Meet Chavar Dontae | Artist, Songwriter, Producer, Musician & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chavar Dontae and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chavar, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Fortunately, I work in a field I enjoy and my work life balance line is blurred a bit. However, I make sure I can spend physical time away from my dedicated work space. As a creator it can be difficult to completely separate due to that fact that I’m always creating. 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

I’m an artist, songwriter, producer, musician, educator and entrepreneur. There’s many things I’m proud of but I’m mostly proud of being my authentic self and following my calling in life. It’s takes an enormous amount of energy, grit, determination and mental fortitude to sustain one’s self in this business.

There was and still are a plethora of challenges to overcome. I just decided not to wait for a conglomerate to discover me and finance my own future. I decided to work on being just as good at* business as I am at creating art.

I just want the world to know that my art, music, clothing, teaching and ideas in innovation all come from a place of authenticity. None of it is a gimmick or produced solely for clicks.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If we were in Toledo, we stop by my studio downtown first and then walk to get an espresso. Brew House is a cool new spot I dig.

We would also have to check out some of the cool record stores in town. Culture Clash records downtown is one of my faves. You can also get my music there. Your Media Exchange is also really cool.

The Toledo Museum of Art is always a great place to check out. There’s usually an event happening.

Th new Glass City metro park is a great space to check out as well.

As far as food goes, there’s so many choices but I would make a stop at Manhattan’s in uptown. There’s good food, good people and good vibes there.

Lastly, we would go check out some music. Depending on the vibe of the night, we could check out some jazz or an indie show at the Ottawa Tavern or Frankie’s.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There’s been many people on my journey that have help shape the person I am today. Family members, teachers and people I’ve never even met in person. With every interview I do, a different person comes to mind. Today, I specifically remember the influence of Yo-Yo Ma. I attended a master class with him in music school. His mastery and philosophy on music changed my perception and approach to life.

Website: https://chavardontae.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chavardontae

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chavardontae

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chavardontae

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chavardontae

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@chavardontae?si=FTrsiA5b8UKKhbeQ