Biography
"Takoda is far beyond his years with songwriting and connecting with his audience. We love having him perform on Star 97.7."
Paul Dupuis, Owner / General Manager / Morning Show Co-host @ Star 97.7 Radio in Ellsworth, MaineAbout
Takoda's love of music began as a young child listening to a variety genres including anything from classic country to grunge to 80's rap and dance music. He began exploring playing various instruments as a homeschooler with a ukulele but didn't get serious about it until middle school when he learned electric bass during a rock band class. Acoustic guitar was the natural progression and he quickly realized that he had a talent for it. Being a shy kid he wasn't comfortable singing in public but after he joined chorus in middle school he honed his singing skills and tried his hand at songwriting. He wrote his first song in middle school about the challenges of being noticed by someone who doesn't see you.
"Takoda Dionne is one of Maine's most promising songwriters. He writes with a maturity and originality that belie his years. Takoda has that rare combination of songwriting talent, stage presence and work ethic that should lead to some very good things."
Scomo, Program Director and Music Director @ WKIT in Bangor, MaineOnce he began practicing the guitar consistently in 2020 his father gifted him a little Martin guitar and loop pedal. Takoda had just discovered Ed Sheeran and the COVID-19 Pandemic had everyone sheltering in place. Takoda took advantage of this time to pour his soul into practicing guitar and learning how to use the looper to create a band sound to support his vocals in the songs he was learning. Once his closest brother left for college in 2021 Takoda spent most of his free time singing and playing guitar. He continued to work on songwriting and wrote his first looping song at 14.
When he began high school he tried to start a band but finding time for everyone to get together proved difficult so he returned to live looping and focused on honing his skills and writing songs. Returning to looping meant Takoda needed flat bottomed shoes in order to keep his looping smooth and he expressed his interest in trying a pair of Converse. Since they didn't know if he would like them, his parents purchased the least expensive pair of Converse they could find and they happened to be red. In the summer of 2023 Takoda attended several open mics and people were quickly impressed and began referring to him as “the kid with the red shoes”. One time he went without them and someone asked, “where are the red shoes?”; he has worn them to every gig since.
"Takoda is a true artist with a constantly expanding catalog of songs that stay with you long after hearing them for the first time. Here at Star 97.7, we've been blown away by his endless creativity, his energy, and his personality. Takoda has become an integral part of Maine's vibrant music scene because he's the real deal."
Mike Dow, Operations Director @ Star 97.7 Radio in Ellsworth, MaineTakoda layers acoustic and electric guitar, piano and he adds his fiery vocals and layered harmonies to create the sound of a multi-instrumental band with multiple singers. His music is always live with nothing pre-recorded. His live shows include a curated selection of covers and originals, both live looped and acoustic. Takoda's original music is a thoughtful blend of pop, rock and folk with honest lyrics and his impressive live performances are celebrated technical musical skills.
He released his first live recorded original music in early 2025 and expanded into studio recording in November 2025 at This Sounds Good studio in southern Maine with Jonathan Wyman producing, mixing and recording and mastering by Adam Ayan at Ayan Mastering. Five studio produced singles and an EP will be released in 2026. His original music can be found on all major streaming platforms.
"Takoda is unstoppable. His raw talent is revealed as he fearlessly experiments with sound and lyrics. With a gift for melody, his ability to write hooks and an accessible chorus, pair well with his unplugged or electronic delivery. His musical dexterity, technical coordination, stamina, social commentary, metaphor and rhyme make for an exhilarating live show and equally as bold, studio recordings. Takoda is a genuine talent that we will all be watching."
Steve Peer, Drummer and Entrepreneur