We recently connected with Destiny Turner and have shared our conversation below.
Destiny, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
Thus far, my most meaningful project was my second EP entitled “Genres”. The idea was to make one song from seven different genres of music and make them all in my style. Two weeks before my project was set to release, all of it was lost on a hard drive crash. No backup. Nothing saved. All of it gone. I was still working an 8-5 at the time. I decided to still try to make the deadline because we had a release party already announced. In one week, I completed 4 of the 7 songs from top to bottom. I was staying up until 4 in the morning and going back to work at 8am. I’d sleep for 2-3 hours after work and do it all over again. By the grace of God, I finished and submitted the music. The DistroKid site asks for 4 weeks for upload and I only had one. Again, by the grace of God, it all uploaded on time and the party went off without a hitch. Talk about a miracle. Then, Genres went on to win an Alabama Music Award for the best mixtape/album of the year. After that process, I felt like I could do anything. It truly made me believe in myself.
Destiny, 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 the entertainment industry mentally before I physically began. I’ve been singing since I could hum. My mother says as early as 2 months old. The first performance I can remember in front of a big crowd was in kindergarten at age 5. I sang in front of the whole school and that’s when I knew for sure I wanted to be a singer. I went to an academic based high school so there was limited music and arts programs. But in college, I got back into choirs and such. I took my first professional gig in 2016 and I just kept trucking along. Six years later and now I’m and award winning artist performing in different cities and across state lines.
Things changed for me when I realize that if you wait on people to help you get where you want to be, you may never make it. I love working on new projects and pushing myself, but initially I just wanted to focus on music. I can be impatient sometimes because I feel like “if Chris Brown and Beyoncé can do this then so can I”. That may be my toxic trait right now….if I feel like time or money is not being maximized in use, I’ll just do it myself. And it doesn’t come from a mean place. I just want to live this life I have to the fullest without regrets. I don’t want to look back and say “I could have done more but I wasted too much time”.
So that coupled with my impatience has pushed me into graphic and website design, doing hair and makeup, styling and wardrobe, filming and editing, and a whole host of other things. I’m up to try almost anything if it’s art related. I’ve found happiness in those hobbies as well.
I believe what sets me apart musically is the tamber of my voice. I don’t believe I sound like anyone else. I like to play with different tones and dynamics and voices. I like experimenting, but ultimately, I still sound like me. And…I’m fun sized. I’m only 5’4 but I’m a curvy girl with knees like Thee Stallion. Shows are wild sometimes…you just never know what to expect.
I’m proud of the impact my art has on people. I remember a time where I did not have any idea how to begin writing music. So to have someone say they put my project on and had a good cry and then partied themselves back happy truly means something. I know I’m operating in my purpose. I want my fans to know that I am nothing without them and I am working to make them proud!
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
My audio engineer, Bao Pham of Mixology Studios, started a program called “ReAcademy”. It’s a free program that shows beginners how they can record in their homes on their own equipment. Bao has been instrumental in helping me along the way. That program shifted my mindset. It let me know that nothing is too hard. You’ve got to be patient with yourself and willing to invest in what you believe in. This program helped me learn how to correctly record to get the best quality of my music. It’s saved me a lot of money and allowed me to invest in other aspects of my career like music videos, social media advertisement, travel, and more.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
The ultimate goals for me are a Grammy for “Record of the Year” and a world tour. Those are the two things I have always dreamt of having under my belt. Of course, there are so many other things I want along the way. I want to retire my mom. I want to inspire and build in my hometown. I want to create wealth and security for the many generations to come. There’s so many I cannot even begin to name. But those two things are definitely my top two entertainment goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://
destinyturner.com - Instagram: https://www.
instagram.com/ destinyturnerofficial/ - Facebook: https://m.facebook.
com/DestinyLaneseTurner/ - Twitter: https://twitter.com/
destinyturner44 - Youtube: https://youtube.com/
channel/ UCRpFTr6KY0wHqfc18llwkXA - Other: TikTok: destinyturner444
Image Credits
Venita Turner Brian Williams