Here at The Lowdown, we love nothing more than introducing our readers to new, up and coming talent that we highly recommend checking out. We now introduce you to rising dance talent and multi-instrumentalist Henry Daniel. His current single 'Shake That' is the ultimate house music tune and was released through Lift Me Up Records. After working on finding his sound, 'Shake That' is the start of something truly special for him and sees him develop his raw sound.
We had the opportunity to speak with Henry Daniel about 'Shake That,' how he first discovered his love of music, his plans for the remainder of the year and more. Keep reading to check out what he had to say!
Welcome to The Lowdown. Please introduce yourself to our readers.
"My name is Henry Daniel. I'm a twenty-one year old DJ/producer from West London. I've been producing music for about six years and have always been around music, even from a very young age."
You released your single 'Shake That' earlier this year. How does it feel to have new music released?
"It's a massive weight off my shoulders. I hit a bit of a rut last year and didn't really know where I wanted to go with my sound. It's nice to have my music finally out in the world, and I have so much more to share!"
For anyone who hasn't heard your music yet, can you sum it up in a couple of words?
"Classic house music, with a bit more of a pop twist. I like the idea of the type of music you could hear in the club, but also on the radio!"
How long did 'Shake That' take to come together, right from the initial writing stages?
"It depends for different songs, but with 'Shake That,' I had the initial concept done within a couple of hours. But to get the song to a point that I was happy with, I'd say it took about six weeks, with several changes made to the initial idea. This also involved getting the mix and master right. To most people, six weeks might sound like a long time to get a final result, but actually, the entire thing felt incredibly quick and natural from start to finish."
Who would you say are your musical influences? Do you feel that they have a positive impact on the music that you are creating?
"Thanks to my parents, I was brought up on really good music as a child. I was inspired a lot by the likes of The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones and Kasabian - just to name a few! But as I got older and started exploring my own tastes in music, it would actually be dance music that I would fall in love with. I think I was first inspired by Calvin Harris when I was about twelve or thirteen years old when I first heard 'Thinking About You.'
I also discovered Disclosure's first album, 'Settle,' around this time as well and was in absolute awe. I haven't stopped listening to dance music since. In recent years, I've been inspired by artists such as SG Lewis, Four Tet, Kaytranada and Fred Again."
Is there anything particular you would most like to achieve throughout your music career?
"I think what I want more than anything is just for my music to be heard by as many people as possible. I love the idea of knowing that someone across the world, who has no idea who I am, can listen to something that I've made. The idea that a creation that happened inside my head can make them feel a certain type of way. To be honest, that's all I've ever wanted for my career, because that's the way I feel when I'm listening to music.
However, if I had to name one specific goal, I would love to headline a DJ set at Boardmasters Festival. This might sound like a seemingly random answer, but it was the first festival I ever went to when I was sixteen. I remember just thinking to myself that all I ever wanted to do was be on that stage. For some reason, it's stuck with me ever since. I want to make my sixteen year old self proud."
Going back to your roots, how did you first discover your love of music?
"Definitely from my father. He's always encouraged me from a young age to write songs, learn instruments and listen to good music. He was a singer and performer back in the 90's, and later transitioned into song-writing and worked with artists such as D:Ream and Gloria Gaynor. He never forced music on me or my brothers. We just always had instruments lying around the house. Even as a young child, I couldn't help but pick up a guitar, bang on a piano or hit a drum set."
What else does 2022 have in store for you? Will there be even more music released and maybe some live performances?
"I think so far my live shows have been my biggest priority this year, hence why I haven't been releasing as much music as I'd initially hoped. I have a lot of new music I want to share, and will be blessing everyone's ears very soon! I'm currently the resident DJ at 'The Chelsea Funhouse' on Kings Road. It's a small yet thrilling dining/clubbing experience. I'm there every Friday and Saturday. I've been doing a lot of events recently for a new and exciting events company called 'Radium 88.' They are definitely ones to watch! I've headlined a couple of their events already. We've also sold out multiple shows around London, including Notting Hill Arts Club and Cafe 1001. We also have an event lined up at The Egg, and there will be more details about that very soon."
What is the best piece of advice you have been given in this industry so far?
"The biggest piece of advice that I've been given has been from my Dad. A few years ago, I was upset that I'd had one of my demos rejected. He said that I have to learn to embrace rejection. The music industry is one of the hardest industries in the world, and it's incredibly saturated. You have to treat it more like a business, and less like a hobby. Some people aren't going to like what you're doing and that's fine - don't be discouraged by what one person might think. There are another seven billion people on this planet with a different opinion, so just focus your time on them, work hard, and don't give up!"
Finally, do you have a message for all your supporters?
"Firstly, I just want to say thank you! I know it sounds cliché, but I wouldn't be doing this without the support I have from people all over the world. Secondly, to everyone reading this, expect a lot from me in the coming months. I have so much planned. I'm eager to get it out, but just bear with me. I promise it'll be worth the wait!"
Henry Daniel's recent single 'Shake That' is out now and is available to purchase and stream through all major music purchasing and streaming outlets.
By Rachel Dempster
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