Today we’d like to introduce you to Desiree Mckinney.
Hi Desiree, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey started very humbly. My parents worked extremely hard to take care of me and did the best they could, and I learned the value of hard work from them at a very young age. I started working when I was 14, and around that same time, I began learning how to take care of my own expenses and become independent.
One of the biggest things that shaped my journey was learning how to sell CDs and connect directly with people. I learned from some of the best entrepreneurs and artists, including Nipsey Hussle and Master P, who showed me the importance of owning your work, building your own audience, and creating opportunities for yourself.
I’ve carried that mentality with me everywhere I go. I’ve sold my CDs in Houston, Los Angeles, Detroit, Canada, and other cities, and I literally carry my music with me wherever I travel. Houston is where I’m from, Detroit is my home base now, but I still travel back and forth and take my music wherever I am.
I’ve also had the opportunity to sell to and connect with people who have gone on to become major artists and entertainers, and I’ve heard stories of other well-known artists who used similar grassroots approaches to get their music into people’s hands. Artists like E-40, Too Short, Trae Tha Truth, Z-Ro, and many others from Houston and beyond have inspired me.
For me, selling my CDs isn’t just about making a sale. It’s about creating a genuine connection with people and building my name organically. I want people to know that I’m willing to get out there, shake hands, talk to people, and stand behind what I created. That’s how I’ve built respect for my music and my brand, and that’s something I plan to continue doing wherever this journey takes me.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Absolutely not. It has been anything but a smooth road. I’ve experienced a lot of traumatic and difficult things throughout my life, but today, I honestly wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything. Not because I’m grateful for the pain itself, but because I understand now that I can use what I’ve been through to help someone else.
There are people who have experienced similar things, and sometimes even the exact same things, and if my story, my music, or my journey can make someone feel less alone, then there’s purpose in what I’ve survived.
That’s why it means so much to me when someone tells me, “I love your music,” or “Your music helped me,” “Your music is healing me,” or even just that they respect my hustle. Those moments genuinely keep me going.
I believe the difficult things we experience can shape who we become. They don’t have to define us, but they can give us strength, empathy, and a deeper purpose. For me, I’ve chosen to turn those experiences into music, motivation, and something that can hopefully help somebody else keep going too.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What sets me apart is that I’ve figured out how to build a career independently. I’ve done a lot of this without a label, without traditional management, and without a huge team behind me. It’s really just me and a small team of people I’ve known and trusted for years.
Some of those people have been there since before there was anything to gain from working with me. From people who have done my hair to producers like Mello, who is an incredible producer, to Raven, who has helped me with bookings and opportunities outside of what I normally do. She helped me get my music played on the radio in her hometown in the Virgin Islands with Kiki and Joko, and that meant so much to me. Knowing that people there were playing my music and enjoying my workout song just as much as Sway in the Morning did was an incredible feeling.
I’ve also had people like Lil Tyler support me by simply making a post and telling his audience to follow me, and that helped me grow my social media. Those things may seem small to somebody else, but when you’re an independent artist, every genuine connection matters.
I also think rejection and disappointment have set me apart. I’ve had opportunities that I didn’t get, doors that didn’t open, and moments where I had every reason to be discouraged. But I learned that you have to keep going beyond the rejection. You can’t let one “no” convince you that the next door won’t open.
And I’ve learned how to create my own doors. If I need to, I can still go out and sell CDs. That grassroots approach has helped me build a real audience, not just numbers on a screen. Through my website and the relationships I’ve built from selling my music, I’ve collected thousands of contacts that I can actually reach out to when I have a show or something new happening. That means I’m not completely dependent on an algorithm to reach my audience.
And honestly, I think there must be something special about my brand because I’ve even had “cousins” come out of nowhere asking me for money! 😂 So apparently, people think I’m doing a lot better financially than I actually am.
The reality is that independent artists can make very little from streaming. That’s why I always encourage people to support their local artists beyond just listening to a song. If an artist has a website or Linktree, go there. Buy their merch. Buy their music. Come to their shows. Help them book a show. If you have a cousin who DJs, send their music to them. If your cousin owns a lounge, send them their information. If you tell an independent artist you want to work with them, follow through.
Because independent artists are often working incredibly hard to support other businesses, other creatives, and other people’s dreams. We just want that same energy returned.
I think what really sets me apart is the fact that I’m still hungry. I’ve learned how to create opportunities for myself, I’ve built real relationships, I’ve survived rejection, and I’m still willing to get out there and hustle for my dream. I don’t think the doors are closing — I think there are more doors opening now than ever, and I’m grateful to still be here knocking.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
There are so many people who have supported me throughout this journey, and I’m incredibly grateful for every one of them.
First, I want to thank my husband, Dre. I want to thank my team — Chris, Khrys, spelled K-H-R-Y-S, and Madeline — for continuing to stand beside me and help me build this dream.
I also want to thank Nana, who does my hair here in Detroit. She does an amazing job, but beyond that, she’s just a great person to be around. She doesn’t take advantage of me, she genuinely cares, and we have such a fun relationship. We even have birthdays that are only a day apart, which I think is pretty dope.
I especially want to thank Miss Joyce. She has been a mentor to me during some very difficult times in my life. She’s a retired supermodel, but more importantly, she’s someone who opened a door for me when I was in a very dark place and helped me find my way back to myself through God, Jesus Christ, staying in the Word, and learning how to take better care of myself.
She taught me that sometimes the little things can make a huge difference. Doing your hair and makeup when you’re sad, taking a long bath, putting on a face mask, going for a long walk, or simply taking time to care for yourself can really change your mindset. Those are things I try to put into my music, especially for women, because I want women to feel empowered, beautiful, strong, and worthy of taking care of themselves.
I also want to thank the incredible videographers and creatives I’ve been blessed to work with. One of them is Pirate, who recently worked with me on the Bang Screw video featuring Big Mike. We’ve worked together on several projects, and this one is something I’m really excited about. We have a very intricate, beautiful video coming soon, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with everyone.
And I absolutely have to thank my grandfather. He supported me and believed in me, and although he has passed away, the impact he had on my life is still with me.
When I lost him, I realized how important the tools I had learned from Miss Joyce and my church were. My church, Covenantly United Methodist Church, helped give me the foundation to take care of myself, process difficult moments, and still be there for my family.
So when I look at my journey, I don’t just see my own work. I see the people who poured into me, prayed for me, encouraged me, believed in me, and helped me become the woman I am today. I carry all of that with me in everything I create.
Pricing:
- Features: 500
- CDs/ thedesiree.com Digital album: 20 each
- Shows 350-1k
- Christian Waistbead ceremonies:100 +
- Modeling/acting:100 an hour minimum 4 hrs
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedesiree.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedesireemckinney
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/msdvmc
