Artist You Should Know: Daggy
Daggy is a promising young independent artist that is garnering attention for his smooth flow and crafty storytelling ability. In just a little under three years, he has managed to grow a solid fanbase, and he’s got his eyes set on a bright future. His early success is backed by over 1,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and five different songs with over 10,000 streams each. This is no small feat.
His fans know his music by this point, but not all of them know the story behind the artist. Today, we will certainly get to his music, but first, we wanted to take a peek behind the curtain and get to know the person and his story. We caught up with the blossoming emcee and got to know the story a bit better.
For us, we always like to start at the beginning when we’re talking to artists. We asked Daggy what got him into music in the first place and here is what he told us.
“I have been in love with music since hearing ‘ ‘Bittersweet Symphony” playing through the radio when I was a kid. Music has always been an escape for me. Whether it be fuel for sports or motivation during tough times and a way to enjoy myself. I truly began this journey of a music career in March 2019. I began to start collaborating with a local artist and engineer Vaugny Vo. He was instrumental in guiding me towards understanding the importance of actions in and outside of the booth. At the time there were still SoundCloud songs in the catalog, but I began to realize the importance in beat ownership, exclusive rights and monetization. At the end of that month of May I released my debut single ‘GPS’, released on all major digital streaming platforms. Since then, it’s been a constant mission of meeting new engineers and producers that provide me with the opportunity to be creative and share my message. Asylum Studios, located in Miami, was also a hub and network where I was able to expand my sound and learn from the greats like Mykey Lo and RayVyn.”
The life-long journey of being a dedicated music fan really comes through in Daggy’s music. The journey that he has been on as a person and an artist makes for captivating music and we are huge fans of his sound. Digging more into his sound, we asked him about his major musical influences.
“I was blessed to attend a lot of concerts before ever stepping onto the mic. My favorite thing to do was go see an artist perform live.I have seen the Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson, Drake, Wiz Khalifa, Two Door Cinema Club and many others live. Coldplay, OwlCity, Panic at the Disco were a favorite when I was young, not to mention occasional radio hits that would get stuck in my head. Chris Brown, Akon and T-Pain made headlines, which was sure to catch my ear. Groups like 3oh3!, The Devil Wears Prada, Black Eyed Peas and Gorillaz opened up my perspective to a broader scope. My most recent years and discovery of influences come from my old soul. I find myself diving into tracks from Wham!, Sting, Tears for Fears and others. However, I still am an avid SoundCloud listener where I enjoy hearing what the new wave artists are experimenting with. Overall though, I do limit my over intake of other music. I try to stick to listening to beats and instrumentals which fit my style of sound. I want to ensure I continue influencing myself based on the ideas which come from my personal inspiration. There is so much music to be consumed, as I also reciprocate those different moods and emotions we all feel. Yet again, despite being passionate for other artists and their brands, I want to stay true to my sound and trust the process.”
A diversified background, a dedicated work ethic, and a passion for music is a winning formula. With his origin story established we turned our attention to his music and his future. We’ll take a look at one of his most popular music videos, ‘HOA’, but first we asked him what his favorite song that he has released was.
“My favorite song would have to be ‘Pipeline’. This song was released on my debut Album in 2019, ‘Chateau DAG’. It has a very sentimental meaning it’s a recount of history; a time that I will always cherish. The song itself took me a total of three weeks to write it, format it, and ensure it was perfect before recording. ‘Pipeline’ also includes an epic video in the Utah snow, which encaptures the sad-boi feelings throughout the song. Mixed and Mastered by Vaughny Vo, it’s a certified classic.”
Daggy delivers a real cool, laid-back track here. He gives his fans a personal story about a failed relationship that flows over a vibey melody and an amazing beat. Check out the video for it here.
While we thoroughly enjoyed ‘Pipeline’, ‘HOA’ offers us another side of Daggy’s sound and we equally love this track and video.
“‘HOA’ was recorded back in 2019 with Hustle Beats. Once the beat was played, I immediately jumped in the booth and started to compose the song. It definitely brings out my grittier side and showcases my courage and confidence. It also has a Hip-Hop vibe, thanks to the piano type instrumental. I wanted the song to be an anthem that capitalized on the darker tones. I’m not one to flex, but this song does boast. I want listeners to feel fired up when they listen to this, it’s an authentic mood.
The video was all thanks to Ary Lezcano; he filmed and edited the video. The first step however, was to secure the location for filming. I secured an AirBNB in South Florida. It was the perfect fit for the vibe we were going for. Ary and I’s collaboration process was very cohesive. We worked through ideas on where to take the key shots, we implemented new editing and ways to sauce the overall look of the ‘HOA’ music video.”
We totally agree with Daggy about the sound of this track. It’s edgy, it’s intense, and it’s proof that he is a versatile artist that has many sounds and styles that he can offer to listeners. He shows that he can switch up what he’s doing while still consistently crafting is own unique brand. Here is the video for ‘HOA’.
In just a few short years, Daggy has built a solid foundation as an artist. He has a stunning music catalog, some great videos, and a quickly growing fanbase. With all of that going on, we wanted to know what his long term goals are.
“As an artist, singer and songwriter, my desire is to inspire listeners to strive for greatness and understand their full potential. Whether someone wants to be a doctor, a professional athlete or professor at a prestigious University, I want to make a beneficial impact on their life and journey. With an international background and bi-lingual understanding of French and English, I will reach areas all over the globe. Music is life; the sounds we listen to and instruments we love shape who we are. The lyrics, moods and messages I bring into my music are an expression of how I portray my life. The lessons and experiences I have learned serve as a pallet for my creative thinking and vision. I wouldn’t consider myself a role model, however I’m confident my content and persona will bring people prosperity and happiness. Music has changed the world, and it still is doing so. I am a vital part of that driving force! My music is a form of therapy.
I understand that the world is going much more digital, concerts may only be virtual going forward. My goal, which has always been the same, is to sell out a large venue like Madison Square Garden. It is when I am on stage that my persona is illuminating. Live performances in front of an audience are my favorite thing in the entire world (other than my family). With that being said, my goal is to continue to find ways to perform live and make actual face to face connections with fans. I want meet and greets with fans and followers, I want pop-ups in order to meet face to face with fans. That’s what it’s all about, creating that connection. I understand online presence is important, but I still feel the narrative to keep live shows alive should be a priority. I’m confident my YouTube visuals and Instagram content can be entertaining and intriguing, but I hope that enagamnet doesn’t just stop there. I want to go out and meet these fans, make an impact in their community, speak with them about their lives and connection with music. My goal is to do music for the rest of my life. It keeps my heart beating and my soul moving. Daggy is not a stage name, it’s who I am.”
This love for performing live and this need to connect with his fans are endearing traits for a young artist. As Daggy said, the world is only going to become more digital, but connection and community are still vital.
If you ask us, there are a ton of reasons that you should check out his music, and we’ve highlighted those throughout this article. Still, we wanted to give him the opportunity to tell you why you should check him out.
“My music is a form of therapy. For those who need to dive into their feelings, I have those more emotional tracks where I connect on real life issues. For the hustlers and go-getters, my music is motivation. My goal, as an artist, singer and songwriter is to transform the way we live and use music. I have the moods you are searching for, the vibes you want to connect with. You become what you listen to. Artist’s that I look up to serve as my support system; I am reciprocating what they did for myself and many others. My music is a road map for this life of adversity, triumph, love and sin. Again, I am here to motivate and inspire! Not to mention, I know my creativity is endless. I will drop as many tracks as I can, I don’t ever see myself stopping. The sky’s the limit for me, and those who listen to me.
I would say my music is, positive and optimistic but also sort of an emotional rollercoaster. I compose sounds that originate from my own encounters, hoping to associate with others. Ironically, despite all of the explicit material out on the airwaves, I am family friendly. There are no explicatives used in my music, or derogatory content. I have tracks that everyone can relate to and enjoy!”
Daggy is an artist that you should be in your rotation from this point forward and you can follow along with him with the links below.
