Davey Donovan

Hi Davey, how would you describe your music in three words, and what makes your sound diverse?


Layered, emotionally driven and punchy. 

Layered in terms of sound and frequencies. I want to make sure that all (qualities) sounds, which is on purpose, are an addition to the production/song. Sometimes it’s just one sample that fills in a lot of space. That can be enough already, but then it’s important that the hook is really strong, so it will not sound monotone. The key is that there is enough room for the vocals to blend. 

Emotionally driven, as I always try to stir up a certain emotion even without the vocals (most of the time it’s in minor - I don’t know why but it always happens). 

Punchy, as I always prefer my drums to be clean and hitting so it stands out.

What makes my music diverse is that I use elements of all genres and blend it under the Hip-Hop umbrella. I love the hunt for a good sample! For instance: I can find a nice sample, then combine it with a synthesizer sound (inspired by a different genre like house/techno) or traditional folk music and then blend as one whole.

You've worked with artists like Hef, Kevin, and Jonna Fraser. What's it like working with these big names?


Working with above named artists is such an enjoyable experience. Each of them has their own way of creating a song. For instance, Hef is an artist that suddenly raps a whole verse in my ear while I’m still working on the production. Kevin and Lijpe are both laid back during the process and jump behind the mic whenever they're ready and throw the most crazy bars. Jonna is an artist that write the song after he lays down all of the melodies first. It’s impressive to see the workflow of the artists I work with. This also makes me curate my approach differently per artist.

Do you adjust your approach for each artist you work with?


Seeing the way in which others work, I try to curate my approach differently per artist. Before I go into the studio, I’ll always make sure that I have a bunch of projects ready to go. With ready to go I mean, it’s good enough to loop and write/record. Therefore, I have studied their catalog to see what suits the artist and also try to bring beats that might take them out of their comfort zone. I also don’t want to keep the artist waiting too long. That will delay their creative flow. Sometimes it takes 17 beats before Hef picks one. But ‘Fisherman’ was actually the first beat that I played for Kevin. I played 10 more beats after that one, but when I asked him if there is something he felt, he told me “I was already writing on the first one. Play the first one again.” Most of the times I finish the song by myself in another session to let the demo sink in a bit. I also love to take time arranging/finishing a song and don’t want to “waste” their time listening to all the adjustments.

You've been part of huge projecrs like Koud and Gate 16. Which projects are you most proud of, and why?

Each project is really important to me but if I have to name some, it would be:

Hef - ‘Papierwerk’ was my first song with Hef that was released on all streaming platforms. It was also my first invoice ever sent. I remember it like it was yesterday haha!

Hef - ‘Koud’ was my first project as a Creative Projectmanager (marketing), working for the biggest Hip-hop labels (Top Notch & Noah’s Ark) and actually his first #1 album ever. Hef even trusted me giving his login details (risky!!) for his social media so I could go and post whatever I thought was needed to hype up his fans, but still in Hef’s way.

Hef - ‘Tranen’ because of the whole Los Angeles writing camp with Spanker, Kevin, Crooks and Merry (cameraman). Everything was inspiring and we had a good time! This was another #1 album that I project managed and where I produced a couple songs for.

Hef - ‘Rook’ was made during covid. This is my favorite album. I remember that we were not allowed to go out of our houses from the government. However, we managed to do it secretly and recorded it in the basement studio and now the album is good for a golden plague, which is not that easy to get nowadays.

Kevin - 'Grote Versnelling’ because of the song ‘Fisherman’ I produced it together with Spanker. Kevin's way of thinking and writing is just on another level. It’s not a commercial song at all but it still reached a big crowd. I’ve seen him performing this song live with a band at his own sold out show in Ahoy…pff goosebumps! This would be my first platinum song soon, something I never would have dreamed of as a young kid.

Yade Lauren - ‘niet_die_bitch.mp3’. Fun fact: this song is made during covid as well. She recorded this song on her EarPods microphone on a YouTube beat and sent it over to me. We mixed it as it was because it was hitting in a way that you cannot imitate. Crazy to say that this song went gold as well. Really proud of it!

Sticks - ‘Stickmatic’ album. For ‘Stickmatic’, Sticks was in a streak of releasing a song every week until the whole album is released. I wanted to jump on this train immediately as I really liked this new way of working. We set up a session with Lijpe and himself, for me two goats in the scene. Watching two legendary artists going back to back on my production motivated me even more!

What advice would yougive to new producers who want to have a long career like yours?


Produce the music you love and try not to focus on quick fame or trends only. An important factor is to be patient and invest time and effort into your craft. Networking is also an important factor. Be on time for appointments. That is professional and that shows how much you really want it. Try to do as much research in artists/sounds/productions/interviews/albums/history as you can and keep doing it, even if you achieved your success. Learn how to work fast and under pressure, because those times will come too often. Make sure you are always ready to go. It’s a marathon, not a race.

In an ever-changing industry, how do you stay motivated to keep creating new music?


To be honest, we all have our ups and downs when it comes to motivation. I think that it’s very human. We do need some time off sometimes. Last year I took a couple months off, which was my longest break on music ever. Luckily, I got my motivation and inspiration back again. Motivation and inspiration can come from the smallest things. For me it can be an interview, a video, a new plugin or a different location for example. That’s why I always bring my laptop during holidays, even though my holidays are actually booked to recharge. But if the inspiration comes, I need to have an outlet.

You've built strong relationship with artists like Hef. How important is it to build good connections in the music industry?


I think it is essential to have a good relationship besides having a chemistry in the studio. Artists share their life story on a beat, that puts them in a very vulnerable position. When I create something, I expose my feelings too. I think this is the start of a good connection, which can lead up to a strong and trustful relationship. You cannot work without both trust and chemistry.

What was your first memory of music and how does it make you feel when you hear it now?


We did not have the luxury of having CD’s at home. Whenever I was visiting my auntie, I was always looking into their cabinet as she had a broad CD collection of different artist/genres. They had an very good sound system in their living room. There was something in this music that triggered me in a positive way. 


But the thing that really introduced me to hip-hop for the first time was The Box (music channel), where they showcased rap videos (locally and globally) every now and then. Shortly after, we finally had our first computer at home and I found out about platforms such as YouTube, Limewire and Kazaa. That’s when the love for hip-hop really began to grow. I felt understood and represented. It was my life coach. It taught me how to talk, how to move, how to hustle, how to stay strong in difficult situations, how to stay determined, how to recognize the real from the fakes and so many other lessons. When I hear the music from back then, I get flashbacks and I still feel a little emotional thinking about how hard life was for me, but I have so much gratitude at the same time. It kept me away from choosing a wrong path, motivated me to stay focussed and to make the best out of life. I am thankful that I can contribute to something that has played a huge role in my life. 

What's something for or surprising about you or the way you make music that your supporters might not know?

I started creating beats on stolen laptops and bad quality Logitech speakers. I tried to make as much as I could on a demo version of Fruity Loops with no plugins (because we had no money). The struggle with this demo version was that I couldn’t save a beat and re-open it. So I had to keep all of my projects open for months, which led to a laptop that was never turned off. My mom was definitely not happy about it, so we ended up having heated discussions about the electricity bill. 

The fun fact about this all, is that this way of working eventually got me accepted into the music school, where I studied for 2 years to become an ‘artist/producer'. That’s when my career started to take off.