DONNIE SUNSHINE: A BIT TO THE LEFT
As much as London's underground nightlife has morphed and evolved over the years, good music and those who play it remains a firm staple. One such figure who has been there from the very beginning is content creator and DJ Donnie Sunshine. The multi-genre, multidisciplinary from Hackney by way of Guyana and St Lucia has been immersed in music since childhood, growing up with a mother as a DJ and a grandfather with an extensive record collection. From building a name on the club circuit with spots at beloved nights like Queer Bruk, Shindig and US import Everyday People and accompanying R&B powerhouse Flo and Skepta on tour to co-founding creative collective ‘3000 Ocean Hill’ WNDRLST catches up with Donnie about how he started out, all things R&B, the future of black nightlife.
Although multi-genre in nature - playing everything from Soca, Disco, Hip-Hop, Dancehall to Electronic, Donnie’s sound is rooted in a deep love of R&B. “All of the genres I play have an undertone of R&B, but I love playing niche tracks that aren’t always played in the club, as well as hidden gems that people have forgotten” he explains of his varied sets.
Where being multidisciplinary is now appreciated as an asset in a creative, this wasn’t always the case when Donnie started out in the industry as a content creator and self-taught DJ. Where both facets of his career now overlap and nurture each other, they once felt like a hindrance. , when social media wasn’t as integral to creativity as it is now, “When I first came out of university there were such solid distinctions between the roles”. Coming in as a video producer working with artists and brands, DJing would allow Donnie to raise his profile and bundle all his talents in one well-rounded brand.
At the core of Donnie’s work however, is ‘To The Left’. Founded in March 2022, Donnie refers to ‘To The Left’ as his baby, initially launched as a one-off birthday celebration before growing into the self-described ‘specialised alternative R&B and Hip Hop’ night it would go on to carve a space to celebrate the likes of future beats, baile funk, jersey, disco and celebrate being black and alternative. ‘To The Left’' was created out of necessity more than anything, find a middle ground between mainstream and alternative and champion the likes of Kaytranada, Solange, Joyce Wrice - all to the left of the centre. Leaving no stone unturned in curating a welcoming vibe that encourages partygoers to let loose and feel safe, Donnie has meticulously planned everything down to the ambience. “I would describe it as an ethereal wonderland - blue lights, smoke machine and an otherworldly feeling that allows people to focus on the music and less on being self conscious”.
Looking at the current landscape as somebody who enjoys attending parties as much as they do throwing and playing them, it’s safe to say black nightlife has made leaps and bounds over the past twenty years that Donnie has partied in the city, with the most diversity and accessibility it has ever had.
However, there’s still work to be done. “A lot of queer people at straight black nights still feel the need to code switch for their safety, it would be nice if they felt secure enough to be themselves freely” Donnie explains, pointing to the booming Black nightlife scene in London and beyond and the at times unsafe situations they can present.
When it comes to queer black nights, an intersection often underserved by the mainstream. “Simply put- we need more black queer nightlife that allows the Black queer community to come together in all ages and intersections, although it’s important for intersections to have their own thing going, there’s joy in nurturing a wider community”.
Looking at what’s enct for R&B’s favourite champion, it seems Donnie is only just beginning in his mission to make everybody dance to the left of culture, music and media - and we can’t wait to join.
