We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Danny Desil a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Danny, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
Hearing melodies that resonated with me through creating music gave me an internal feeling of happiness and overall feeling great, to hear something that I haven’t heard before. The moment I realized listeners through live events/shows, social media, studio sessions or just in person playing around on the piano always seem to have that effect, a smile on their face as if they can hear and feel what I am expressing. It was those moments when I realized I can cater to people through my music. I am a person who loves seeing people happy and being in good energy. Even those who seem to be going through things, I realized my music can help and seeing a smile form on someone’s face is such a priceless feeling. This is what propelled into finding my purpose through music. Sharing a collective musical experience of vibrations worldwide.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
It’s Your Boy DaloKeys! Pianist, Composer, Consultant, Curator. I was born here in Georgia (Metro Atlanta), from my parents who are from Haiti. I am the oldest of four. I have a younger brother and two younger sisters. All who are musically and artistically talented. We are all close in age so we have always been close growing up. Since a baby I have always been drawn to music, sports, and drawing. I was the church boy who started off playing drums. I started hitting pots and pans as a toddler, my Momma told me since being with my babysitter. (My second mom, who really introduced me and poured music into me). I Really got active on the drums at 6 years old. My parents brought an upright piano at home which was a gift from a fellow church member and something in me was drawn to it. Not knowingly they had plans to get us piano lessons, around 7 or 8 I would dabble and start to make music on the piano at home without anyone teaching me just by hearing the melodies and seeing patterns in my head which led to my parents really pushing us to get private lessons. I was classically trained all throughout my years in school until my senior year of high school, the same time I graduated in 2017 is the same time I finished lessons with my piano teacher. Throughout my years taking lessons, I had the opportunity to play for several recitals which continued to grow into special selections at church, school events, (even for our 8th grade graduation) into other outside events. I was involved in a band as a percussionist in high school and still will always play the piano with my friends during or after class learning or making songs. Looking back I was always involved in the creation or being in the environment of music.
My favorite hobbies are to draw/sketch, photography/videography and be active in sports specifically in basketball, soccer and football. Always was one of the fastest runners and I know I still am today! (We can bet on that). I love traveling and being out in nature which is my happy place. Some will say that I am a nature boy and that is definitely so! Something about being outside in nature brings me peace and also where I get so many ideas from when it comes to creating music. I love to learn and it seems that I am deconstructionist when it comes down to information of history, science and I love psychology. I Love to learn how the human mind works and also its connection to music.
How I really got into the music world is because of my close friends (my brothers for real). After church we would find beats/instrumentals on YouTube and we would just start freestyling at the park or in the car for hours just going and going taking turns and all. A few of them mentioned since I can play the piano and drums so why don’t I try producing some beats for them. This was a whole new avenue/world for me so I decided to try it. Senior year in high school is when I made my first beat. After I showed them my first one and they were able to rap on it, I went on a whole run ever since making 3-4 beats a day, practicing and getting better everyday. I love melodies and my style is whatever sound I hear or use first is the way the beat will flow and I still do that till this day. This led me to working with other producers/artists. I got into the film, advertisements, jingles etc.. Now getting into the live scene, over time I always watched bands and saw that if I can play with my boys all the time jamming around, we can actually do this as part of our careers.
To put it all together I saw the vision of the ability to produce/compose for my artists and at the same time to be able to perform the music I created with them live! Why go one route when I can do multiple routes when it comes to music creation and performing. My producer’s stage name is DaloKeys ( nickname Dalo & sometimes Keys). I consider myself an exclusive producer because I don’t just work with anyone. There are things I consider and specifically look for when I work with an artist. From their sound, voice range, style and something unique that I can’t explain but just feel/hear by their personality, music and energy. I am diverse and know that I can play any genre or with any type of music worldwide. Music is a universal language that I understand. I have a band called “THURSDAYS” (funny/crazy story behind the name). It’s a 4 piece band and my bro Andrew (bassist) has been with me since the beginning of it all. Shoutout to him! What you see from me now as a producer/pianist and will continue to see with my band is playing at curated events that we do (few different series), with artists that I work with, and playing for shows/events locally, nationally, and also worldwide. We are bringing a different unique sound that you haven’t felt before but can relate to and have you out your seat dancing and vibing all night long! Creating something memorable.
My Goal is to bring people together as a community to experience music with other people’s talents as a collective to bring a full immersive experience wherever we are to create something memorable. Music is that precious to me and the ability to also see others smile and feel good about something we can all relate to.
Look out for our seasonal series ranging from Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter Jams. A Live band/Dj mixer event that we do. our next one up is Fall Jam ’24. Make sure to look out for that and my other projects that are coming out soon.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
My skills are endlessly creating melodies on the piano/keyboard. I consider myself an Infinite melody creator. Whatever the sound is I can make a melody relating to it or something new including whatever emotions people are feeling or what i want them to feel. I love to freestyle which is my forte and connect my knowledge of frequency, vibration, psychology and music theory when I produce/compose.
Most important qualities would be: flow state of music (genres), techniques, and open to experimentations.
Flow State:
Every genre or style of music has an essence that once you can inner stand by purely listening and feeling, it will bring you to an awareness of how you can integrate your style with what you want to create or provide musically for others. I never limited myself to one specific genre. I listened to opera, classical, fusion, frequency music, the different styles of HipHop, Rnb, Pop, New Age, Jazz and other countries genres etc..
Technique:
Something I always was taught, repeatedly told and seen is technique. Before you can add your own style to anything, you have to understand the basis of what you are learning, practicing and thereafter creating. For example, whatever song/genre you want to learn on any instrument, sing, produce, you have to understand what the structure and flow that you are listening to wants to bring out and feel. You can not add your own until you get it. Once you perfect that everything else is in your playing field and then can create what you want.
Experimentations:
We all over time love the timeless music we listen to. At one point in the music industry, we were not hearing anything different from a unique perspective or feelings. it was all the same and I truly did not like that. I always wanted to create something new that others haven’t heard before. The only way to do this is stepping out of your comfort zone. If you have a vision or just have that feeling of doing something you never done before when creating, is the best time to just dive into it and see what the outcome is. There are plenty of times I decided to go left when I could’ve gone right and made my best sounds/songs by myself, producer collaboration and with the artists I work with. My style is taking their sound, my style and integrating it together to create something new. This right here is how you draw listeners to your music regardless of the genre. Music is magical and once you indulge in that field of unlimited possibilities, I guarantee, you will have something that you never heard before and resonates with you.
Music is Powerful
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Music as much as it is fun to be a part of can definitely be overloading and tense at time. Music has always been my passion so I always had a rule for myself that whenever I have a remote sense of a burnout that i will take a step back and recalibrate. I do this my being out in nature to clear my mind or do other activities that don’t include me thinking when it comes to music. I meditate a lot so I can zone in and focus on the thoughts that I haven’t paid attention to that could very well help me be in a better state mentally, spiritually, physically, emotionally and performing wise when it comes to my work or in my personal life in general. I prioritize my peace before all else and that is what aids me to be the best version of myself. I have compassion for myself, treat myself and speak positive affirmation out loud. whenever I feel overwhelmed. If you have the ability to do something special and unique, you should be grateful and take care of yourself first because being the best you is what leads you to do and face head on the things that come along your way in your path of life. Make your experience beautiful by putting yourself first before anything else.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalokeys3/
- Other: Band instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thursdaysband5.official/
Image Credits
Erica (Lollepop)
Cloud9.visuals
Cam James
Nathan Desil
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
