Meet Donovan Tate | CEO of Synthetique Beat/Producer/Recording Artist/Poet/Short Story Writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Donovan Tate and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donovan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I’ve wanted to release my music independently. Being in the music industry is a shiesty business. Artists are manipulated and exploited by record companies. By having freedom being independent, I can make the music I want, and release an album without having a deadline. I don’t have to rush to put out a record. I can take as much time I want. I do everything myself even do the cover for my albums, By taking a business class in college, it helped me to promote and market and find my niche. I create my own image that fits me and my personality and the type of music I do. My music is set in different genres because I don’t do just one type of music. But now I’m back to my original roots doing Electronic when I was age 12. Competition is the thing in the music business. I just do me. I’m not competitive. I take pride in what I do. And very proud of myself by getting where I wanted to be. I have 41 years in this crazy music industry. An award or Grammy doesn’t phase me. God gave me a gift to used, which is music. And I’m using it without a benefit of a doubt.

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Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
When I create music, it be for different projects I’m working on. I started doing New Wave as a young teenager back in the 1980’s. It was the movement then, especially using synthesizers as dominant instruments. At age 19, I was in a band with my cousin Philip. Both of us was in college. We started a New Wave band called The Two. In my mid-twenties, I collab with a friend who I met at a Greek restaurant where we worked at. We recorded a five track electronic music demo at his house. I got into the Goth scene by being inspired. The music I create is dark anyway. I blend in perfectly. Goth bands I became more influence are Clan Of Xymox and The Cure, The Cure was main influence when I was a teenager, The Cure dabbled in different genres of music as well. I released my first gothic album in 2006 under the alias name Dawn Chorus. It got mixed reviews in the US and in the UK. My cousin Daron helped me produced the album. I was also recording a electronic album at the same time for a record label I was signed on. I was under the alias name Donovan 2525. I released a synth-pop/dark wave record under the name Xi-Vox. As I got older, I went back to my original roots doing electronic music. Sometimes I may composed a classical composition. I love classical and opera. Composing electronic and fused it with classical is a great combination. Experimental and creating something different helps my creativity and ideas. Even listening to other artists, especially underground and unheard who are not known gives me the inspiration. Music soundtracks gives me inspiration as well. I’ve been told so many times that my music sounds like something from a movie. I now score music or do a track for independent films whenever I’m in the mood.

What sets me far a part from other black artists, creating music that’s different and being outside the box. I’m not the type to make urban music. It doesn’t fit me nor my personality nor described my real feelings. I’m about being real and presenting who I am. Why should I do music that’s not appropriate and identify who I am? Some artists are fake and don’t take themselves serious.

I am proud of what all I’ve accomplished. I even taught school for sixteen years. I’ve wanted to give back to encourage the kids they can be anything they want to be, if they put their mind to it and stay focus.

To get where I am today, I stayed focus, motivated, encourage and kept pushing. And to ignore the negativity and haters. Your haters are your way to be successful and going to the top. There are some challenges, but you must have determination. Nothing is easy. It’s a hard climb to get where you want to go, but never stop. Being a quitter makes you a loser. That’s one lesson my mother taught me, don’t be a quitter. If you give up, you’ll never succeed and get anywhere in life.

Telling my testimony I hope it inspired and encourage others to follow their dream. There’s enough room for everyone to be on top. Leaving a legacy is the most important for me. I just want people to like my music and feel it. There been people that said my music is deep.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The hottest spot is the Fish Market and Buffalo Wild Wings and Wing Out. If you’re a seafood and chicken eater like me, those are the best places to eat at. By me living in a city where the Civil Rights Movement in the south started, Birmingham, Alabama, I would take them to the Civil Rights Museum. I love art and I major in art besides music and photography, Birmingham Art Museum is another place I admired and recommend. Art is a beauty of ones who created it by expressing themselves on a canvas and sculptors.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I like to give a shout out to God. Without Him, my music career wouldn’t go no further and more opportunities to show my talent. I like to thank my mom who’s no longer in existence. She helped me to believe in myself and stay focus and not give up. My dad, who taught me alot of things. He’s no longer here either, but his tough love help nurture me and taught me to be a man and do things on my own without depending on other people. My sister Kimberly Woodson, who stays on my case and always encourage me to do better. Cousin Daron Franklin, who collab with me producing tracks for my albums and unreleased tracks as well; Uncle Melvin & Aunt Odessa Franklin. Other shout out to my friend and musician and film director, Jacky Mazin, in France who directed my previous music video, producer and musician Doug Ford (RIP), DJ Andrea Payton-Hassanen at KUBU 96.5 FM radio station in Sacramento, Californina; DJ Bob at WFDU 89.1 FM college radio in Teaneck, New Jersey, Gary Taylor in the UK, Dre Todd, my long time friends since high school, Martin Hunter and Sharon Holmes for supporting me and my music. And April Marcell for giving me the opportunity to score music for her films.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/synthetique_beat?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM=

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dr.electrosynthesist6036

Other: https://youtube.com/@dr.electrosynthesist5234 https://youtube.com/@dr.electrosynthesist5799 https://youtube.com/@donovantate6368 https://youtu.be/6KZQCI_e9ls