DJ and UCLA alum David Dann finds success with debut album
UCLA alumnus David Dann self-released his debut album, “To Each His Own,” earlier this year. It beat out Skrillex, Tiesto and Kaskade on the iTunes top 10 dance albums chart. (courtesy of Peter Hotaridas)
By marjorie yan
July 8, 2012 10:04 a.m.
House music DJ and producer David Dann didn’t let a rejection from UCLA or multiple record labels taint his dreams of being a UCLA graduate and chart-topping artist. As of last month, Dann accomplished both of these dreams as he self-released his debut album, “To Each His Own,” which beat out DJ veterans Skrillex, Tiesto and Kaskade on the iTunes top 10 dance albums chart.
Dann, who applied twice to UCLA before being accepted as a transfer student from Santa Monica College, graduated last month as a history student and plans to establish his own record label, “Mind of a Genius.” Daily Bruin’s Marjorie Yan spoke to Dann about his history as a musician, his thoughts on his album and his new label.
Daily Bruin: What sparked your interest in music? Tell us about where the journey began for you.
David Dann: I grew up in Beverly Hills and my family has zero background in music and … is all into medicine. … When I was growing up, my mom kind of forced me into (taking) piano lessons. I quit (the) lessons after a year and a half because I didn’t want to be taught how to play an instrument. I wanted to learn on my own. (Taking piano lessons) was by force … and after a few sessions I had advanced pretty quickly so I quit. That was when the music thing started. … There was a huge attachment to piano at an early age and I was (really) into computers. My fetish for those two things were a deadly combination for being a DJ and performing live.
DB: So when did your career as a DJ actually start picking up? How would you say you’ve built your following?
DD: When I was 16 I had a residency at a venue called Privilege in L.A. which was one of the top nightclubs at the time. I was … sneaking my friends into all of these clubs and into parties I was DJing. I had a bunch of residencies during that time. Mi-6 was another residency that I had. During summer of my senior year of high school, I’d bring all (of) the city kids and it was one of the only house music clubs. I ran (with) it and started that night. That was a huge time for me.
DB: OK, so tell us about that moment you found out your album topped Skrillex, Tiesto and Kaskade. What was going through your mind?
DD: It came out on April 30 and I remember three hours in, one of my boys texted me saying my album was 76 on the dance album iTunes chart. That was three hours in and I was so confused and … the next morning it was 25. … A few hours later it was top 10 and to be honest, it was kind of like this huge shock to the whole team and the people that I work with because we weren’t expecting this from … the debut album, but (at the same time) I wasn’t so surprised because of the belief I had in the music (and) in the fans especially. It was definitely a landmark moment in my life and career, and it was a great feeling. It showed (that) hard work pays off.
DB: Tell me about the inspiration behind the name of your album, “To Each His Own”?
DD: We went through a bunch of names. This album from start to end took two or three years to finish and there was obviously a lot more songs that didn’t make it. The ones that did make it were the ones that I thought blended together the best. The name came about because I had been showing the songs for a year to different people, musicians and family, and it’s crazy because every single person had a different take on it. It hit people in much different ways than (it did) the next person. … I couldn’t get a consistent answer or thought on the album. Some people said it was really house-y or trance-y or indie or really melodic. Everyone had a different take. I was super frustrated and at the end of the day, I named it “To Each His Own” because everyone had their own thoughts and that’s kind of how it came about.
DB: Tell me a little more about the record label you’re creating. How did the idea come up and how did you come up with the name?
DD: “Mind of a Genius” stems from a playlist I had named when I was 15 or 16 for some of my favorite (songs) by musicians I had labeled as geniuses at the time. Some include Sade and (Radiohead lead vocalist) Thom Yorke. (The record label consists of) me and my team, a few like-minded individuals based out of L.A., Miami and New York, no industry professionals.
Email Yan at [email protected].
