Recommended Tracks: “Walking To Work,” “Jungle,” “Me Vs You”
Artists You May Like: Simple Creatures, Meet Me @ The Altar, Waterparks
There is no set of rules to follow when it comes to setting yourself up as a musician. No particular way of doing things. No guarantee that everything will work out for you. In today’s society, where basically anyone could make an album in their bedrooms, it is daunting to break away and chase the dream of becoming the next Billie Eilish or Lil Nas X. How do you compete with everyone else? What if your music is not good enough? You just have to trust that what you’re making is the real deal, which is exactly what DE’WAYNE has done to give us his debut album, STAINS.
For the past few years, DE’WAYNE has taken chances. Determined to make it in the music business, DE’WAYNE moved to LA and started saving money to make a debut album. It took years of hard work and dedication to land where he is today, and he recounts this story throughout STAINS. On the sassy “I Know Something” and the restless “Money,” for instance, DE’WAYNE takes us back to where it started, using his cunning work ethic and belief in himself to get to the other side. Even on the glitzy pop track “Walking To Work,” DE’WAYNE mentions, “Funny how you smiled, but you played me like this,” showing that he knows he will win in the end.
DEWAYNE’s “no fear/take all” attitude is inspiring, encouraging the most feeble to push past obstacles that get in their way. As DE’WAYNE describes the chaos of the world on “National Anthem” and trying to prove himself on “Radio-Active,” his resilient spirit shines though. We sense how much he believes in bettering situations and relationships, especially when all hope is gone. The messages of these songs, as well as the high energy that drives them along, are enough to motivate you through your toughest moments; do not stop until you haven given it your all.
While DE’WAYNE’s character and personality are purely of superstar quality, there is also much magic in the music on STAINS. Each track is defiant in its own way, giving us a variety of sounds and genres throughout the album. We have tracks like “Land of Snakes” and “Jungle,” which are more “tame,” as they have a slower pace and a tender feel than other tracks on the album. On the flip side, we have songs like “Perfume” and “Me Vs You,” which are louder, more playful, and extra melodic. Above all, though, the track that is the most original is “Stains,” which is like a combination of songs; one minute is hard hitting hip-hop, the next is very mellow rap with just a side of jazz. By not adhering to standard formulas, DE’WAYNE has shown that it is better to not play by the rules – how else does one develop their own signature sound?
With STAINS, DE’WAYNE gives us more than just a collection of cool, eclectic music – it is a snapshot of who he was, who he is, and who he will be moving forward. It is clear that DE’WAYNE did not care about whether or not an instrumental or a lyric might be too zany for a debut album; he just made the best songs he could make, and treated the project as if it was the last he would ever create. Overall, DE’WAYNE has made his mark, his spot, his stain in the world with this album, and will surely make an even bigger one with the next.
You can listen to STAINS on platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
See DE’WAYNE perform STAINS live on June 26 here.
Keep up with DE’WAYNE: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Website
