Meet The Performers: Dani Velvet - Najeri Rawlins

With our first show of the year quickly approaching, I had the pleasure of speaking with Orlando based artist Dani Velvet about his journey so far and how he prepares for performances. Dani’s R&B/Soul sound was influenced by many artists growing up including - Usher, James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Tyreese. We spoke about what it was like growing up with so many musical influences around him (including his mom) and how that influence played a role in him pursuing music professionally. 

On February 11th, Dani dropped his new mixtape “The Velvet Room Vol. 1”, a collective of five songs with the perfect R&B vibe and production as well. My favorite song on the tape is “Tell You The Truth” . Be sure to check it out below for a taste of what to expect at the show!

Make sure you grab your tickets for the event! Showtime will be from 7pm - 11:00pm at The Abbey Downtown Orlando. It’ll be the perfect environment to bring a loved one, enjoy some drinks, and vibe along to the performers joining us that night.


Read more about Dani Velvet below and how he prepares for performances: 

Q: Tell me a little bit about yourself (where you live, your age, etc.)

- “My name is Dani V. I’m from Florida born and raised and I’m an R&B singer. I have an old soul so like soul music draws me.”

Q: When did your musical journey begin? When did you know you wanted to take it seriously/build a career?

- “My musical journey began at a church in Orlando called Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, that’s the church I was born into. My mom was the lead singer of the choir so when she was pregnant with me she was singing as well. One of my earliest memories was at this church and being a part of these choir sessions and rehearsals.

It wasn't until after I returned from being deployed in Afghanistan that I decided I wanted to attend school for music and pursue my career as an artist.”

 

Q: What have you been up to so far this year?

- “I actually just released a Mixtape on my soundcloud on 2/11.

It’s like Valentine's day/Grown & Sexy kind of vibe. ADULTS ONLY type of vibe haha. I have some more shows coming up this year and definitely planning on dropping new singles.”

Q: Any specific sounds or artists you look up to for your musical inspiration?

- “I definitely looked up to artists like: Usher, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Tyreese, Tank, Genuine coming up, I definitely have a handful of Gospel influences too but these days I listen to what’s popular/mainstream (HER, Brent Faiyaz, Lucky Daye) but I spend a lot of time dissecting my own music too so I can make sure I have my own original sound. I don't want to sound like anybody else.”

Q: What do you look forward to the most when it comes to performing? 

-  “I look forward to preparing my set list and deciding how I’m going to perform my entire set song to song. Also just feeling the vibes and the way I interact with the crowd. I love it.”

Q: How do you prepare the day of a show? 

- “I do this thing where like 10-15 minutes before I perform I find a corner and raise my palms to the sky and I pray. I humble myself and remind myself that these moments are bigger than me and you never know what impression someone will walk away with. You never know what kind of impact you can have.”

Q: If you could describe your sound in one sentence to a new listener, what would you say? 

- “Funky! It is funky but if I had to describe my sound I would say it’s vibes. You can definitely feel the vibes when you’re listening to my songs.”