- Bryon Harris
Dana Carmel
Dana Carmel is an Indie pop music artist with a unique style and heartfelt lyrics. Her new album is sure to be the next soundtrack to your life - Read more about Dana and her album, Little Red Heart.
What got you into music?
My sister and brother are 9 and 7 years older than me and there was always music on in the house that I wouldn’t have heard otherwise. I remember distinctly hearing “Everybody want to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, and feeling the song throughout my whole body. Even at a really young age, I was like “What is this? And how do I get more of it?”
What is your favorite part about being an artist or band? Songwriting, performing, recording, etc.? Tell us why.
I’d have to say it’s songwriting for me. I think it’s because it’s the most immediate. I can always pick up my guitar, or sit at the piano and the release and relief is instant. Of course I then love sharing what I’ve written but I guess for me, the favorite part is the beginning of the whole process. Having an emotion, or an inspiration, and creating something seemingly out of thin air. How cool is that?
Can you tell us what being in the recording studio is like for you?
I love recording too. Bringing those creations to life is a whole other creation in itself. When I’m in the studio, I’m smiling ear to ear. For this latest album, Little Red Heart, just released , I was so fortunate to have found a producer, Philip Jimenez, that I really mesh with, have fun with, and generally love. He captured my voice in a way that I don’t think anyone else has.
We had so much fun. It was, like I said, a creative process in itself. We played around, experimented, let go of some ideas, got inspired by others, and I couldn’t be more proud of the final product. Philip played a lot of the instruments and was totally up for playing around until we found what worked. I’m so grateful. In the studio, my focus is always on what’s best for the song.
As an artist or musician, are there any obstacles you have had to overcome or obstacles that you are facing right now in your career?
I think the hardest thing is just that the path is never linear. It’s a lot of back and forth, to and fro and sometimes it feels like you’re just moving side to side, not even moving forward. Sometimes you can’t even see one step ahead of you. It’s not like going to med school to become a Dr. where the path is generally laid out before you.
There’s a lot of trial and error, a lot of trust and faith involved, and the learning curve is huge. I’m still constantly learning and don’t plan on stopping that ever.
Also, just as a human being, there comes a lot of doubt and uncertainty. Which is why trust and faith are so vital. Trust in yourself and faith in your talent. You won’t get too far without those.
Who do you admire most in the music scene today and why?
I admire all the indie musicians Doing it Themselves, ya know? There are so many of us out there, writing amazing songs, playing amazing shows, and we all do it because we can’t NOT do it. It’s amazing how many of us there are and how talented and vibrant the DIY music scene is.
If you could be granted one wish, right now, as an artist, what would you ask for?
I would ask for the most perfect team to help with the booking, the synching, the scheduling, the managing so that I could concentrate on what I’m best at, writing and performing.
What is on the horizon in the next year for you?
I will be focused on promoting this new album with a tour, merch, and unreleased content. I wrote a book where I give songwriters creative tips and tricks to stay inspired, and that’s slated for release soon as well, so I’m busy but in the best of waysJ
To date, what do you think your best song is? Can you describe the song for us?
I actually think I have quite a few so it’s hard to pick. I’ll go with one from my album called “Where We Belong”. It’s a ballad that I wrote on the piano. I remember when I wrote it quite a while ago sitting at the piano just crying not being able to even sing because I was so emotional. It was inspired by own feelings of not being with who I wanted to be with, and also a TV show I was obsessed with at the time.
I wrote everything except for the bridge, and played it for close friends and family. My dad fell in love with it and said I need to record it. I kept telling him it wasn’t finished and he was like “so finish it!”. It took me a minute, but I finally finished the bridge and tweaked the words and it really is a song that I have come to think is one of the best I’ve written. I played it live for a couple of friends who had never heard my stuff before and when I turned around they were both crying. I knew I had something special then.
Tell us where fans can access your music!
Stream or buy on Amazon