On December 27, WYSO Music Director Juliet Fromholt spoke with TreDon The Don. TreDon released singles, “Run Me Wild” and “Shiver,” in 2023, and featured on fellow Dayton vocalist Luther Suede’s album Pride Over Love. In the interview, he spoke with Juliet about the importance of building a creative community, and about cultivating a sense of friendly competition with musical peers. He also shared his zeal for creating music videos, which he often begins to visualize while writing his songs.
TreDon released his first single “Spartan” in 2015. While he calls music his lifelong calling, he said that “Spartan” changed how he saw himself as a musician. “It was a song I was really proud of and I recorded on my own and everything,” he said. “So I was like ‘Oh, okay, I think this is something I can really build on.’” Since 2015, he has recorded nearly a dozen singles and a 13-track album, Aye, I Tried, which came out in 2018. He’s also changed his approach to the local music scene since those early days. “When I first started, I would go to California or New York. It seemed like I should use my time just towards these spaces,” he told Juliet, “But this year, I’ve been happy that I’ve been able to make more strides in my local area.”
Today, TreDon is more focused on finding creative partners in the Dayton area than with searching for a new home on the coast. He’s started collaborating with a team of other Gem City MCs, including Day Luster, YVNN, and Luther Suede, who he joined on the song “Victoria’s Secret” earlier this year. “I think a little friendly competition is always great,” he said of his relationship with the artists.
“With any of my fellow artists, it’s all love to them. At the same time, I’m pushing for something; they’re pushing for something. Some things are different for different people. But I’m trying to get to the top. In order to do that, you have to know where you are. If I don’t have peers by me who love their talent, or love the flair that they put on this, or the switch that they put in this, or the drop that they put on this—then there’s not going to be anybody to compare what you’re pushing.”
TreDon has also forged a creative relationship with local visual artists, like Antonio Jones, who worked on several of his music videos. “There’s nothing that speaks like a visual,” he said, “I always have the picture in my head of the video, even when I’m writing; something I finish the song based on who I visualized the video.” The music video for TreDon’s latest single, “Run Me Wild,” is available on YouTube:
TreDon told Juliet that he will soon release a collaborative project, Nectar, with Day Luster and Luther Suede. For information TreDon the Don, including upcoming concert dates and music releases, visit his LinkTree.
Text by Peter Day, adapted from a live interview recorded by Juliet Fromholt on December 27, 2023.
