Meet Gaddie

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gaddie. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gaddie below.

Gaddie, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

I overcame imposter syndrome with a simple solution called individualism and a bit of solitude. When I first started singing and playing guitar, I had emulated all that I’d known at the time. Voices like Eddie Vedder and Mac DeMarco held a very strong influence on what I sounded like simply because that is all I had known. The problem with imposter syndrome isn’t oneself (mostly) but it’s really how far you’re willing to stray from yourself to please others or not have to do the work of finding yourself. So, I went out less and forged myself into everything I imagined that I would be. No one can do exactly what you do and that was enough to move me into me.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

My name is Deonta Gaddy Jr, also known as Gaddie. I am from/based in Flint, Michigan and I make soul/blues/jazz/folk music, or in my words “filling”. The most exciting part of music is the community and opportunities that can come from doing your purpose. When I write, it’s all relevant to the experiences that I’ve had, saw, or simply want to be. When you listen to it, you’re listening to the things on my mind and what I’ve chosen to share so far, I continue to do so for the rest of my life. Soon I really would like to make more visuals for them as well. I’ll have music on the upcoming indie film, “Bloodsuckers of Bushwick” directed by Layla Bird Revoldt.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The first skill that I had to have was knowing nothing and learning everything. Often times when you try to learn something new, a common (mistake) thing that I’d make was telling others or myself, ” I know”, repeatedly when in reality, I didn’t. That phrase, though so harmless coming from the mouth, can really stop your growth in a major way or block off everything you possibly could know. I taught myself how to play guitar, but I knew nothing from the jump. It wasn’t until I became a sponge and went to see local artist venues, open mics, and simply jammed with others that I truly became a better guitarist. Knowing nothing gave me everything to gain.

The second skill you need is self-confidence, it’s not an easy skill obtained and takes work to maintain, but very much necessary. If your confidence is based off external recognition, you’ve already lost. Some people will absolutely love you while others can’t stand the sound or sight of you, you would constantly be on the up and down putting your confidence into man. The key is to get your own source and craft it to be unwavering.

The third thing is loving what you do. For over half of my life, music has been my main passion and purpose. From listening and dancing to Motown records with my grandmother, playing instruments in grade school through college, singing in church choir, freestyles with my brothers and dad, or playing shows on a weekly basis. I have loved music for a very long time and without the love or the fun in it, it could feel like a liability or a job. You’ve got to love the thing that gives you the juice to be you every day or it will fail. Not to say there weren’t days of burnout and exhaustion or weeks that I took a break from it entirely, but I’ve always kept some form of it in my daily routine. Just being in the midst of that thing even if it’s not you doing it is also enough

To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did was expose me to so much at such a young age. In my early days, my mother was the one who taught the basics of poetry and raised me in the church with family. My mother’s paternal side were made up of pastors and musicians, each of my great uncles played in instrument in the church band; Drums, bass, organ, keyboard, guitar, and my mother sang in the worship groups. Saturday mornings were spent cleaning to a variety of soul music that was made before either of us were thought of. My father was a poet and a dancer, he would sometimes make beats via drums, desktop, or software as well. My earliest memories were discovering his journals and reading them so young that I could hardly get the references but still felt inspired to do so and making up songs with him and my brothers.

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Image Credits

Photo credits for Spartan sweatshirt photos: Delano Moore II
Photo credits for purple image: Kira Light

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