{{AI-generated|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = DoNormaal | image = <!-- Only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people --> | image_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels --> | alt = <!-- Alt text for image; see WP:ALT --> | caption = <!-- Caption for image (if provided) --> | birth_name = Christianne Kenrieke Elise Karefa-Johnson | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1991}} | birth_place = Long Beach, California, United States | origin = Seattle, Washington, United States | genre = Hip hop | occupation = Rapper, actress | years_active = 2010s–present | label = Crane City Music, Not On Label | associated_acts = <!-- Only notable collaborative acts; see WP:BAND#Association --> | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> }}
'''DoNormaal''', also known as '''Christianne Kenrieke Elise Karefa-Johnson''', is an American rapper and actress. She emerged on the Seattle music scene in the early 2010s and is known for her experimental style and lyricism.
== Early life and education == Christianne Kenrieke Elise Karefa-Johnson, professionally known as DoNormaal, was born in Long Beach, California, into a lineage of historically prominent black individuals from across the globe, including West Africa, the Caribbean, the United States, and South America. She is one of five siblings and has a twin sister, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, a stylist and fashion editor.<ref name="Moura2023">{{cite news | last = Moura | first = Rob | title = DoNormaal & Welp Disney: Adaptations | url = https://www.washmusicmag.com/blog/donormaal-amp-welp-disney-adaptations | archive-url = https://archive.today/20241224105432/https://www.washmusicmag.com/blog/donormaal-amp-welp-disney-adaptations#selection-731.0-769.9 | archive-date = December 24, 2024 | date = December 23, 2024 | work = WASH Magazine | access-date = December 25, 2024 }}</ref>
Her maternal grandfather, John Karefa-Smart, was a prince of the chiefdom of Rotifunk in Sierra Leone and played a pivotal role in the country’s independence from Britain in 1961. Her maternal grandmother, Rena Joyce Waller Karefa-Smart, was the first Black woman to graduate from Yale Divinity School and the first to earn a ThD (Doctor of Theology) from Harvard.<ref name="Moura2023"></ref>
On her father Kenrick Karefa-Johnson's side her lineage includes Guyana’s first Black physician, as well as Ken “Snakehips” Johnson, the leader of Britain’s influential West Indian Dance Orchestra active in the 1930s. Her paternal grandmother, of Trinidadian and Bajan descent, immigrated to the United States in the 1960s in search of better educational opportunities for her children. DoNormaal’s father, an urban planner, died shortly after her birth at the age of 42.<ref name="Moura2023"></ref><ref name="curbed2024"></ref>
Following her father’s death, her family relocated frequently, including a year spent in Sierra Leone before the civil war forced their departure. They eventually settled in Southern California when she was six years old, though her childhood remained nomadic as they moved between cities under the care of her mother, Suzanne.<ref name="curbed2024"> {{cite news | last = Chung | first = Juliana Ukiomogbe | title = Fashion Editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson's Bed-Stuy Brownstone Is a Living Archive | url = https://www.curbed.com/article/gabriella-karefa-johnson-house-bed-stuy-tour.html | url-access = limited | archive-url = https://archive.today/20240227141742/https://www.curbed.com/article/gabriella-karefa-johnson-house-bed-stuy-tour.html | archive-date = 2024-02-27 | work = Curbed | date = 2024-02-22 }} </ref>
DoNormaal studied poetry at and received her Bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, New York.
== Career == DoNormaal began her music career in the early 2010s, performing at venues in Seattle. She gained recognition for her unique style, blending introspective lyrics with experimental beats.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.nodepression.com/adia-victoria-at-the-sunset-seattle/ |title = Adia Victoria at The Sunset, Seattle |first = Peter |last = Dervin |date = March 3, 2017 |work = No Depression |access-date = May 3, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503214341/https://www.nodepression.com/adia-victoria-at-the-sunset-seattle/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/album-month-jump-or-die-donormaal/ |title = Album of the Month: 'Jump or Die' by DoNormaal |first = Jonathan |last = Zwickel |date = December 23, 2015 |work = City Arts Magazine |access-date = May 3, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503212448/https://www.cityartsmagazine.com/album-month-jump-or-die-donormaal/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url = https://www.kexp.org/read/2018/6/27/donormaal-fights-zombies-splits-multiple-forms-and-embraces-self-esteem-ego-slave-music-video-kexp-premiere/ |title = DoNormaal Fights Zombies, Splits Into Multiple Forms, and Embraces Self-Esteem in "Ego Slave" Music Video (KEXP Premiere) |author = Dusty Henry |date = June 27, 2018 |website = KEXP |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503211010/https://www.kexp.org/read/2018/6/27/donormaal-fights-zombies-splits-multiple-forms-and-embraces-self-esteem-ego-slave-music-video-kexp-premiere/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 |access-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://seattlemag.com/food-and-culture/band-week-donormaal/ |title = Band of the Week: DoNormaal |first = Gwendolyn |last = Elliott |date = January 25, 2017 |work = Seattle Magazine |access-date = May 3, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503211701/https://seattlemag.com/food-and-culture/band-week-donormaal/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref name="Uitti Seattle Times"> {{Cite news |last = Uitti |first = Jake |date = August 10, 2016 |title = DoNormaal's creative mix of harmony and dissonance |url = https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/donormaals-creative-mix-of-harmony-and-dissonance/ |work = The Seattle Times |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240306112806/https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/music/donormaals-creative-mix-of-harmony-and-dissonance/ |archive-date = March 6, 2024 }} </ref>
In 2015, she released her debut album, ''Jump or Die'', which garnered positive reviews from critics.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.realchangenews.org/news/2016/09/21/raven-matthews-and-donormaal-do-what-music-supposed-do |title = Raven Matthews and DoNormaal Do What Music Supposed to Do |first = Gui Jean-Paul |last = Chevalier |date = September 21, 2016 |work = Real Change News |access-date = May 5, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240504052229/https://www.realchangenews.org/news/2016/09/21/raven-matthews-and-donormaal-do-what-music-supposed-do#selection-699.0-707.19 |archive-date = May 4, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://queerspacemagazine.com/donormaal-she-will-explode/ |title = DoNormaal. She Will Explode. |author = Sam Chapman |date = February 17, 2016 |work = Queer Space Magazine |access-date = May 4, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240504051857/https://queerspacemagazine.com/donormaal-she-will-explode/ |archive-date = May 4, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.thefader.com/2015/11/11/donormaal-jump-or-die |title = Listen To DoNormaal Put It All On The Line With "Jump Or Die" |first = Emer |last = Hughes |date = November 11, 2015 |work = The Fader |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503210004/https://www.thefader.com/2015/11/11/donormaal-jump-or-die#selection-575.0-610.0 |archive-date = May 3, 2024 |access-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref> The album showcased her versatility as an artist and established her as a rising star in the hip-hop scene.<ref name="Uitti Seattle Times" /><ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.seattleweekly.com/music/blackout-dates-be-damned-donormaal-dominated-2016-by-doing-what-she-wants/ |title = Blackout Dates Be Damned—DoNormaal Dominated 2016 By Doing What She Wants |first = Kelton |last = Sears |date = December 21, 2016 |work = Seattle Weekly |access-date = May 3, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503213116/https://www.seattleweekly.com/music/blackout-dates-be-damned-donormaal-dominated-2016-by-doing-what-she-wants/#selection-913.0-927.44 |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref>
In 2017, she followed up with her sophomore album, ''Third Daughter'', which further solidified her reputation as an innovative and boundary-pushing artist.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.thestranger.com/artandperformance/2019/06/05/40404645/donormaals-not-so-normal-hip-hop |title = DoNormaal's Not-So-Normal Hip-Hop |first = Charles |last = Mudede |date = June 5, 2019 |work = The Stranger |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503210434/https://www.thestranger.com/artandperformance/2019/06/05/40404645/donormaals-not-so-normal-hip-hop |archive-date = May 3, 2024 |access-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref> The album received critical acclaim for its bold experimentation and thought-provoking themes.<ref name="Uitti Seattle Times" /><ref>{{cite news |last = Davis |first = M. Anthony |date = July 19, 2017 |title = DoNormaal's Sophomore LP Is a Sprawling 19-Track Epic Written in Her Own Image |url = https://www.seattleweekly.com/music/donormaals-sophomore-lp-is-a-sprawling-19-track-epic-written-in-her-own-image/ |work = Seattle Weekly |access-date = March 6, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503203757/https://www.seattleweekly.com/music/donormaals-sophomore-lp-is-a-sprawling-19-track-epic-written-in-her-own-image/ |archive-date = 3 May 2024 }}</ref>
Her participation in the ''Roland''-sponsored "Desert Days" event in 2018 led to a reinvention of her musical style, garnering praise from critics for her willingness to explore new sonic territories. The event inspired her to experiment with different sounds and techniques, resulting in a new level of creativity and innovation in her music.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Uitti |first = Jake |date = August 10, 2016 |title = DoNormaal Desert Days, Rapping, and Reinvention |publisher = Roland |url = https://articles.roland.com/donormaal-desert-days-rapping-and-reinvention/ |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503204037/https://articles.roland.com/donormaal-desert-days-rapping-and-reinvention/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref>
In 2021 DoNormaal released the single "Baby May" along with an accompanying music video.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.audiofemme.com/playing-seattle-donormaal-baby-may/ |title = DoNormaal Quietly Releases Video for Brand-New Track "Baby May" |first = Alexa |last = Peters |date = November 21, 2021 |work = Audiofemme |access-date = May 3, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240504052646/https://www.audiofemme.com/playing-seattle-donormaal-baby-may/#selection-297.0-321.17 |archive-date = May 4, 2024 }}</ref>
According to ''The Seattle Times'', DoNormaal's creative mix of harmony and dissonance has captivated listeners with her vibrant and intense studio work, as well as her compelling live performances.<ref name="Uitti Seattle Times" />
''NPR'' highlighted DoNormaal as one of the key figures in the Seattle music scene, describing her as a visionary artist pushing the boundaries of hip-hop. The article praised her sophomore LP for being a fearless explorer of sound and lauded her ability to push the boundaries of hip-hop while maintaining authenticity and integrity.<ref>{{Cite news |last1 = Boilen |first1 = Bob |last2 = Cole |first2 = Kevin |date = June 25, 2019 |title = Why the Seattle Music Scene is a Glimpse at the Future |url = https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2019/06/25/735371820/why-the-seattle-music-scene-is-a-glimpse-at-the-future |work = NPR |archive-url = https://archive.today/20190625235617/https://www.npr.org/sections/allsongs/2019/06/25/735371820/why-the-seattle-music-scene-is-a-glimpse-at-the-future |archive-date = June 25, 2019 }}</ref>
DoNormaal also ventured into acting, appearing as a supporting actress in the 2023 film ''Fantasy A Gets a Mattress''.
== Discography ==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year !! Album !! Record label |- | 2015 || ''Jump or Die'' || Not On Label |- | 2017 || ''Third Daughter'' || Not On Label |- | 2024 || ''PALMSPRINGA (with Welp Disney)'' || Not On Label |}
== Critical reception == DoNormaal's music has been praised for its innovative approach to hip hop.<ref>{{Cite news |url = https://www.kxsu.org/2018/03/15/if-you-dont-know-her-you-should-a-conversation-with-seattle-artist-donormaal/ |title = If You Don't Know Her, You Should: A Conversation with Seattle Artist DoNormaal |first = Julia |last = Schwab |date = March 15, 2018 |work = KXSU |access-date = March 6, 2024 |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503212022/https://www.kxsu.org/2018/03/15/if-you-dont-know-her-you-should-a-conversation-with-seattle-artist-donormaal/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref> In a review for ''Respect My Region'', her music video for "Ego Slave," directed by Noah Zoltan Sofian, was described as "a work of art that perfectly complements the intensity of the track".<ref>{{Cite news |last = Pfeifer |first = Mitch |date = July 13, 2018 |title = DoNormaal's 'Ego Slave' is a Work of Art |url = https://www.respectmyregion.com/donormaal-ego-slave-video/ |work = Respect My Region |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503204606/https://www.respectmyregion.com/donormaal-ego-slave-video/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref> ''American Songwriter'' included DoNormaal in their "Five to Discover" feature, noting her as an artist on the rise.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Uitti |first = Jacob |date = 2020 |title = Chong the Nomad, McCall, Loyal Lobos, Trishes, DoNormaal: Five to Discover |url = https://americansongwriter.com/chong-the-nomad-mccall-loyal-lobos-trishes-donormaal-five-to-discover/ |work = American Songwriter |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503205001/https://americansongwriter.com/chong-the-nomad-mccall-loyal-lobos-trishes-donormaal-five-to-discover/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref> Additionally, ''What's Up! Magazine'' praised DoNormaal's versatility and described her music as "a little bit of everything", highlighting her ability to blend various styles and influences.<ref>{{Cite news |last = Ketzner |first = Keenan |date = June 2019 |title = DoNormaal: A Little Bit of Everything |url = https://whatsup-magazine.com/2019/06/donormaal-a-little-bit-of-everything/ |work = What's Up! Magazine |archive-url = https://archive.today/20240503205351/https://whatsup-magazine.com/2019/06/donormaal-a-little-bit-of-everything/ |archive-date = May 3, 2024 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
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Category:21st-century American women rappers Category:21st-century American rappers Category:21st-century American actresses Category:1991 births Category:Living people Category:Sarah Lawrence College alumni