Daryl Smith is a singer and producer who has been building up his musical career in Portland, Oregon for the previous two years. In this short time, he has released two EP's and his debut album, “Behind Blue Eyes”. Daryl has a soft spot for the 80s, and this is evident as it permeates through his album. A budding philanthropist, he hopes to one day fund humanitarian efforts against human trafficking in third-world countries. Always reaching upward, Daryl Smith is a serious and multi-faceted musician and producer who aims to impress.
BuzzMusic is proud to release Daryl's brand new single, “Cash”. Within seconds of giving this song a spin, it is readily apparent that Daryl has a great sensibility for the sound of the 80s. The beat and the synths create a swaggering atmosphere that makes you want to find the nearest dance floor. The vocals are light, bubbly and heartwarming. Daryl Smith has the ability to bring multiple styles to his singing, building energy to each memorable and catchy chorus. With this new single under his belt, we have little doubt that we can expect more great offerings from Daryl Smith as he continues to forge his place as a musician and producer.
Add "Cash" to your Spotify Playlist here!
Hey Daryl, nice to catch up with you! Would you describe your background and how you got involved with music?
I say growing up I would always listen to a lot of rock music. I think my dad had a lot of influence in me listening to a lot of rock music. I would listen to bands like Linkin Park, Saliva, Limp Bizkit, the Foo Fighters, etc. After listening to a lot of more modern rock music, I started discovering more classic rock and all those 80s hair bands. I would pretend i was the lead singer of one of those bands and rock out in front of the mirror ( I'm sure like a lot of us did growing up ). My aunt as a concert pianist and my mom as a singer had a big influence on me as well. But rock music is where my roots in music come from, And that helped me explore all other genres....like 80s pop!. My love for 80s pop is the reason i'm working to form my sound around that era!
Are you originally from Portland? How would you describe the music scene there?
Born and raised in Portland! I'm not 100% sure if i'll stay here forever but i love living here at the moment. From my personal view point, the 2 big scenes in Portland are more Folk/Indie music....and Rap music. Which is great! Except both of those genres wouldn't be in the realm of what i'm making, and that's okay! Gives me more room to carve out my own lane.
It's clear from your new single, “Cash”, that you understand the sounds of the 80s. Are there artists from that time period in particular that you draw inspiration from?
I appreciate that! I'm happy you got 80s vibes from my single. Means my vision was received well! I draw inspiration from way too many artists in that time period to list right now, but the top 3 songs that really inspired my song Cash are "Everything She Wants" by Wham! , "Dirty Laundry" by Don Henley, and from a modern retro band "Love it if we made it" by The 1975.
Given that you are both a musician and producer, what does your writing process generally look like?
My writing process usually starts with the music....99% of the time. Usually it's late night when my inspiration comes! I'll sit down around 11:00pm and then what seems like only minutes later..I'll look at the clock and its 2:00am haha. After the music is good then I write lyrics...record..mix..master...etc. There's no one right way to start a song, so whatever you prefer! It's all about bigger picture...If the song is a good song! ..not how it's made.
What does the future have in store for Daryl Smith?
2019 will be all about releasing singles and building my brand, I want to play live later this year and possibly an album! 2019 is all about gaining momentum and building traction for me though, and helping out other people!
Connect with Daryl Smith on Instagram.