choir and church and playing violin, Darling became immersed in music at a very young age. When describing her upbringing, the songwriter mentioned that her family encouraged her to create music and inspired her artistically. Having grown up as an identical triplet, Dani credits her sisters as her main collaborators who inspired her large spectrum of musical styles.

Dani’s song “The Age” begins with raw vocals soothing to the listener’s ears. Her vocals follow melodic lines on flute, futuristic synth sounds, upbeat bass lines, and drum cadences that drive the beat. 

While “The Age” is an undeniably fun experience, Dani utilized her songwriting process to highlight serious issues. Her song “The Sublime” evokes strong emotions from listeners, as it mentions the tragic killing of George Floyd and the COVID-19 pandemic. During our interview on the 7th series, Darling described her song “The Interlude (Made it Back)” as a “retro” vibe, which references issues about civil rights and the systemic oppression of Black people. 

Throughout her EP, Darling utilizes the sounds of different instrumentalists to curate sonically captivating music. Darling created “The Future” to be an escape from reality. Through this audibly cohesive project, listeners can envision a plane of existence that is more enriching than our own. I implore our audience to take the time to enter the world that Darling created and to step into a reality that transcends our own.

TJ Boykins Article on Singer Kenyatta Rashon

Many people are familiar with music artists from Detroit. From Aretha Franklin and Big Sean to The Temptations and Stevie Wonder. Powerhouses, heavy hitters, and legends have captivated and inspired the music world.

Kenyatta Rashon, our feature artist, calls many of these artists her groundwork for her sound. From being born and raised in a city 45 minutes away from this RnB/Hip-Hop hotbed to traveling the country. Kenyatta brings her hometown with her wherever she goes.

In our interview, she said, “Ypsilanti has created a lot of confidence within me. I feel that I am an oxymoron of the city because I fall into a category of my own. There are so many avenues you can go down in life, and I chose the one of success.”

When asked how her musical influences have inspired her creativity, “I was studying my favorite artists ever since I was a child. I studied their lifestyles, singing techniques, their performances. And I took the little things I adored about every artist and made them my own. I carved it out to be the style of Kenyatta Rashon, and it was so well-loved and respected. When I did my performances of artists like Aretha Franklin and Adele, I even did some Lenard Skynyrd. They were so engaged. They couldn’t believe that I was replicating the actual artists on stage. So I was always watching them, seeing if I can replicate that and how I can put my little twist on it.”

When asked about her choice to sing under yellow lights for her performance, she said, “Yellow is one of my top four favorite colors, and I also know through Psychology because that is what my degree is in. Certain colors bring about certain vibes and energies; it is the epitome of happiness, and I want to be sure that was a part of the performance. I like that yellow hue felt in the summertime. It is just positive. It's good energy. So, I’m always gang yellow."

When asked about Tiny Disk and what it would be like to perform for them, she said, “I love live instrumentation. I can’t play live music to save my life, but to see it all in such an intimate space and setting, watching a Tiny Desk and doing a Tiny Desk, I see the energy within a 4x4 space." Rashon continued, "We can do it, so once we did it, I felt the intimacy amongst other musicians. We were just so entertained by everything sounding so well together. If I got the opportunity, I would kill it. I think any artist should have a Tiny Desk performance. And I want to be one of them."

The last question I had for her was regarding her most recent album being three years old, and what about that project that she felt comfortable making her fans sit on for so long in a climate where artists are encouraged to constantly release music.

“When I created that body of work, with every song completed, I sat back and spoke with a few people and said this album is timeless. My goal is for this whole album to do enough damage that it could bring in new people to prepare them for what I have coming next. How the algorithm works, and building up my network so I know the next time I put out some work. It can follow up from that album. You can catch me at a show if you want to see me do my thing, but as far as on wax, I make sure it's top tier every time.”

This is TJ from the Seven Series. To check out more Kenyatta Rashon music. Check her out through any popular streaming platforms.

Aaron Hughes Article on Singer Kristianna

Kristianna is a big believer in authenticity, whether in her music or life. This is seen in her performance of her song “Twisted” at the Seven Series in Ann Arbor Library. You can slowly see her get lost in the soft and sensual tone while she performs. Pair that with the pink ambiance enveloping her, and you have a bewitching performance from the Ypsilanti Star.

The R&B singer was not always so comfortable performing. Saying she used to be overwhelmed with anxiety and not be able to eat before a performance. As time has gone by, she has gotten more comfortable being on stage and has taken large strides in all different factors in her career. When reminiscing about her career so far, she can feel the growth herself, noting her improvement.

“Listening back now, I still love that album (“Too Late to Be Sorry”) that was my first (album)." Kristianna says, "I feel like I’ve grown vocally, and listening to things now, there are some things I would've changed if I could. Just the way I say some things, trying to perfect my craft. Make sure each time I do something, it’s better than the last.” 

One aspect she continues to focus on is her vulnerability. The ability to be honest in her music and communicate her feelings has always been a special part of her music. Stating this openness in her communication is what makes her Kristianna.

“If you wanna be in your feelings, you can always count on me for that,” Kristianna said. Focused on getting to her groove post-pandemic, she hopes to have new music on the way. Before leaving, having recorded her performance at the AADL, she wanted to emphasize the importance of the library to the Community.

“Library holds a wealth of knowledge. We have gotten so comfortable with technology and having knowledge in the palm of our hands, but what happens if that goes out? Being able to know you have that resource, there are a lot of things you can take from coming to your local library and information you can find,” said Kristianna. “They also have things for the community, things to get further educated, and the kids. It’s important for the community and personal growth.”

- Aaron Hughes

You can find Aaron Hughes interview with Kristianna below.

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