We were lucky to catch up with Donny Vinn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Donny , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I grew up singing in elementary school and then I stopped singing for a long time. I was always afraid to do it, afraid of what people might say about my voice. When I was about 15, I got asked to sing a solo with my church choir and that sparked the fire again. I spent some time writing songs in my room and not sharing them. Fast forward to when I got into college, my and my friends were having a late night dinner and started talking about our secret dreams and desires and I said I wanted to sing and write music. So one of my friends dared me to do it. Not more than 6 months later I got into the studio and started releasing music. My childhood dream did not come into fruition until I decided to make it happen when I was in college. Life has music from then on.

Donny , 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 my start in the music industry when I was about 18 years old. It all started with from a date with my friends. I had been writing my own songs since I was 16, and so I knew I could write something worthwhile for listeners. I immediately started letting the creative juices flow from that moment with my friends. I wrote my first single “Without You” in 2019 and released the track in 2020, during the pandemic. I worked with local producers to help craft my sound and my vision for my career. Now that I am almost 4 years in the industry, my vision is clearer than ever. I want my music to comfort people around the world, whether that’s through dancing, vulnerability, or escapism, that’s my mission. I just released my new EP Beautiful Sun in May of last year and it’s my biggest accomplishment thus far. It was the first time I allowed myself to create a sonic landscape that I was moved by and now people are listening to it and are being touched by the project. When people listen to my music I want them to truly escape from reality and realize that they are not alone, whether that’s with heartbreak, love, or life experiences, we all have things we need to talk about and let go of. Music for me is more than just a song, it’s my way of life. It’s truly how I survive and exist in this world.

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

For me the most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having the understanding that we all are creatives and we all have a story. Growing up I wanted to be a news journalist, simply because I knew we all have a story to share. I can see that epiphany even more that I’m a trusting my creative instincts now. There’s nothing like hearing someone say “I love your song! It really helped me during a time when…” that’s the reward, that’s why I do what I do. I truly believe that we all have a light inside of us and it’s up to us to have the audacity to believe our story matters and to believe that our light can illuminate this world.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Something I’ve realized in life is that we often fight our own desires. When I first went to college, I studied broadcasting and journalism. I realized that was not what I truly wanted. I went through a stage in my life where I had no clue what to do next. The reason I pivoted from that path was because I had a project in which I had to observe how a local news station works. While sitting there, it was like an internal alarm went off for me and I knew that was not what I wanted for my life. There’s nothing wrong with journalism but it wasn’t something I was passionate about. So I pivoted and took some time to reconnect with myself and followed my gut, my passion, music. Pivoting can be scary but it is also so rewarding. If you have any desire to do something that you enjoy whether it’s sewing, gardening, cleaning, do it. Follow your gut instincts and follow what you feel passionate about.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/donnyvinn (@donnyvinn)
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@donnyvinn?si=0V_15KuR43tKp1IF
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@donnyvinn?_t=8iqshWsOnvj&_r=1

Image Credits
Jon Roberson Keenan Penn II