Nationally Recognized CHARLESTON MUSICIANS LEAVE IN SEARCH OF SUCCESS, OPPORTUNITIES BY HEATH ELLISON
CHARLESTON CITY PAPER 10.21.2020
Where do musicians go from here? For each new album, big show or unexpected collaboration, that question often rings. Some branch out to promote important causes; others dig deep to push their creative limits. Others hit the road.
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You’ll hear about each artist’s unique story in their lyrics, and for many that means heading into the unknown in search of new listeners and to learn a little more about themselves. Electronic dance music creator Don Crescendo talked to us in September about his move to Chicago and recently told us exactly what it was that drew him to the Windy City. “There was something in the back of my mind that was like, ‘There’s an energy here that I could tap into,’ ” Crescendo said. “There were people that were DJing ... There were more people here who I thought could help me expand on the sound that I was still developing.” He’s quick to add that Charleston wasn’t necessarily lacking anything, but the edgy dance beats he was moving toward felt more at home in the Chicago. “I was more so evolving out of the scene versus not feeling like I had a place in the scene,” he said. Crescendo’s applied his handcrafted club mixes to varied media as well, contributing his music to art installations. But, one of the biggest differences he has seen is Chicago’s continued push for social justice, equity and diversity, especially in the DIY music scene. “I feel like a lot of the communities here are very pushed on making sure that if you are in these community spaces, or if you are promoting yourself, you are also here to support everyone else in the scene,” he said. “Chicago also has a built-in sense of making sure that supporting the scene means supporting the issues that affect the people within it as well.” Some artists meticulously planned their moves, but rapper LayWills laid down roots in Los Angeles on a whim. After visiting for a friend’s birthday in 2018, she decided to cancel her plane ticket back to Charleston. LayWills has also continued her career transition from acting to rapping, spending more time as a musical artist in L.A. than in Charleston. “When I was in Charleston, I was just starting to develop my
DON CRESCENDO HAS CONTRIBUTED MUSIC TO ART INSTALLATIONS IN CHICAGO