The experience I have had throughout my career as a journalist is that I always attract the perfect subject at the exact right moment.
About a month after I had just moved back to Nashville, I discovered the music of country artist Denitia through an article in The Nashville Scene. Rarely do I contact a potential interview subject whom I have read about in the press. My method for finding my subjects has always been via ‘word of mouth’ with one human being leading me to the next. However, I would have regretted shying away from what I wanted because it didn’t fit into some formula. Neither has Denitia, who, as an African American woman, has broken the mold in terms of what typically fits into one’s perception of a country music artist. While Denitia is still independent, her career has skyrocketed since moving back to Nashville, where she has lived twice as a graduate of Vanderbilt University. Listening to her inner voice, she decided to return to the place where she grew up and get back to the music she listened to as a child: country.
However, the most critical decision Denitia made was in 2020 when she had time to take a much-deserved respite during the pandemic. Looking inward, as many of us did, she realized that the indie pop music she was creating in Brooklyn at the time no longer served her—at least on a spiritual level. What was pulling at this highly emotionally intelligent artist’s heartstrings was classic country music from the 80’s and 90’s a la Reba McEntire, George Straight, and all of the other artists she listened to on the radio with her childhood pals. I write artists with an italic because, in my humble opinion, the stars of this generation were more deeply connected to their hearts and therefore, creativity, just as Denitia is. While the idea of changing gears dramatically may have seemed extreme to Denitia, as her mother reminded her, it was actually a return to her core. In a sense, she was journeying back to where it all started. Hence, a moving truck was packed up and driven to Nashville, when her instincts told her – rightfully- that her timing might be epic.
While I could write a novel about the many lessons one can glean from this interview (the power of a regular creative practice, staying connected to whatever nurtures you, and remembering to always look for the beauty in life) I will leave you with my favorite message vis a vis a quote from Denitia: “I look at the experience of playing music as a bridge between what I first experienced in childhood, which was a spiritual connection to my craft, and what I get out of it in adulthood which is to have an experience that transcends all of us.” To Denitia, music truly is how she stays in tune with her purest essence. Simply by listening to her lovely tunes on “Sunset Drive” and this interview, I can promise you a sense of being a little more centered.
Thank you for taking the time to engage in a meaningful conversation, Lily <3
Link to Spotify Interview with Denitia
