Today we’d like to introduce you to Aquil Dantzler.
Aquil, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m just a youngboul from Philly trying to do his thing. I do a little soul and R&B singing on the side. I make music that’s honest, uplifting, with smooth, soulful vocals and heartfelt lyrics. It’s an extension of me. My interest in being an artist was ignited in high school when he started collaborating with rapper Tanner Hicks. Tan introduced me to some other creative dudes who went to our school. We started a collective called MGS, and we performed at open mics, recorded original music, and created music videos. Around my junior started a group with my friend D’ante called DNA, and when I went away to Morehouse for my freshman year, we dropped our first record on Soundcloud called “chunky thighs.” Even after that, I didn’t decide on pursuing a career in music. I was still growing, maturing, and working on myself. It wasn’t till I dropped “Summer Day,” two years later, that I knew it was something I was ready to take seriously. After years of struggling with self-induced feelings of inadequacy and insecurity in the shadow of my parents’ successful music careers, I had an emotional breakthrough, my sophomore year of college, after his grandma passed. I was about to fail out of Morehouse. It was music and my friends that helped me cope with the grief. Everything changed after that. I started to realize that I shouldn’t keep pushing away the very thing that I loved to do more than anything. That’s when I bought my equipment and got to work. Learning how to write, record, mix, master, and grow my voice.
I’ve never looked back. You see, I grew up in a household enveloped with an aura that screamed soul music. It later developed into my deep love of music. As the oldest son of the Kindred the Family Soul, I had the opportunity to watch two of the best to do it. I grew up being my parent’s biggest fan. The majority of the music I listened to I picked from watching and listening and being around with my parents and their peers, soaking in all the love, knowledge, and wisdom of amazing creatives and artists. Little did I know this also the beginning of what I call my village. You see, it was the love I received and the knowledge I soaked up from my parents, my family, and the music that began to inspire my outlook on life. This “village” I talked about earlier, had just continued to grow as I’ve experienced all of the most formative periods in my life. God, Teachers who believed in the potential I couldn’t see, people who show my love because they feel connected to my parents, my friends who accepted me for who I am, my brother and sisters, all a part of this support system for me. I credit them all for pushing me, encouraging me, and believing in me. So that I could grow into the man, I am today. This love helped me decide who I wanted to be. At that point, I knew that my purpose was to give back that same love to people who didn’t have it, even despite the fact, it took me a while to understand and feel like I was deserving of all that love.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s hasn’t been smooth at all. A lot of it was trial and error and learning from a cycle of failures that seemed perpetually. I struggled a lot with my emotional stability and my wellness. I had to get my mind right. First, that was the hardest hurdle for me. I have to believe in myself and realize that my pace was different from everyone else.
We’d love to hear more about your music.
I’m a self-taught singer/songwriter. I also taught myself how to record and mix vocals. I don’t think that I’m necessarily different. My music is honest and vulnerable, that’s what makes it different I suppose. It’s crazy to think that nowadays people who look at you like you’re different for just being yourself—kind of ironic. So far, I’m definitely most proud of finishing my debut project.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
One time my dad surprised me with courtside tickets to a sixers game. We were playing the Orlando Magic and won by 8 points. I’ll never forget that moment. It was the moment that I started loving everything, Philly. Every team, every artist, everything that had to do with my city.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquildawud/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/aquildawud
Image Credit:
@izchi
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