We were lucky to catch up with Darius Winfield recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Darius thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Risking it all, I left my hometown for Chicago after high school. Two of my close friends had already been accepted to Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. I had been granted a full scholarship to IUPUI where I planned on studying business; although, I had no genuine enthusiasm for the major. I decided to pursue my dreams in Chicago and enrolled at the school; a bold move, as no one in my family had ever moved away before. Before I left, I had a plan to get my degree in Fashion Design; with ambition of becoming a successful rapper. To get my foot in the door, I looked for open mics and studios to record at. It was then that Adrienne Hill contacted me to become my manager and help me thrive in the music industry. Adrienne was key in the development of the business minded artist I am today.

Darius , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into both the music and fashion industry at the same time. I moved to Chicago for college and while I wasn’t in class I was out networking to build my music presence. I provide music, songwriting, music production, and creative direction. Winfield provides clothing and accessories. The problems I solve for my clients is showing them they can be the original version of themselves. I’m not making the normal industry type of music. I’m making music without any curse words, and pure positivity. With the clothing I’m mashing up my influences, things from my high school, a luxury lifestyle, I am being truly inspired by the streets, and streetwear. I am most proud of being a kid from the mid west, who came from no industry opportunities. I am an example of taking a leap of faith and truly following God’s alignment,

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

Realizing that those I grew up with don’t need to be lifelong friends was a lesson I had to learn. I had went to college with a few friends that I grew up with. I noticed the change in their behavior when we was around other people. I noticed that I didn’t have there support when I was coming up as a rapper. I was thinking we all out here in the city we can help each other. Over time I started to separate myself from them and build a new friend circle. It was a good life lesson, people expire like spoiled milk.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I began cultivating my social media audience, drawn in by the trailblazing artistry of Vinny Chase, Kid Art, and Cheers Club. Their videos resonated widely across the internet and blended fashion and music. Vinny Chase is what first introduced me to streetwear fused with luxury. Watching closely, I observed that they dropped videos and vlogs every three months, pushing promotions heavily. I adopted this same model and have followed it steadfastly to this day. I realized that one must blend products and music to effectively flaunt an enviable lifestyle.

Contact Info:

• Website: winfld.com and winfieldsound.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dalwayswins
• Facebook: facebook.com/dalwayswinss
• Twitter: twitter.com/dalwayswins
• Youtube: youtube.com/@dwinmusic

Image Credits
All photography by Monique Photography instagram.com/moniquephotography_/