We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Akinyi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Akinyi below.
Akinyi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My mom always used to say, “I was never the smartest, but I worked the hardest.” As the only creative in a family of professionals, I often felt like the odd one out, and starting my serious work in songwriting later in life made me feel like I was at a disadvantage.
My mom is a doctor who trained in Kenya and, after we immigrated to Canada, had the determination to retrain all over again. It’s only in recent years that I’ve truly understood how deeply her influence has shaped me as an artist.
As a creative, it’s easy to get discouraged. The path can feel long, and there are always people who seem more talented, more successful, more everything. But my mom taught me the power of inner strength, patience, and resilience when it comes to going after even the most elusive goals. I may not be the most naturally gifted, but I have the most heart. I’m committed to growing, and I know I’ll outlast those who need external validation to find meaning in their work.
When my mom immigrated to Canada, the officer who processed her looked her in the eyes and said, “You will never practice medicine here.” Fifteen years later, she’s a respected family doctor, still practicing. That story reminds me that nothing and no one can deter me from my dreams.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m an emerging Kenyan-Canadian songwriter, performer, and creative. I use music as an alchemical process to transform everything inside me into something beautiful and true. My superpower? Being unapologetically myself. I know who I am. I’m an artist who puts authenticity, joy, honesty, and love at the heart of everything I create.
To me, music is food for the soul. It’s my way of alchemizing life’s experiences and sharing that transformative journey with others. Like so many, I’ve struggled, I’ve survived, and through it all, music has been my channel for connection and love.
This world is filled with people who have found incredible strength within themselves to overcome what seemed impossible, and music is one of the most powerful ways we can share and transmute that strength. Through my soulful voice and direct songwriting, I invite listeners into my colorful, idiosyncratic world.
If it resonates with you, it’s for you.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
My first EP, Earth Tones: Play Hard to Get, was released in 2022. I originally sent demos to dozens of producers and collaborators in my hometown of Toronto, but none of them wanted to work with me. That rejection stung, eventually I realized that if I wanted these songs to be heard, I was going to have to produce them myself. And that’s exactly what I did—I produced and mixed the entire project on my own and released it on BandCamp.
That decision led to my first-ever radio play for my single Demons, which was a major milestone. It also opened my eyes to the reality that producing music is far more than just beat-making. I discovered I genuinely enjoyed the process of building a sonic world for a song to live. It opened up a whole new creative pathway for me as a songwriter, that strengthened my voice.
From there, I decided to go back to school to retrain as an audio engineer, to dive deeper into the world of recording, mixing, and producing. Funny enough, it was this journey that finally led me to a creative community in LA, an incredible group of people that helped be bring my second EP, Earth Tones: Thirsty, to life. It’s set for release in January 2025.
The rejection I faced in the beginning was tough on my spirt, but I now understand that everything we go through is truly for us. It taught me to trust myself, my ideas, and my vision in a way that is unshakable.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
To me, the role of an artist is to help people see what they cannot yet see in themselves. We love hearing the stories of successful creatives and entrepreneurs—their journeys, the highs and the lows. Ultimately, these stories are a reflection of an honest life. They show us how to find the courage to trust and believe in the deepest desires of our hearts, and how to demonstrate resilience, no matter how many times life knocks us down.
I wish for everyone, no matter their path—the joy of following their dreams. I truly believe that deep down, people know who they are and what they’re meant to be doing, or at the very least, they can feel when something isn’t right for them.
The truth is, there’s no way to live a life that protects you from suffering or failure. But when you follow your own unique path—one that’s true to you—it gives you the strength to keep moving forward.
I’m undeniably a kinder, more confident person for having taken the risk to be an artist. So whatever it is on your heart that feels like a risk, take it. I guarantee that the person you become through that process will make the world a better place.
Image Credits
Neo Marquez
Brady Leighton
Jackson Gould