My story.
from ‘Djis Mi Mes’ to gs‘me:miss
My core
I was raised by the greatest gospel artists in Curaçao, Glenn and Eva Silvanie (my parents), better known as Duo Gleva. With their religious background and messages, their music consistently reached the masses and impacted people of all ages across the Dutch Caribbean islands and the Netherlands. That was my introduction to music. I fell in love with the impact it has on life. As a kid, discovering more music genres was like discovering myself. It became the place where I truly identify and feel who I am. It made me dream and believe in myself. Fast-forward, I can say that music has even saved my life. At my core, that is what I do. I make music that I believe could save lives.
Early life
I’m the third child of six and was an introverted kid that never liked being the center of attention. I felt extreme anxiety whenever there were people around. I’ve always felt like I was different; I did not know how to connect; I never felt at home and always felt alone. Even though I never wanted to be in the spotlight, I was a natural-born leader as I used my talents to activate people around me creatively. People looked up to me. The feeling of having this responsibility made me self-conscious and obsessed with perfection. I developed a fear of failure. Even though I recognized my influence, I realized that it also made me stand out. Therefore, I tried to hide it and blend in.
Unlike the other kids, all I wanted was to be as close as possible to music. I used to love going to the studio where my dad worked, so I could watch bands record their music. Gleva’s band rehearsals functioned as a place of education. I would sit next to the drummer and memorize each and every song. It was a thrill to travel, go on tour with them, be closer to the band by being backstage and see their shows come to life; most importantly, to experience the impact of it all.
At the age of 12, I started drumming for Duo Gleva and learning more and more about music and the business behind it. At this point, you could say I was living my dream. But the truth is, even though seemingly famous and successful, my parents struggled financially. On the outside, it looked like we were doing well, but behind closed doors, things were totally different. I used to lie about my life to make it seem better. I felt like I couldn’t be myself. I felt ashamed and constantly compared my life to others. The older I got, the better I wanted to be. I’d push myself too hard, which only made me more insecure. And the more I pretended, the more I hated myself.
Seeing how Gleva’s music impacted lives, without our life ever really improving, made me resent fame even more. I got tired of life as I knew it and our family situation. So, I left home. I basically ran away in an attempt to create a better life for myself and figure out who I was.
Early Career
In 2007, I moved to the Netherlands—to study Interior Design. Within a few months, I discovered that I preferred music over studying. I quickly quit school and took on part-time jobs just so I could afford concert tickets, jam sessions, and clubs. Overcoming my social anxiety to pursue music was challenging, but worth it. Eventually, I started playing at Crazy Pianos—a well-known piano bar in The Hague. But because of my age difference from other band members, I felt disconnected and alone. Despite that, I still managed to progress and develop myself as a drummer and entertainer in that scene. At that point, I felt like this could finally be my big break.
The Accident
My life changed on an October night, in 2007, when, while driving home after working late, I fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed. There were 2 people along with me in the car. Luckily I walked away uninjured, and the others were left with minor injuries. Though the car crash didn’t leave me with physical injuries, it left me with an intense feeling of guilt and shame. The thought of causing that accident was so painful that I repressed it. During that time I developed a trauma towards driving, especially when driving to shows by myself. But I would never talk about it. Things worsened when I started noticing the backaches and numbness in my knees during performances. Though I barely spoke about it, the pain grew stronger and stronger. By that time I had already given up college and dedicated my life to pursuing a career in music. What had initially been my dream was starting to feel like a nightmare.
The birth of writing and songwriting
Growing up in my household, music was always there. I used to wake up and go to bed to the sound of music. My dad always had music on, from gospel to jazz, and my response was to dance. I loved to dance as a kid. At the age of six, I got scared of singing in front of others after being teased about my pronunciation. From then on, I would only sing when I was alone.
I always kept a journal; it was the only place where I dared to fully express myself. It helped me to let go of things that bothered me and explore my imagination. I would write my prayers and thoughts in the form of short stories that mostly consisted of rhymes and wordplay. Little did I know that these notes were going to be my first songs.
Songwriting and singing never crossed my mind until my high school English teacher said: “Levi, just try to express yourself through music. You’ll never know what will happen.” I then picked up the guitar, keys, and beat-making. The words came naturally, and how I looked at life rapidly became an experiment on paper. I gave songwriting a shot, which added another element to my passion for music.
Between 2004 and 2006, I wrote and coproduced several songs for Duo Gleva. Around this time, I started the rap group Koraza. Together with four friends, we released the EP ‘Un Amor Seya pa Dios’. Not long after the EP was released, I realized that rapping wasn’t my thing. I continued to develop my drumming career and kept journaling. Doing this helped me develop skills I didn't know I needed along the way. This same form of self-expression became the foundation for my music, blogs, and eventually, for writing a children's book and much more.
“Djis Mi Mes”: everything you need you are
A part of my dream was shattered the night of the accident. I started writing to pick myself up and remind myself of where I came from, who I was, and to not give up. I didn’t know yet what it would lead to, but I knew I needed to empower myself. So, I wrote songs, poems, and stories to stay motivated. I started recording my songs on my phone and pushing myself to improve my singing.
By 2008, I was playing drums almost every night, sometimes two performances a day. The more I played the more it hurt to see my dream fade away. I was still dealing with my trauma, and was in physical pain, which eventually led me to quit my job.
Around that time, I reconnected with Oscar Bor, an old friend, and Duo Gleva’s former sound technician. Oscar had a small recording studio in The Hague, where my first songs were recorded. He knew me as a drummer, but something clicked when I played my demos. My compositions and style resonated with ideas that he had for a very long time. We started making music and developing my sound.
Leaving Crazy Pianos impacted my financial situation, but it was an introduction to understanding how the entertainment business worked. This inspired me to create my own success, so I started a record label to invest in myself. I was still working part-time, doing self-studies, freelancing as a drummer, and making music in between. Although it was a lot, at the same time, music gave me the energy I needed.
In 2007, I wrote the song “Djis Mi Mes” as a self-empowering mantra. I didn’t like myself and needed a push and a reminder to change that. In 2009, the acoustic demo of “Djis Mi Mes” got featured on the Myspace account of the visual artist Francis Sling. It went viral the following year after the official release, which included the music video made by Sharelly Emanuelson and Selwyn de Wind. “Djis Mi Mes” was written as a note to self. Little did I know the impact it would have on people around the world. It became the foundation of everything that came after.
People looked up to me, and the feeling of responsibility made me self-conscious. Obsessed with perfection and a fear of failure.
2010 my own debut tour and co-organized Hemayel Martina’s book release tour
2011 signed Jon Tarifa, launched the home concert concept, and debuted at Curaçao’s North Sea Jazz
2012 debuted in Aruba and left Oneway Melodies
2013 released debut album titled Different and launched the brand gs‘meːmɪss
2014 debuted in New York for United Nations
2015 launched Documentary Concert, the cross-media project based on true stories
2016 debuted Documentary Concert in Aruba, launched Open House Concert, and went on tour in Europe and UK
2018 released Hearty the Book, the children’s story I had co-written with Rosabelle Illes
2019 started making the new album gs‘meːmɪss
2020 released “Take Flight” and 10 years of “Djis Mi Mes” virtual concert
2021 publicly opened up about my struggles with mental health
Although I was achieving all these things in my career, nobody knew that all this time, I was struggling with my mental health. I never really talked about it. Following my debut at Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival, I struggled for almost a year with depression. In 2013, when I became a father, I realized that I needed to make a change. I started blogging pushing myself to face my fears and open up. But still, I was pretending to be ok.
In 2017, due to a financial setback that deeply affected my life, I took a break from music to get my life back on track and invest in my well-being. Guilt and shame made me want to hide away, but my ambitions and desire to improve kept me going. I was working three jobs: cleaning, cooking, and doing project management. The 9-to-5 lifestyle allowed me to see who I am beyond my music career. Traveling to work every day allowed me to rediscover the power of music. Listening to songs that kept me motivated helped me reflect and introspect. After three years, I saw my life turn around.
gs‘meːmiss
2020 was the year to make a comeback. The plan was to make a brand-new album. My break from making music and everything I’ve experienced fueled my inspiration. So, I did not doubt the direction I wanted to go with the new album. Halfway into the process, it happened again; I was focusing more on making the best album instead of telling my story in the best way I could. By the end of the year, I was struggling again. I felt lost, barely making ends meet, and feeling depressed. It seemed like I was losing hope in everything, including my own life.
But this time, I committed to opening up about it. First, I shared my story with the people closest to me, I went to therapy and learned how to better support myself. Opening up made me realize that I wasn’t the only one. This inspired me to share my story so others who can relate can see that they are not alone.
On October 17th, 2021, I launched gs‘meːmiss (djis mi mes) which was when I publicly opened up about my mental health challenges. With the gs‘meːmiss project, I use music-inspired experiences to raise awareness, encourage open conversations, and promote self-care, especially within the Dutch Caribbean community.
My true passion is unlocking human potential. That’s why I create tools that inspire and empower others. I know exactly how it feels to have talent and ambition while struggling with low self-esteem. So, I’ve dedicated my life to using creativity to identify and enhance my potential and made it my mission to help others do the same. This is my story.
CONTACT
A few different options for getting in touch with us.
Book Levi
Hire Levi for a performance at your event or have him inspire your students or team as a guest speaker or coach.
Press / Media
For all interviews, media opportunities, and anything else press-related