DE’WAYNE is a Hopeless Romantic, and You Should Be Too
Meet DE’WAYNE, the genre-blending alternative R&B artist who believes in love, self expression and authenticity
PHOTOS BY LEXI YOB
Genre-bending musical visionary DE’WAYNE is carving his own path in the ever-so changing music world, constantly building versions of himself that have yet to be discovered. He’s a romantic in all senses of the term, falling in love with life through his work as an artist. Since releasing his first single, “Best Friends” in 2016, DE’WAYNE has only continued to push musical barriers, breaking out of genre-specific boxes while finding out more about himself along the way.
“I’m such a hopeless romantic,” DE’WAYNE told Pleaser, sitting on the floor of his hotel room in Paris during an exclusive Zoom interview. “I find the Hollywood story so fascinating, even if it’s silly sometimes. I’ve been meeting these kids at shows, and I’ve never played tours with little kids. But it just gives me so much hope that they’re seeing someone that’s lived in a similar world as them. There’s so much love and self-belief in those rooms, and it’s a story that I never get tired of hearing.”
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, DE’WAYNE grew up around the influences of good, soulful gospel music. For the first 19 years of his life, the Texas native found a haven in the heartfelt R&B and gospel music that his parents played around the house and in church. With roots embedded in the soulful sounds of Southern Gospel, DE’WAYNE’s life changed when he discovered the opposite side of that coin: the harder-hitting world of Rock N’ Roll.
“Once rock and roll came into my life, I just became obsessed,” DE’WAYNE said.
“I still feel like I’m in rock and roll school every day. I’m just trying to learn, and I’m trying to see what I can do with my music. I think it’s just natural for me to kind of blend everything that I love about music and put my own little twist on it.”
DE’WAYNE’S musical discography is patchwork pieces of sonically ambiguous songs. He’s loud like a rockstar but he still carries the style of some of his previous work in rap, like his electric 2025 track “Victory Lap” featuring Chase Atlantic. Similar artists have recently done the same with mixing genres, like A$AP Rocky's Don't Be Dumb and Vince Staples' Crybaby, both released earlier this year. They intertwine rap/hiphop with the confrontational, guitar heavy sound of soft punk– something DE'WAYNE has already been doing for a while through his extensive discography.
PHOTOS BY LEXI YOB
DE’WAYNE leans into authenticity, and his unwavering dedication to his genuine sound and self have made him stand out not only to fans, but to many industry legends– including iconic songwriter, musician, actor and all-around rockstar Lenny Kravitz. At the time we sat down to chat with DE’WAYNE, he was on tour opening for Kravitz in Paris– a “pinch me” moment for the young artist.
In May of this year, Kravitz and DE’WAYNE released the colorfully vibrant and uptempo “Highway Robbery,” a song that leans into the dramatics of first falling in love with someone. For DE’WAYNE, it still feels unreal to be releasing music with someone as influential and iconic as Lenny Kravitz. He fell in love with music naturally, for the love of the game, and now he’s able to reap the fruits of his labor as he continues to gain success as an artist.
“It’s a trip. I don’t even have the words yet of how it feels to release a song with my hero,” DE’WAYNE said. “I just know it’s slowly affecting my work ethic and my heart in more positive ways.”
DE’WAYNE creates a vision that’s multifaceted, and his fashion choices are just as important to his artistry as his music. Taking inspiration from great gaudy hats, high heels, pearls and flashy, bright monochromatic outfits of the women who went to his church growing up, the Texas-reared rockstar still incorporates a lot of the stylisting influences of the women at his church. He intertwines those looks with a rocksteady overwash to create a really eclectic, cool look that’s a total form of self-expression.
“By expressing myself, when people come up to take pictures or talk about the show, I want them to know that rock n’ roll is in good hands,” DE’WAYNE said. “And it’s not just me. There are 20-year-olds- and young people coming up that are making rock n’ roll really f*cking good. They’re putting on great performances, and bringing theatre and art into it. It doesn’t have to be so stiff anymore. Performances should be sexy and fun. Having something to look at brings people in.”
DE’WAYNE is a visionary in all respects of the term, carving a path that’s full of love, light and new-age rock n’ roll as he continues to grow. Pleaser is stoked to follow along as he continues to push boundaries and create space for innovation in rock n’ roll.
