We were lucky to catch up with Dylan Peet recently and have shared our conversation below.
Dylan, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
My most recent project “Forever Blu’z” stands out as most meaningful to me. This EP is a jazz-inspired collection of songs that take place in an open-mic setting. Aside from the Gospel genre, jazz was my earliest introduction to music, and its influence can be seen throughout my career as an artist. I expressed my creativity the most with this project, introducing fictional characters “V” & “Quest,” as well as using different audio effects that simulated a real time experience for listeners. Each song received its own music video, which was the first time I’d done that for an entire EP. Taking it a step further, all of the instrumentation was manually recorded with real instruments to add to the live feeling of the project. I’ve always prided myself in making music that reflected my reality, and I feel that “Forever Blu’z” has a healthy balance of skill, innovation & sincerity. This project means the most to me because I approached the creation process with the mindset of making something that I like as opposed to something that I hope will be liked, and that perspective allowed me to create my most complete body of work to date.
Dylan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a 27-year old hip hop artist from Nassau, The Bahamas. I initially got into music by writing poems for girls I liked. Instead of traditionally asking them to be my girlfriend, I would learn intricate details about them and weave those details into a poetic request. After finding success with this, I had the realization that I knew how to effectively communicate my thoughts and feelings, and began to use music as an outlet for expression. I started releasing music in 2011 under the name “Dyllz,” and recorded my songs using cheap headphones and the mic of a USB Logitech webcam. Since that time, I’ve learned how to properly record, mix and master my music. I’ve also learned graphic and video design for cover arts & visualizers. Being an independent artist for so long has allowed me the opportunity to learn new skills & wear multiple hats, as well as learning about the business and marketing side of the art. What sets me apart from others is my focus on technical skill when I write, such as metaphors, similes and wordplay. To me, rap is poetry, and poetry is literature, so combining literary features holds immense significance for the type of artist I want to be perceived as. A lifetime-goal of mine is to have my music studied at a university level. Throughout the course of my career, I can proudly say I’ve never conformed myself or my style to suit any specific trend. I’ve poured my life experiences, vulnerabilities and insecurities into my art with hopes of deeply connecting with listeners as opposed to having a trendy single on radio. Though, I wouldn’t mind if my music organically ended up being broadcasted across radio stations, but that isn’t the overarching goal. I simply want to use my God-given talents as a voice for those that may not be as gifted in the art of communication, and to continue putting out music for the love of the sport.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My ultimate goal is to create a non-profit arts center for young Bahamians that offers lessons and access to equipment that can help bring creative visions to life. This center will house not only musicians, but dancers, graphic designers, illustrators and more. I believe that a space where children have the freedom and opportunity to explore different art mediums will produce a culture of persons that feel closely aligned to their purpose, and that have an overall better quality of life. I was fortunate enough to be blessed with the means to pursue my dreams, but unfortunately that isn’t the reality for most Bahamians. The vision is to make this center as accessible as possible, removing the barrier of entry that most art forms have. Additionally, it would serve as a safe environment and outlet for those in need. Music has changed my life tremendously and I would love to pay it forward to the next generation.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I attended university in Ada, Oklahoma where I obtained a Bachelors degree in Computer Science. Shortly after graduating, I relocated to Florida where I began my career as an IT professional. I used my employment as a means to fund my career as an artist, and saw great success over the course of my three years in the Central Orlando area. During this time, I had immense progress in both the musical and job-related aspects of my life. I had great responsibility at my place of employment, being the sole IT technician at my office. Additionally, I was performing at shows and events on a weekly basis, and was well-connected with the music scene in the city. However, this all changed in February of this year when I was forced to move back to the Bahamas in order to stay in compliance with my legal status as a nonresident alien. I’d been in the United States for seven years prior, and built a life for myself there. The move back home felt devastating and regressive to all the things I’d accomplished. I wasn’t ready to pivot so drastically. Both fields, information technology and music, can be seen as underdeveloped areas in The Bahamas. I didn’t know how, or if, I’d be able to continue making progressive strides in these domains that are so attached to my core. Since moving home, though, I’ve been able to use this pivot as a strength and emerge as the resilient overachiever that I’ve always been. I’ve been blessed to continue working as an IT professional, and also have several paid shows. Moving back home has also granted me the opportunity to become more hands on in both areas, and grow in ways that may not have been attainable in the past. I firmly believe that nothing that happens in life is by chance, and because of that I’ll always be right where I’m destined to be.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dylanxpeet/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/DYLANXPEET
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTU3FRq81JSMARGaIUAQCpA
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Others: Spotify: https://open.spotify.
com/artist/ 7kre3jMp8xxGNj1uqPH01j Linktree: https://linktr.ee/dylanxpeet
Image Credits
Trevell Jervis, Leon Orange Jr., Duff Music Group, Unlucky Rabbit Studio