Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to D Fretter. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, D thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

If I’m honest, I don’t necessarily expect a lot of people to remember me after I’m gone. But I hope those who do remember me as somebody who did his best. I suspect people might say that I was funny, or talented or something. But I’d rather be remembered for always showing up and trying to do so with kindness. Maybe people will be inspired to carry on that legacy of showing up and treating everyone with love and respect.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a singer/songwriter, poet, and spoken word artist. When I was a little kid I started freestyle rap with my friends and fell in love with the artform. When I was 17 I borrowed my older sister’s guitar (without asking) and started doing my raps over chords. Those were my first songs. I spent about ten years doing gigs and busking.

Right before covid-19 I was struggling with burnout. I didn’t know how to take my music business to the next level and was contemplating giving it all up. When everything was locked down I had an opportunity to stop and reflect. I kept writing but didn’t touch my instruments for months. I began sharing my writing and people began to respond to it. In January 2021 I released my first book of poetry, Joy + Misery. It charted number one in African-Canadian Literature, and number six in Canadian poetry on Amazon.

Whether it’s through my music or my poetry my hope is to help people feel a little less alone. Art is an amazing way to build community and connections and I think we all could use a little more of that.

In addition to that: I donate 10 percent of profits from book sales and streams to help people get access to mental health care and mutual aid.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Once in a while, I’ll get a DM from somebody who will reach out and tell me how my book(s) or a song I wrote has impacted their life and helped them get through something. Or maybe it’ll be after a show. Either way, there is no better feeling than that. It’s nice to know my art isn’t all about me, it’s helping people feel better (even if just a little).

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I used to think that things needed to be perfect before I could release a song or share a poem. But as I’ve gone on my creative journey I’ve learned people like being a part of the journey and seeing the process. I’m not perfect so my work doesn’t need to be either. It’s okay to show up without having everything figured out.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dfretter/

Image Credits
photo of me performing in full colour taken by Sheng Ho. Photo of me performing in black and white: Janet Kvammen. Photo of me playing guitar: Jenn Frias.