( ENSPIRE Entertainment ) Rising Artist and Educator Destiny Stone Discuss With ENSPIRE About New Single and More
ENSPIRE Contributor: Jacara Watkins
Destiny Stone is not just a wife and a new mother, but also a musical educator in North Carolina and a rising artist. Music has always been her passion from the time she was a kid. Her family comes from a musical background such as her grandfather who is part of a gospel quartet. At primary school, Stone and her brothers used karaoke, brought by her grandfather to play.
One brother plays the guitar, the other plays the drum set and Stone plays the piano. To hone her skills, she attended the Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven, Mississippi, where she graduated. Wishing to further her experience, she earned a diploma in folk music at Catawba College in 2018. Destiny Stone’s musical style can be described as a mix of gospel, blues, jazz and soul that appeals to listeners.
For four years, she has performed at The Fillmore in Charlotte, NC; sang an original song for John Oates of Grammy-winning duo Hall and Oates, and performed as a part of the U.S. National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Treasure dedication celebration for the renowned Nina Simone. Presently, Stone has opened for the Grammy-nominated trio The Tones, previously known as The Hamiltones.
She was nominated for a 2019 Carolina Music Award and featured in the March 2020 edition of Salisbury Magazine. In recent years, she has recorded her songs on the Oprah Winfrey Network series “Delilah” and performed at the best venues near Charlotte, NC.
Destiny Stone shares a valuable lesson that she practices in her daily life as an artist and educator, having belief in yourself to her students while helping them reach their full potential as there are no limits in life like how Destiny became both an artist and an educator. It is possible to achieve your dream without losing your passion.
Enspire spoke with Destiny Stone to discuss her inspiration, handling setbacks, hobbies, advice to upcoming upcoming artists, and her new song.
What inspires you to become a singer?
Music is in my bloodline. I come from a family where my great-grandfather and grandfather on my dad’s side were in professional gospel quartets. On top of that, I have a cousin who is a professional jazz singer and so many other relatives who sing in church. I remember taking piano lessons around the third grade after my mother introduced me to the instrument and picking up the guitar in college. So music has always been around as I began to find my voice.
How do you handle setbacks like writer’s block when writing lyrics?
I try not to force myself to write a song because it usually doesn’t go too well. I feel like everyone has their special remedy for when writer’s block hits and instead of rushing to write, I get inspiration from those around me. I’ve reached out to family and see how they’re feeling or what’s new in their life, or I even turn to social media to see if any keywords or content sparks my creative side to get the words flowing! There’s so much going on I could sing about, but I want it to come naturally.
What are your other hobbies besides creating music?
I get a nice brain break with crossword puzzles! Because I’m a music teacher full-time, music is what I do almost 24/7, so I always look forward to stepping away from the piano or music books to keep my word and memory game on point.
What advice can you give to someone who wants to get into the music business?
I would suggest that they are mindful of the amount of social media they consume and what they consume. There were times when I went on social media and saw that I compared myself to other artists. It’s not healthy or productive, and no one truly knows the background of everyone’s success. I also learn to follow the advice that I share with others through my songs, like keeping my light shining.
What can you tell us about your new single?
I released my new single, “They Got Nothing On You” during Black History Month, and I wrote it to be a reminder to stay true to who you are. Stand firm in your uniqueness. I feel that we are quick to acknowledge our shortcomings, but we must also celebrate our accomplishments and successes. I like to tell people, God broke the mold when he made them, and truly no one has anything on you.
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