29. Sonny
Sonny
For my first interview in half a decade, Morgan wanted to come back with a bang which meant starting with the best. In this instance, the best is Danika Riley.
Danika is one of the most popular interviewers in the game.
Her backlog of guests on her show, Let’s Catch Up , is not only extensive but also diverse.
She sits down with everyone from professional athletes to actors to entertainers.
The stage is set up to feel cozy. Two large armchairs facing each other with a side table in between us with branded mugs filled with water.
A plush rug under our feet and plants in the background.
Everything in a color scheme of creams and browns and olive greens to help with the impression that Danika and her guest are old friends catching up with each other and not on a set with cameras and crew all around.
“Are you ready?” Danika asks when her hair and makeup team is done with their final touch ups.
I’m not. I don’t want to be here today. I even told Morgan to cancel my appearance but she flat out refused.
She told me that I owed it to myself and to the album to give it everything that I had to make it successful.
I could spend the rest of the day holed up in my place, sad, but first I had to do the work.
She was right and so here I am on set, poised with a microphone in front of me.
I nod and smile. “Yeah, let’s do it.”
A moment later the cameras start rolling.
“Sonny, it’s so good to see you. How are you doing?” Danika asks, her voice chipper.
“I’m doing really well. Thank you for having me.”
“You’ve been out of the spotlight for some time now, some even thought that your career was done. How does it feel to be back?”
“It doesn’t feel like I’m ‘back’ because I don’t feel like I left," I say. "Even though I wasn’t sharing it or performing, I never stopped creating, making music never stopped being a part of me. Now it just feels like I can share it with the world again and I’m forever grateful for that opportunity. ”
“So all this time you’ve been writing songs still?”
I chuckle. “Yeah, as crazy as it may sound, I’ve been writing songs since I was a teenager. I don’t really remember what it’s like to not have lyrics floating around in my head most days.”
“And one of those songs turned into your latest release, Love Notes . It’s been rapidly climbing the charts since your surprise release and is now in competition with some of your previous songs in initial popularity. Can you tell us a little about your inspiration for Love Notes .
“ Love Notes is all about self love, doing what’s best for you even if others think you shouldn’t.
It’s about putting yourself first. While working with my team to figure out what song I wanted to release first, this one always stuck out to me because I feel like it embodies the vibe and the message that I want to portray for the entire album. ”
“That’s amazing,” Danika says. “Long time fans of yours know that you were previously signed to a label and now you’ve chosen to be independent. Can you tell us more about how you came to that decision?”
“I was young when I signed my deal and over the course of it, I grew not only as an artist but also as a man. I lost myself a little bit and I needed time to figure out what the journey forward looked like for me. I try my hardest not to live life with regrets because I wouldn’t be where I am now without the things I’ve been through, the good and the bad.
I couldn’t find anywhere that felt like a good fit for me so I decided to take the chance on myself and release on my own. ”
“Speaking of your new release, what does it feel like after nearly half a decade away?”
“Exhilarating,” I reply easily. “But also terrifying and emotional.”
“So it’s safe to say you’re bringing a new energy with this album,” Danika says with a chuckle.
“Absolutely. I want this next chapter of my life to feel more authentic to who I am as a person and I hope that’s reflected in not only this next album but all my future work.”
“So I was doing my research,” Danika says. “And in all the things I could find about you, you’ve never told the story of your name. How did you decide on Sonny?”
I pick up the mug and take a sip of water.
“My father coached football for years and when I was little I was always out on the field with him. I was like his shadow and all the guys embraced me as a part of the team but no one ever called me Bryce, my real name. They always said ‘Coach’s son’ and then that got shortened to ‘son’ and then just ‘Sonny’ and ‘Sonny’ stuck as a nickname for me ever since. ”
“Thank you for sharing that with us,” Danika says with a soft smile.
The interview continues on with Danika asking other personal and professional questions, most of them being things that Morgan and I prepped for. Until the one topic that I hoped she wouldn’t ask me about.
“Notably, you are rarely seen publicly linked to a woman. Until recently, the closest had been your rumored relationship with artist, Essence. What can you tell us about your new boo?”
I look over at Morgan who’s standing on the sidelines of the set, questioning with my eyes whether she knew this topic would be discussed or not.
She shakes her head, fury in her eyes on my behalf.
Morgan and I had extensive conversations about how I didn’t want to use my relationship with Laila as a marketing tactic.
The show isn’t live so I know this part will be edited out post production.
“Essence is a great person to work with but it has only ever been that, nothing more. As for my current relationship, that isn’t something that I really want to speak on.”
“Hmmm, so this is just going to stay your little secret.”
“No, not at all,” I say. “A secret implies something to hide and nothing about my relationship is a secret but we do want to be private. She didn’t ask to be thrust into the spotlight, she isn’t seeking fame, and that shouldn’t have to change simply because she chooses to be with me. Everyone deserves their privacy.”
Danika turns to the camera for a dramatic effect. “Oh he’s serious serious y’all”
With that, Danika takes the hint and moves on to another topic.