HIDDEN TALENT -
Discovery - Initiative - Hard Work...
Work Hard now, Play Hard later.
Key Notes, is known for his artistic creativity and talent. Born Keyon Dunston, in Portsmouth VA, Notes has spent most of his life enjoying music and dance.
At the age of 12, he began to hone in on his artistic abilities, starting with freestyle rap. Notes began writing his own rap music, and by the age of 16, he was adding dance into the mix. After mastering pop locking and krumping, Notes was able to develop his own creative rhythm which features many of the styles we are familiar with today. Dancing live for family and friends, Notes continues to share his talents by entertaining at functions and other family get-togethers.
Key Notes has always been known for his silly nature, and ability to make other people laugh. Cracking jokes and singing in funny voices allowed those around him to see that he possessed a hidden talent for singing. But, it wasn’t until hearing Chris Brown’s ‘Take You Down’ in 2007 that Notes realized this himself, discovered his own passion to sing, and decided to pursue music on a much larger scale.
He began nurturing this hidden talent by studying other music and receiving distant mentorship and influence from artists such as Chris Brown, R. Kelly, Trey Songz, Michael Jackson, and many others.
Raised by his mother in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, (later moving to the Charlotte area of North Carolina for a brief time), Key Notes has learned much about life, hard work, women, and himself. He has always been a believer of hard work, and knows that eventually, it will pay off. One of Notes’ favorite sayings is “Work Hard Now, Play Hard Later”. Meaning, keep your eyes on the prize.
Work as hard as you can to achieve your goals. And once you think you have given it all you’ve got, give ten times more. Then, you will see your breakthrough that will allow you to enjoy the benefits of all the hard work you put in. Those who are close to him, know that Notes lives by these words every single day. There is nothing about him that says “slouch”. While working a full-time management position, and serving his country in the military, Key Notes continues to give 110% to his music. Sacrificing time on the basketball court, hanging out with friends, and even sleep on some nights, Notes continues to write new lyrics and remains in the studio to pursue his music career.
AN INSPIRATION -
A vision to inspire the world through music.
Follow your dreams, no matter what.
What sets him apart from any other music artist? His vision, and his goals!
“This is not just about me. It’s about all of us” he says. Key Notes has a strong desire to not only care for his own family but also to inspire other people to do the same. His main goal is to inspire others who have similar interest to follow their dreams and to keep pushing forward no matter what obstacles they are facing. “It’s never too late”.
He sees himself as a role model for newer, less experienced artists with a talent and a dream. He believes that through his music, he can inspire young men that are just like him, and he intends to do just that.
STRENGTH, DETERMINATION, & LEADERSHIP -
Inspired by life...
I'm all in.
Key Notes joined the U.S. Military in 2012 as a reservist in the Army National Guard. While still being obligated to actively participate in drills, field events, and other duties that required him to be away for lengthy periods of time, sometimes months, Key Notes maintained a job at Chuck-e-Cheese and simultaneously pursued a successful music career.
With his commitment to the U.S. National Guard being somewhat less intense than that of active duty, he invested all of his “down-time” into his singing career. Key Notes was booked for many performances including clubs, bars, skating rinks, and day parties. He spent countless hours writing music and recording in the music studio.
In 2018, Key Notes made the decision to enlist as active duty in the U.S. Army. He has now been enlisted in the U.S. Military for a total of 8 years, and has had many experiences that inspire the man and the artist that he is today. He has been involved in several accidents, one of which being an extreme situation where injuries occurred to not only himself, but to others, where he was also responsible for the rescue of these soldiers. With minimum assistance, he has been left in excessively remote locations, or as we like to say “the middle of nowhere”, and expected to find his way back in an exercise or situation known as “land navigation”. Key Notes has not only excelled in combat through military combative training, but he has also experienced many simulated war fights and other events that are considered classified, and therefore are not authorized for disclosure.
During his 8 years of military service, Key Notes expresses the challenges of maintaining it all. He states “It’s always been hard, but it’s harder now. It was easier in the Guard since I had more freedom, but it’s just not as much flexibility on active duty, especially now as a Sergeant. I’m responsible for the well-being, safety, and accountability of other soldiers… for their training and for helping to mold them into leaders themselves. And also with having my own family now… But this is my dream, and I’m all in.”