The Remarkably Real Da-Pranik

There is never one way to allow your authentic self to shine through. Similarly just how there is never one way to write a song or cut and grow a diamond. We’re all on our own journey, walking down similar yet different paths. Everyday we learn how to let our authentic self shine through a little bit more. The best way I know how to do this is through my writings.

To connect deeply with myself and with others, I use music. Music can be defined as a wild range of things. In my own experience it’s saved my conscious, it’s healed my heart, given me courage, faith, consolation, etc. And I feel like a lot of people can agree with me on that versatility.

Yet although this is true, I would like to make it clear that although I am deeply connected to music, I am not music. Music is an extension of my expression and its representation of the various experiences I go through and witness throughout my time here on Earth.

A wiseman once said, “Just write what you know.” And so that is literally what I do.” Through each one of my songs, I use as an opportunity to let my authentic self shine through.

UnSpoken Love Letters (Album; 2019) was my attempt to break my fear of showing and expressing emotion.

The Powerful Lesson I Learned Here: How freeing it is, to express my side of the story, to give myself (and others) a voice. While simultaneously shattering the illusion that I didn’t have a voice.

Beat Take Over (Mixtape; 2020) was my attempt to just go with the flow and allow my creative inspiration to guide me.

The Powerful Lesson I Learned Here: The importance and benefit of balancing my work life with my other day to day priorities and interests.

Fresh Out (EP September/October; 2020) & No Interference (EP November/December; 2020). The two projects where I produced a song entirely from scratch and then released it, that same week, was my attempt to challenge and push myself past the limits of what I believed to be possible for myself as an Artist.

The Powerful Lesson I Learned Here: The importance of working with a team. Trying to do everything myself is truly self-defeating. At the same time I learned how determined, dedicated, self-reliant, and self-sufficient I can be when my heart is truly set on something. If I don’t know how or I hit a road block, I simply do whatever it takes to find a way around.

M.i.A (Single; 2021) was my call to bring myself back home to my authentic self. A reminder of who I am. Not as an Artist, not as a friend, not as an employee, etc. But who that person is “at the end of the day” when “no one is watching”.

The Powerful Lesson I Learned Here: Patience and faith. What it truly means to create out of love and flow rather than force and pressure.

Now I know you’re probably sitting here thinking to yourself, “Well what do all of these lessons have to do with your authentic self? 🥴🤨”

My answer to that is each of these lessons, in addition to the stories shared in each of my songs, the core of it, is the true nature of my authentic self. For example in reference to the inspiration behind my album UnSpoken Love Letters, the “fake me” is afraid to express how she feels and likely never would have dared to put out such a bold project, the “authentic me” speaks her truth without letting the fear of confrontation hold her back and finds the courage to make the album and share it.

In conclusion music is how I allow my authentic self to shine through. To hone in the courage to express oneself with a level of confidence to the point it looks like anyone could do the same, is truly a skill. To authentically give your all at something, is a skill. So I honor and embrace that. And as a direct result, I inspire and uplift because of that. Some might even call it music with a conscience. 🧐

Thanks for reading,

You can dive into my music here.

“As an Artist, as a Creator, it is my job to express the unexpressable.”

- Da-Pranik