Dende is back, and the music is as infectious as ever.
The rising R&B crooner is making a return to releasing music after a momentary hiatus. However, the time away that was incited due to a combination of personal matters and transitioning from a label to now being an independent artist—Dende is entering this new era empowered and ready to deliver his best work yet.
In a casual yet revealing interview, I sat down with Dende and we discussed what to expect from him in this renewing chapter, and his recently released single “Situationships,” which dropped September 16. Dende emphasized that the creation of this track was partly inspired by the fact that when it comes to today’s dating scene “the bar is in hell.”
Zhakira Razhé: So, having gone through the experience of situationships, then being inspired to put it in a song, what advice would you give to your friends now when it comes to situationships?
Dende: Don’t get it in them. I don’t know. I feel like somebody’s always gonna catch feelings. Like, that’s just the nature of sharing an intimate act with each other. Eventually, somebody’s gonna catch feelings. And both might, but sometimes, most of the time it’s usually just one person. Just don’t get in one. Like, to be honest.
Zhakira Razhé: I feel that. From your music, it’s obvious that you’re somebody who takes most of your experiences within your relationships and puts them in songs. How does that impact you personally when that’s part of your creative process—is that alchemizing for you?
Dende: I feel like when I’m writing them and recording them, it feels a little bit like a release. When I’m performing them, it’s a little different. Like depending on what type of song it is, if it’s like a sad, sad song, that kind of takes a little bit of an emotional toll eventually. But, I mean, I think that it also makes for a more authentic performance of the song anyway.
Zhakira Razhé: This new release does feel like a new introduction to you as an artist. So how would you describe your place right now in life?
Dende: I’m at a place of renewed energy and determination to reach the goals I have set for myself. I feel like I’ve seen two sides of this music world already, and I know which side I kind of want to be on right now. I’m just working towards making that side sustainable.
Zhakira Razhé: As you made this transition into being independent, what are some key realizations you’ve had now that you no longer are a part of a major label—has that, impacted your creative output?
Dende: The difference is I am seeing how much freer I was before to not just create, but like act on that creation like that [snaps fingers]. For example, with the label I was with, if I had an idea for something and I wanted to post it on the internet. Well, that song is out with them, so, if somebody isn’t in the office to greenlight my video, it’s getting taken down and I can’t promote my music.
Zhakira Razhé: As you reintroduce yourself to listeners as an independent artist, what elements within your music do you feel connect to your audience the most?
Dende: Vulnerability, openness. A lot of my songs people can relate to or they feel them because I can feel them when I’m recording them. So I think people really resonate with the authenticity of the music.
Zhakira Razhé: Yeah, all your music sounds very honest, which I feel like improves the quality of music in general. So I definitely agree with that. It’s very authentic, extremely vulnerable. It makes the art more beautiful, honestly.
Dende: Thank you.
Zhakira Razhé: What are some descriptors that you would use to describe the sonic world of Dende?
Dende: A mixture of Old Baptist Church, and Pop R&B kind of blending together, if that makes sense.
Zhakira Razhé: Did you grow up in church singing? Were you in the choir?
Dende: I wouldn’t call it a choir. My dad was a pastor, at a really small church. At one point the choir was my sister and me.
Zhakira Razhé: Oh, wow, I love that!
Dende: Eventually, they got more people into the choir, and then I started playing the drums.
Zhakira Razhé: I feel like, like when you’re an artist, your influences are always kind of shifting. What are some of the influences you feel are a part of your foundation, and what influences do you feel like you’re currently appreciating?
Dende: Influences a part of my foundation, again, I would say [the] Baptist Church. I didn’t even mean the choir. I meant like the pastors. They’ll be talking, and then it just ends up, like they’re almost belting, but like they’re singing.
Zhakira Razhé: Yeah, it’s like the cadence and delivery that they have.
Dende: I would say that. I would say, like, actual artists—Luther Vandross, that was my first CD I ever had.
Zhakira Razhé: Wow, that’s a good one.
Dende: He’s amazing. I would say singing-wise—John Legend. And Chance the Rapper. I am still a huge Chance the Rapper fan. I love everything that was going on in Chicago music at that time. Now, there are a lot of artists I like. I like Sasha Keable a lot, I like Leon Thomas a lot. I love Lucky Daye—he’s amazing.
Zhakira Razhé: Mhmmm [nods in approval]
Dende: If we’re talking about not the music and we’re talking about the visuals and the world building—I think I would relate and pull from Tyler, The Creator a lot.
Zhakira Razhé: Oh, I love that. It’s very cinematic.
Dende: Yeah, I love how he puts you into a world. Even if you don’t understand the world. He puts you in it, and I appreciate that.
Zhakira Razhé: Is there anything that you feel you’re creating right now that’s kind of giving to a space that maybe something is missing? Where you feel like, it’s unique to just you as an artist?
Dende: I think all my music is unique to myself, but I would say, I don’t think there’s anything new under the sun. I don’t think I’ve created anything. I don’t think anybody has created stuff. I think it all just exists. [Pondering] What did Michael Jackson say? He had to go record because if he didn’t record immediately, God was going to give it to Prince.
Zhakira Razhé: [Laughs]
Dende: I do, truly believe in that. But, the other music that I’m about to put out. I’m bringing back more of the yearning, the crooning, the belting—really feeling the music. I’m bringing that feel back.
Zhakira Razhé: Alright, I love to hear that! We need that.
Dende: A hundred percent.
Zhakira Razhé: Outside of being an artist, you do have a lot of roles. You’re a father, you’re a husband. How does that impact your inner world as an artist? Are there a lot of things you pull from there, or do you tend to keep the world of being an artist separate from those responsibilities?
Dende: To be honest with you, I’m trying to be better at blending them. I feel like when I became a father and a husband, I kind of just like partitioned off the two worlds and then started standing on one side of the world. I’m trying to be a whole lot better at blending them. So I can pull from the other side. But, it’s an ongoing thing that I’m working on, to be honest with you.
Zhakira Razhé: What are the ways that you feel supported by your family or your fans while being an independent artist?
Dende: Oh, man. It might not seem like a lot, but [them] sharing the music. Literally just clicking and sharing on your story helps so much. Listening to the music, even if you don’t like it. Because I don’t know if everybody likes my music, in my family [laughs]. Just listen to it, you know? Give me a stream. Sharing helps because even if it isn’t your cup of tea, somebody else is gonna like it. Even if you only have five people who watch your story, one of those five people might really like my music, and they might become somebody who shows up to a show and gets merch, talks to us, and hangs out with my team. Stuff like that helps.
Zhakira Razhé: Yeah, absolutely! So, as we experience this new era of Dende and the continuation of your craft, what is it that you’re most excited for listeners to experience?
Dende: I am excited for them to dive into this world that we had already set up before it got kind of stalled. I’m ready for them to experience the story that I wanted to tell two years ago. So, I’m just excited for that. And then I’m excited to go back on the road.
ddd