Today we’d like to introduce you to Dvisy Bellis.
Hi Dvisy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a solo artist. I primarily do music, but lately I’ve been dabbling into other mediums to help expand on the story that my music is telling. From writing to film. I’ve been an active musician in Atlanta since 2006 as a founding member of several projects over the years.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Standing in my own way has been the biggest setback. I’ve always seen art as a collaboration. Sharing your vision with others so you can gain new perspective, but the issue comes from compromising your vision to the point that you can no longer see it. It devours your passion.
Delegation turned to stagnation, confidence to complacency, and love to apathy. Nothing got done, no project reached its full potential. Developing a sense of self-reliance was the biggest struggle. Accepting the fact that I depended on others to the point that I couldn’t rely on myself.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m known for writing about the human condition, mental illness, and heartbreak. Everything I write comes from experience. I shed light on the darkest parts of my life to give others something to identify with. There are a couple of things that set me apart from other artists.
One, as an artist, my work doesn’t present a light at the end of the tunnel. I offer no solution or resolve for the struggles I write about. I used to feel like I could be the beacon of hope, a positive reinforcement. I’ve come to find that my work is not the light. It’s a shadow. A constant shadow with its own magnetic force likened to the abyss. My purpose is to articulate that darkness, to withstand the pressure, and identify what it’s like for those who can relate. There’s no lengths that I won’t go to relay the truth.
What I mean by that, for instance, I’m currently finalizing my short film which is all about the impact of mental illness on heartbreak in a tumultuous relationship. Getting back to the self. Every shot is directly from my phone, every tear, every smile, and every moment is an actual piece of my life. I did everything for it. From the music to the writing to the editing. I sifted through 3 years of footage from my life and went as far as to read messages.
I know every picture and every video in my phone. It was like time traveling to the beautiful moments of my past and coming back to now. The present moment felt so warm and bright before I did this short film. I spent the better part of last year evolving and growing, healing and recovering, but sacrificing food and sleep for 24 hour sessions of nonstop editing the smallest details of my personal struggles with mental illness and heartbreak.. Nobody should ever do that. Nobody should be editing themselves crying in private moments in fear of the future they’re currently living in. The irony is not lost on me that the title of my short film is ‘letting go.’
I’ve found that a lot of artists provide themselves a safety net. They have a totem. A distinction or separation that allows them to know when the music stops or when the show is over. Their work is cathartic and they heal through it by helping others. I have no safety net. I measure the worth of my work by the emotion that it stirs within me. If I don’t feel it, if it doesn’t fuck me up in some way, then it’s not real and it shouldn’t exist.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m looking forward to completing my work. To seeing projects from start to finish and truly finding out what I’m capable of alone. I’ve never been self-sufficient with anything I’ve done until now. I’ve never had so much time or energy to devote to my work. There’s a seemingly limitless creativity and relentless drive that I’ve never known. Im eager to break through.
I’ve had the privilege of working with so many extraordinarily talented individuals and they’ve taught me so much, but there was always a point when the project started to feel forced and contrived. Formulaic and uninspired. Checking boxes and painting by numbers, so to speak. I smiled through it and overcompensated for it because I never had the heart to say anything. I wouldn’t have even known what to say if I did. It’s just a feeling. You know when something’s not right.
Where I am is where I belong. Where I’ve always been and where I was meant to be. It sounds like a happily ever after, but I’d urge anyone reading to come into my world before you jump to that conclusion. This is going to cost me everything. A price that I was never willing to pay until I had nothing left to lose. Thats where we are. Burn out or burn bright. All or nothing. Death or transcendence. There is no in between. I don’t exist outside of this. I used to live my life and write about my dreams. Now, I live my dream and write about my life. Living your dream isn’t about fame or fortune. It’s about aligning with your purpose and turning every aspect of your life into an extension or reminder of it.
As far as current projects go, I’m currently in the studio working on my debut album called ‘Somewhere in the ether.’ I’m producing a couple of artists that I aim to take under my wing and expand my universe with. I’m releasing a short film called ‘letting go’ that you’ll be able to find on YouTube and links on all of my socials @dvisybellis.
Alongside my short film, I’ll be releasing a dark rendition of ‘Maneater’ featuring Ginger V. I’ve got music videos.
Apart from that, I aim to expand into more content (short form and extended) video diaries, the creative process, anything and everything that will continue to sharpen my skills, convey my story, and relay everything I’ve built brick by brick. This is only the beginning.
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Contact Info:
- Instagram: Dvisybellis
- Facebook: Dvisybellis
- Youtube: Dvisybellis
Image Credits
Photography by Nina 9
