“Between the lines” is the title of Donkey Kid’s latest single. You cannot out put him or his music into a box, since it’s inspired by feelings rather than genres. The up-and-coming artist from Berlin has recently played his very first headline-tour, which has been critically acclaimed. KALTBLUT caught up with him to talk about the tour, his inspirations and what we can expect from him in the future.
KALTBLUT: You’ve just finished your first headline-tour, congratulations! How are you feeling?
Donkey Kid: Overall, it was a pretty surreal feeling. Especially playing outside of Berlin and being in cities in Germany where I’ve never been and also didn’t know anyone. Seeing quite a few people who came specifically to watch me perform was quite bizarre, though. I didn’t expect that. I tend to keep my expectations relatively low, so I was genuinely pleasantly surprised to see so many people dancing and enjoying the shows! Our London-show was sold out, too. I’m still speechless about that.
KALTBLUT: Take us through your musical journey: you produced your first songs at home. What has changed since then?
Donkey Kid: I’ve been making music and writing songs for quite a long time. Back when I was around nine or ten, I had GarageBand installed on my dad’s iPad and started experimenting and trying to produce. They weren’t perfect, but I enjoyed doing it.
At 13, I got my first laptop and Logic and have been producing music at home ever since. Over time, it has evolved, I got better, acquired more equipment, and developed my skills over time. Now, I’m still in my room doing pretty much the same thing I did ten years ago, just a bit more refined and with more knowledge.
KALTBLUT: What inspires you most when it comes to songwriting?
Donkey Kid: There are a lot of different things. One of the main sources of inspiration for me is music. That’s probably my biggest inspiration – finding something cool and experimenting with it. That’s why, in my songs, there are completely different phases.
You can always hear what I was listening to at the time and what kind of song emerged from that. In terms of songwriting, it can also be samples, like having a drum break that I really like and building a song from there, for example. Or an instrument, such as a synthesizer, whose sounds can also be a source of inspiration.
KALTBLUT: Who are your biggest inspirations, especially in terms of production?
Donkey Kid: Production-wise, The Beatles. They were absolutely amazing. Sound-wise, Joy Division, Talking Heads. Currently, one of my biggest inspirations is Mount Kimbie, a duo from London. I find them absolutely incredible in terms of their sound. King Krule as well. But also rap. A bit of everything, to be honest.
KALTBLUT: You have a mix of genres in your music. Is there a direction you’re currently going?
Donkey Kid: Right now, I think it’s mostly Mount Kimbie. I’ve been listening to them for a long time, but I’m diving into their music more intensively again. It’s a bit more synth-heavy, but still has that classic songwriting. Not really beat-heavy, but with composition and a lot of synthesizers. That’s currently my thing. But I also do other things. Yesterday, I made some trap beats again. I’m not really fixed on one style. It’s sometimes challenging.
KALTBLUT: Do you think it’s more of a liberation not to have to commit to one style? Or is it a bit challenging sometimes, as you mentioned?
Donkey Kid: Not having to commit is actually a positive thing for me. It means freedom – the freedom to do what I want.
KALTBLUT: You’ve released songs in both German and English. Does one of the languages feel more natural to you?
Donkey Kid: I would say writing in German feels more natural in a way. Although, when it comes to songwriting, I write in English. When I’m thinking about a melody, I make up gibberish when writing. In the end, it always sounds more like English than German, which is why I ended up transitioning to English. It somehow naturally evolved that way, because it’s more enjoyable to sing and, in a way, you can hide behind the language, especially in the German-speaking region. People do listen to lyrics, but not as much as I would if I were to write in German.
But it wasn’t a decision for me to say, “I will only write in English.” It just happened. The German song “Nicht Zurück” could have been in English as well, but a German line came to my mind, and I carried on from there. I’m not fixed on it. It just happens. Most of the time, it’s in English.
KALTBLUT: Back to your tour. Was there anything particularly important to you, what was your favourite moment?
Donkey Kid: What stood out the most for me was definitely when people sang along with me. When you spend so much time working on these songs in your room, refining and listening to them over and over until you almost go crazy. Then, months later, there are people who I’ve never seen before singing along.
During the tour, we upgraded and brought a synthesizer with us. Because otherwise, we always played all my songs with guitars, which worked fine. I always wanted to include more synthesizers because there are a lot of synths in the recordings. We took some time, rehearsed and brought them along.
KALTBLUT: What about your new song “Between the Lines”?
Donkey Kid: It’s actually about a relationship and the difficulties and the almost falling apart. And more about this realisation, as I say in the song, that I have mine, and you have yours, which is okay.
KALTBLUT: The start of your career was indeed somewhat unusual. You handed out a demo and got called the next day. What was that like?
Donkey Kid: It was surreal, and it still is. I was 17 when I sent the CD to International Music and was extremely nervous about doing it in the first place and almost didn’t do it. My best friend was there with me, and he pushed me to send it. I thought I’d give it a try, see how it’s going to go, but didn’t expect much from it.
Then, it happened quickly — two days later, they called and said they liked it. I remember sitting in the S-Bahn and getting the call by an unknown number, I was ecstatic. When I think about it, I’m still thrilled. They were, and still are, genuine idols for me.
KALTBLUT: And what’s next for you after the tour?
Donkey Kid: Currently, the plan is to make a new album. I also want to set up my studio at home more professionally than before. Then, it’s time to start writing. I plan to spend the winter here and write as much new music as possible. We’ll see what happens when I have a collection of new material. I also hope my career continues in a more international direction. I am thrilled about everything that’s coming up!
You can keep up with @donkeykid on Instagram to keep up to date with upcoming music and further gigs!
Cover photo by @dominikfriess.
