Episode 242
A Transformative Collaboration: The Story Behind Daniel Caesar's 'Freudian'
The episode elucidates the transformative journey of a vocal coach who, through his collaboration with the artist Daniel Caesar, has garnered significant recognition within the music industry. Initially approached to provide vocal coaching, our speaker's involvement swiftly evolved into vocal production for Caesar's acclaimed album, "Freudian," which ultimately led to Grammy nominations. This pivotal experience not only catalyzed his ascent in the industry but also underscored the profound impact of music in transcending borders and fostering emotional connections among audiences globally. Throughout the discussion, we delve into the nuances of audience reactions across different cultures, the importance of community within the Toronto music scene, and the challenges faced by emerging artists in gaining recognition. The conversation culminates in a contemplative exploration of the necessity for a more interconnected musical community that champions collaboration over competition.
Takeaways:
- The evolution of my career has been significantly influenced by my collaboration with Daniel Caesar, whose debut album, 'Freudian', has garnered notable recognition, including Grammy nominations.
- Experiencing a world tour allowed me to witness diverse audience reactions, highlighting the cultural differences in how people engage with music across various regions.
- The impact of music transcends geographic boundaries, serving as a universal language that fosters emotional connections and encourages positive change in listeners.
- In the music industry, there exists a challenging dynamic where emerging artists often struggle to gain visibility and support due to established hierarchies and perceived credentials.
- The development of a supportive music community in Toronto is crucial, as the current environment often fosters competition rather than collaboration among artists.
- I believe that fostering connections and collaborations among artists can enhance the creative landscape in Toronto, allowing for mutual growth and success.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Daniel Caesar
- Freudian
- Kanye West
Transcript
The church scene.
Speaker A:And he was like, hey, I'm working with this artist.
Speaker A:We're trying a thing.
Speaker A:And they just want to know, like, if we can get you to coach him.
Speaker A:So I was like, cool.
Speaker A:So I didn't really know much about the kid.
Speaker A:I just knew that he was new to this thing and wanted to try something out.
Speaker A:So we did a session that grew into more vocal sessions.
Speaker A:When I say a session, I mean, like, vocal coaching session.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:And then that grew into them saying, like, okay, we're working on an album and we want to know if you can vocal produce.
Speaker A:And I was like, yes.
Speaker A:Like, I really wanted.
Speaker A:That's.
Speaker A:I love doing that.
Speaker A:And because it was challenging me to do something outside of gospel as well.
Speaker A:I love a good challenge, too.
Speaker A:So I was like, yeah, let's do it.
Speaker A:And then fast forward.
Speaker A:His name is Daniel Caesar, and that album turned into Freudian, which is.
Speaker A:Which has afforded us Grammy nominations.
Speaker A:Danny won a Grammy off of it, I think.
Speaker A:But I just got the nomination.
Speaker A:Yeah, I'm very grateful for it.
Speaker A:That was that.
Speaker A:And then grew into other people hearing about me in the industry.
Speaker A:People are still just figuring out who I am.
Speaker A:I'm still small fry, in my opinion.
Speaker A:And, yeah, that's just one of the things.
Speaker A:Or actually, let me tell you about this.
Speaker A:We just came off of tour in December, so we did a world tour, which was amazing for me.
Speaker A:It was my first world tour living on a bus.
Speaker A:You know, we started off in America, then we went to Europe, then we did Canada, and that was an experience.
Speaker A:I got to meet a lot of people around the world that way as well.
Speaker A:And then.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:So I don't know what else I could tell you, but that's basically some of the stuff that music has afforded me to do.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I know you've been all.
Speaker B:All these stages you've been on.
Speaker B:You're doing pretty much the same show while you're on tour.
Speaker B:I've heard.
Speaker B:I've heard and I've experienced sort of this feeling.
Speaker B:Did you ever get the sense that's almost like the crowd.
Speaker B:Did you see the crowd reacting the same way no matter where you went or were there any differences that you noted or.
Speaker A:There were differences, actually.
Speaker A:People are different in different places of the world.
Speaker A:Even in.
Speaker A:Let's talk about America on its own, there's certain places where they're a little more lively or other places where they're just taking it in, and you almost feel like you did a really bad show.
Speaker A:But it's the way they react to it after makes you realize, oh, you were just taking it in.
Speaker A:And I think we used to be like that a lot here in Toronto.
Speaker A:But over time, I've seen the culture change a bit, and I've spoken to a lot of artists in the past that have come here and they're like, I don't know, like, I guess Toronto wasn't feeling me.
Speaker A:And I'm like, no, they were feeling our different way of taking it in.
Speaker A:But, yeah, feeling too nice.
Speaker A:But like I said, the culture is changing a little bit.
Speaker A:People are a little more free in Toronto, or they're getting there.
Speaker A:And so I want to give them that credit.
Speaker A:But, yeah, audiences are different everywhere around the world, but for the most part, it's still good to see people singing the words back that you contributed to and the harmonies you did and them noticing you.
Speaker A:And it just makes you feel like all the hard work you put into it is actually paying off and it was worth it.
Speaker B:Amazing.
Speaker C:That makes perfect sense.
Speaker C:What do you.
Speaker C:What do you love the most about being a musician?
Speaker A:Impact.
Speaker A:I love reaching people that I probably can't physically get to, and I love invoking thoughts and ideas in people through songs, and hopefully that will start a change in them, a positive change.
Speaker A:Yeah, I guess in one word it would be impact.
Speaker A:I think that's what I really love about music.
Speaker A:There's no borders with music.
Speaker A:It's a universal language that everybody understands and everybody feels.
Speaker A:Especially right now, during this whole COVID 19 situation, I'm seeing how many people are turning to music because it's healing.
Speaker A:It helps you take your mind off of what's going on around you.
Speaker A:And then when you do have to face reality, it also helps you face reality.
Speaker C:That makes.
Speaker C:That's a great answer, I guess.
Speaker C:On the flip side of that, what do you hate the most about the music industry?
Speaker A:Oh, there's a lot of things.
Speaker A:I'm joking.
Speaker A:No, I mean, like every industry, there's challenges.
Speaker A:I just think a lot of times, people, the longer you're in the industry, it's easier for you to become caught up in the bubble and forget about things outside of the bubble.
Speaker A:I constantly have to fight that myself.
Speaker A:Like, it's just to be quite real.
Speaker A:You're so busy and working with people in this bubble that you forget about the world outside of it sometimes.
Speaker A:And that I don't like.
Speaker A:It's hard for people to reach out to somebody who might have a foot or.
Speaker A:Or just be in that bubble.
Speaker A:It's really hard because they look at your followers, they look at how many followers you have or what you've done or who you've written for.
Speaker A:And if you don't have any credentials under your belt, it's almost like you're.
Speaker A:You're nothing and you don't matter.
Speaker A:And that doesn't work.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:That's counterproductive because it's like, how do I make it there then?
Speaker A:How do I get the help that I need?
Speaker A:How do I progress if nobody's allowing me to, even if I can't get to them, if I can't reach them?
Speaker A:So I think that's something we can work on in the industry, is being a little bit more reachable.
Speaker C:Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker C:No, I kind of understand what you're saying.
Speaker C:Is there anything else you'd like to change about the industry?
Speaker C:I guess you're saying that right now it's just hard for, for up and comers to really get the credit or to really get their chops, if you will, in the industry, but.
Speaker A:Or notice.
Speaker C:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker C:Even just be noticed.
Speaker C:So if you could, what would you specifically change about the.
Speaker C:I guess let's start just specifically with the music scene in Toronto.
Speaker C:What would you like if you could change a couple things about the music scene Toronto, what would it be?
Speaker A:I would.
Speaker A:It's hard to say, but the main thing that's been in the forefront of my mind is the sense of a community, a music community.
Speaker A:It's starting to develop here a bit, but we need that.
Speaker A:I find a lot of artists will know of each other here in the city, but they don't really know each other.
Speaker A:Nobody's put out the effort to get to know that person or work or collaborate.
Speaker A:I find in certain places in America, you'll go, and somebody's like, yo, you need to meet Dave, because Dave is going to help you with this.
Speaker A:And then Dave meets you and he's like, yo, I'm working on the Kanye west album and I need you.
Speaker A:And then so and so connects you.
Speaker A:Like, everybody's connecting each other with and making things happen in that type of way.
Speaker A:And I think we lack that in Toronto.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:We feel like it's a.
Speaker A:More of a competition here, and that's just the lack of knowledge.
Speaker A:I think we need more people to speak out and say, hey, that's not how it works.
Speaker A:It doesn't mean like, who's better makes it to the top.
Speaker A:It's all about, like, how we push each other to the top or pull each other the top.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So.
