Darnie Tran (they/them) is a First Generation, Cambodian-Chinese, Canadian performing artist from Hamilton, Ontario. Tran has undertaken a variety of roles in many theatre productions such as Tarzan, Fame, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Secret Garden and most recently, The Awakening of Spring. They are also an actor in the web series HammerTown. Aside from theatre, Tran’s involvement in the arts extends to making music as sunniesounds, playing a wide array of instruments, and dancing. They are also an interviewer for the Peahce Project.
The Kiwi Collective is honoured to have Darnie Tran join us as an Editor. In welcoming Tran to our team, we spoke to them about their relationship with art and how they view themselves as an artist.
How are you personally connected to art?
TRAN: The arts have always been something that I have gravitated towards as a way to express myself. It’s always been something that I could turn to for comfort and a place where I feel the most like myself. It is the one thing in my life that brings me so much joy and is something that I can’t picture my life without. I personally think that the arts have the power to heal and bring people together, which is something I hope I can do with my work.
Where did your interest in the performing arts come from?
TRAN: I grew up in a very musical family, my dad sang a lot and there was always Khmer or Vietnamese music playing. My interest in music started at a very early age, I remember telling my mom at the age of six that I wanted to be a singer when I grew up. I was fortunate enough to go to an elementary school where I was able to learn the alto sax and sing in a choir, and later went to a performing arts high school where I picked up the cello, started acting, dancing and later got into musicals.
Who or what inspires you and your art?
TRAN: This is a really good question. I am constantly being inspired by many people and things. One of the biggest role models in my life right now is BTS. I really admire their artistry, the way that they really take the time to tell a story in every song they write. They have a lot of agency in their work and they are constantly experimenting and improving. They built their way to the top and have trained for years, it’s very inspiring to see how their music has transcended the barriers of language as they break into the Western music industry. I’m also heavily inspired by 88rising (which is a music label that works to empower mostly Asian artists) and DPR Live, a Korean music collective who writes and produces their own music as well as direct their own music videos.
How has finding inspiration in these artists and agencies impacted the artist that you are today?
TRAN: I’ve really started thinking about myself as more than just a singer. I want to be a performer and an artist. My biggest dream is to one day be able to have the skills and agency to write, produce and direct my own work/projects, just like the many people who inspire me.
You also make music and covers as sunniesounds. Can you tell me more about what sunniesounds is?
TRAN: It’s funny that you ask this question because it’s one that I’ve been asking myself a lot. I think sunniesounds is a persona, a person who I strive to be or the better parts of myself that I want to show to the world. The motto of sunniesounds is “sunnie sounds for cloudy days” and I think that perfectly describes what I want my music to be for other people. I know what it feels like to feel lonely, or lost and I want to make music if it means that I can be the thing that someone can turn to for comfort and to feel like they are not alone.
My sound is something that I am constantly experimenting with. A lot of my work so far has been acoustic and minimal since I want it to sound cozy, like a warm hug. But I want to constantly be experimenting and delve into different genres and sounds. My philosophy is that if I am stuck in one particular sound and all my work starts to feel the same then I can no longer grow as an artist.
Do you have any new projects coming up as sunniesounds?
TRAN: Since the start of quarantine I’ve been getting back into writing new music and working on EPs that I’ve been planning since 2018! I’ve also worked on a single that will be released very soon, so look out for that! You can follow me on Instagram, where I am currently releasing a series of cozy little covers to sing you to sleep with!