DAMOYEE performed at the PNC Patio Sessions event last week at Sammons Park. Photo: Jessica Waffles
The weekly PNC Patio Sessions concert series has returned to Sammons Park this Summer at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, featuring live music on Thursday nights 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM outside the Center Café.
Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, composer and producer DAMOYEE performed for the series last week, showcasing her new sound that is cleverly crafted to be as rough and intense as it is calm and euphoric.
Sammons Park in front of the AT&T Performing Arts Center. Photo: Jessica Waffles
DAMOYEE (pronounced “Duh-MOY-yay”) is an adept multi-instrumentalist and vocalist with an affinity for multiple music genres including classical, pop, jazz, R&B, soul, and folk.
The Dallas artist recently graduated from Berklee College of Music, where she found a diverse musical community that helped her expand her creative horizons.
“I got to be there a week early for the Black Scholars Initiative (formerly the Berklee Summer Initiative),” DAMOYEE said. “It was a wonderful way for Black artists to find each other. From that, I found three members to be in my band [in freshman year].”
DAMOYEE has been incorporating a looper into her live music performances lately. Photo: Jessica Waffles
DAMOYEE is celebrating a series of 2023 single releases – including her latest, “don’t know.”
“‘don’t know’ actually started as a demo from my good friend Annie Elise,” DAMOYEE said. “It was a verse and chorus. While she was making it, she sent it to me. I took it on my own and wrote the rest; we co-produced and released it.”
The song is about how sometimes when you’re with someone, it’s “like talking to a brick wall. Talking to someone so thick-headed, it’s not going to go anywhere because they’ll never change,” she said.
Music lovers during the set break came up to purchase DAMOYEE merchandise. Photo: Jessica Waffles
DAMOYEE played a unique version of “don’t know” during her set at the PNC Patio Session, experimenting with her new looper and layering vocals that included beat boxing.
“I started playing around with the looper for content purposes, and one night I was free-styling and thought it would be a cool way to showcase my own songs a cappella,” she said.
DAMYEE fans had a chance to chat with the artist during her set break. Photo: Jessica Waffles
DAMOYEE started her professional career early in life, releasing her first EP Thankful at just 13 years old.
“During the process of [Thankful], I got to learn about being a recording artist. Seeing the recording studio and producer, getting ideas out of my head and seeing the final product in a CD,” she said. “That day, I thought, ‘This is the way. I’m gonna dedicate myself to it by all means.'”
Lyrically and musically, DAMOYEE’s new sound is cleverly crafted to be as rough and intense as it is calm and euphoric.Photo: Jessica Waffles
Her 2019 album The Whole Truth included acclaimed single, “Independent,” which reached top 10 in Europe and top 100 worldwide on the indie charts.
DAMOYEE’s releases have been featured in Paper Magazine, Consequence, American Songwriter and GRAMMY.com – to name a few.
She’s an independent artist and is gearing up for a yet-to-be-announced project that will eventually be shared on her Instagram, TikTok and other social media pages.
“I’m enjoying the independent route,” she said. “I can do whatever I want at my own free will.”
Growing up, DAMOYEE found inspiration from the soulful musings of artists like Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys as she began charting her journey as a pianist and storyteller with enchanting vocals. Photo: Jessica Waffles
Catch the next DAMOYEE performance at Café Momentum on August 20 in Dallas. Tickets include her live music show, a three-course dinner, complimentary drinks and valet parking.
The PNC Patio Sessions calendar continues weekly on Thursdays through the end of June, featuring Clover the Violinist on June 15, Kane Vinson on June 22, and DJ Ursa Minor on June 29.
Hosted right outside the Center Café, the outdoor space offers live music, beverages – including wine, beer and barista drinks. Photo: Jessica Waffles
Jessica Waffles is a freelance photographer/videographer and regular contributor to KXT.
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