We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dezi Cartier a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Dezi, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I think one of my favorite projects was after I released my first single. I was hit up by an artist from France named Mav’. He heard my song and asked me to feature on the album he was working on. We talked and he showed me the beat or a demo and I told him I would do it. I was flattered and grateful he wanted me on the track. It’s a song about how he felt and cared about someone in a relationship that was there for him. After hearing the final I recorded my part in Orlando.

I was in the studio and playing with ideas over it. After we recorded my verse and I went back over it to do the adlibs. I didn’t know exactly per say what he would like so I just had fun with it and I ended up doing a little intro adlib. The adlib was, “From Paris with love” on the beginning of my verse. When we listened to it we debated leaving it in. We ended up keeping it and I’m so glad we did.

So I send my part to Mav’ and he ended up loving the verse. He told me he really loved the From Paris with love part and actually ended up naming the album that. I was gassed, it was so crazy and unexpected. The song ended up being called “By My Side” from his album “From Paris With Love”. It was special working on this one and I have a lot of respect for Mav’. I was truly honored to be included on the project. It was dope seeing how it linked two artists who would have maybe not met otherwise. All the way from Paris to Orlando. Since the song we’ve become boys and kept in touch. Maybe one day we’ll make another song but if we do I’m telling him we’re shooting the video in France ha. Check Mav’ out on Spotify and all that good stuff. He is also Mavericksmusic on insta. From Paris with Luv!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a model, actor, artist, and am involved in the music and entertainment merchandizing industry. As a kid I grew up doing a lot of theatre at school and locally in the community. It was somewhere around middle school-ish when I started to get into modeling and going on auditions for different things. I was also always really attached to music from a very young age as well. My childhood always felt a little crazy so music, movies, and the arts always were a great escape. I remember one of my mom’s friends had a son that I went to school with named Robert. He also was in theatre with me and got into modeling and acting professionally at that time. She told my mom that she should try to get me into it as well since they were friends and I was buddies with her son. I remember my mom showing me ads and asking me what I noticed about how they dressed the model and things like that. While it was new at that age it was all very exciting but a lot to learn about in more ways than one.

After high school I was set to go Belmont University in Nashville, TN for a degree in music business. It was a challenging time because I wasn’t sure I was making the right decision for myself. I withdrew pretty quickly after attempting it. I just knew in my heart that what I wanted to do in life didn’t require a college education. I actually ended up trying to go to school again at the University of Central Florida for the next available semester thinking something would change inside me. It didn’t quite but it was fun. Love for UCF still. It was an important time in my life.

One thing led to another and I was starting to get work from being apart of other projects and things of that nature. Throughout my time I’ve done stuff like MTV to Telemundo and brand lifestyle work to commercial work as well. In between that I’ve also entertained other personal projects. One of them was a podcast with my buddy Mark called, “Day By Day With Dezi & Mark.” . It was such a good time we would bring on our friends who were involved in the creative community from artists, photographers, a tour manager, models, influencers, and creatives. It really documented a cool time in a lot of people’s life including our own. It’s something maybe one day we’ll pick back up. My next project is a new single I have coming out called, “All About You” so keep an eye out.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I’d be doing the same things whether I’m making $1 or $1 million. It’s what it is. I’m grateful for what’s happened in my life so far and the people in it. I say that with appreciation and respect for those less stellar moments in life too. When it comes to music it’s hella rewarding seeing how it begins to where it ends and seeing when someone enjoys your art. The song I’m currently releasing had a couple different ideas at first to it and we actually went to work on it and lost the project file before finishing it. So we had to recreate it and start from scratch. In the moment it seemed like an L but it was the farthest thing from it. In that process we got the opportunity to expand elements and I actually rewrote some parts too. But it’s cool how things like that happen in life. It ended up being an unexpected opportunity.

The journey is always humbling and rewarding at the same time. I cherish the people I’ve met and the moments on the journey. Stay true to your purpose and keeping it real. It’s doing what you want with your own life. That’s it for me. It’s like a flame that you can’t put out. Splash it with water and it may go down a little bit but then you throw something flammable that inspires and it becomes stronger.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

There is a lot that goes into it for me. At it’s core it’s the same things as a kid. I’m inspired a lot by music, fashion, movies, and everything else around me in my life. Beyond that though to keep learning and growing through my story. We choose the knowledge we obtain and then life gives us unexpected insight as well. Even if we don’t always ask for it haha. That’s how it goes though for everybody one way or the other we’re all human. It also contributes to our art and story. I want the projects I’m a part of and work I do to be in line with who I am as a person. On that same note too in regards to my goals I not only want to wear the clothes now I want to make them too. I want to do both and that’s the train of thought I’m indulging in.

I think every artist wants to leave their mark on their craft in some way. I’m sure not ready to let up yet anytime soon I remind myself constantly there’s a lot left to do and that’s the idea. It’s what keeps me going and motivated. Life’s a lot of things but I think there’s beauty in our shadows. It’s gradual and made up of every different sized win and loss. Piece by piece you know that’s the puzzle. One I can be happy with never fully solving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/dezicartier
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dezicartier
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deziworld
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/dezicartier
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dezicartier
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/34bgo58z97qeE3wpEwUs0H

Image Credits
Black and White Photos: Ehsan Zarrin Color Photos: Herb Maximo