David D’Angelo Gets Lost In His Own World On His Introspective Release “I.M.O.W”

It’s hard to not get too in your own head.

Inspired by alternative hip-hop titans like Mick Jenkins, FKJ and Robert Glasper, David D’Angelo is a dynamic, multifaceted musician whose sound skillfully blends elements of hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and electronic influences. Known for releases which reflect a keen awareness of himself and the environment around him, D’Angelo has built a buzz through highly compelling and accessible work. Although his musical journey has been anything but ordinary thus far, we get the feeling that D’Angelo hasn’t even hit his peak yet.

As a true fan of the musical medium through and through, one of David D’Angelo’s biggest goals is to use music to inspire and transform the lives of others. Although he does a great job of this through his releases, he also finds other ways of engaging his listeners. As a music teacher, D’Angelo’s been slowly but surely passing his love and knowledge for the genre to his students, inspiring a new generation of musicians and leaving a rich legacy that’s bettered not only himself, but others as well.

As part of David D’Angelo’s latest album, “In My Own World”, his release “I.M.O.W” (feat. Chloe Jean & David Scott) had some stiff competition from the rest of the album’s strong releases. And yet, stand out “I.M.O.W” does. As the titular track for “In My Own World”, “I.M.O.W” fittingly embodies many of the qualities D’Angelo has become known for, with themes of self-reflection, vulnerability and powerful inner dialogue leading the way. Led by D’Angelo’s mesmerizing keyboard and Scott’s beautiful violin play, the melancholic instrumental performance set the perfect tone for featured vocalist Chloe Jean’s soft yet compelling vocal performance. Fittingly and by no mere coincidence, “I.M.O.W” perfectly captures the mental quagmire we can find ourselves in, but as D’Angelo would probably tell you, that’s part of what makes us human.

David D’Angelo’s ability to connect with both his inner world and the communities around him is evident in his work, with “I.M.O.W” standing as one of the many proofs that his artistic ethos is both meaningful, relatable, and compelling. Whenever you’re ready, tap in and stream David D’Angelo’s release “I.M.O.W”, available on all major streaming platforms.

Welcome to Buzz, David D’Angelo! We loved “I.M.O.W”, as soon as we heard it we knew we had to ask! What was the creative process like for making this release, and how did it feel when you heard the completed version for the first time?

Thank you so much for having me on your platform, and I am pleased to hear you loved this project! The inspiration and musical energy for "I.M.O.W" came to me during a time of lots of change and introspection in my life. At the end of 2019 through 2020, the time I created/wrote/developed this song, I was in the process of moving from North Carolina to San Francisco, dealing with romantic heartbreak from a long-term relationship, while simultaneously the world was shifting into more confusion and isolation at the start of the global pandemic. The particular chord progression and melody I created spoke to me at the time I made it. So I developed it further into the Instrumental and ultimately full song of I.M.O.W, with the particular lyrical content and featured artists that we hear on it today. 

I met Chloe Jean, the featured vocalist, at a music conference within my first couple of months of living in the Bay area! She is so talented and such a bright person! We immediately connected, not just on music but having similar values and inspirations. She is a teacher and lover of nature as well, and related to the theme of “In My Own World” as a project. David Scott is the violinist on this record, but he is also a multi-faceted producer/artist and entrepreneur. Not only do we have similar values and inspirations, but he is a friend of mine from Durham, NC, where I grew up. I have known him for many years and we have collaborated on many other records together!

Completing I.M.O.W took over a year. The vocal recording and final mix/mastering was done by Eric Glauser at the legendary Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco. The violin parts were recorded in the home studio of David Scott in Durham, NC. All the rest of my instrumentation/production was done in NC and SF, in various home studios of my own. Hearing the completed record felt awesome, however hearing the completed record with the video when the video was finished..that’s when I felt excited!

What’s your biggest source of motivation when you make your music, and as an extension of that, what does music mean to you? 

Music means everything to me. Aside from my love for my family, and love for nature, listening to music and creating music is what I love the most. I always knew I wanted to continue pursuing music into adulthood and thus make it my career for the long term! Everything in my life can and has inspired my music at times, however, my biggest source of motivation and inspiration is the natural world and the importance of our environment. I am motivated to create music that speaks about things I care about, like the importance of caring for our environment and all living things on this planet. 

My intro and outro track on my album In My World highlight this motivation. The first thing I say in the intro is “This is the music I make to connect with the Earth.” This statement is very true to me and my creative visions and sets the tone for this project.

Other than “I.M.O.W”, what was your favorite release from your “In My Own World” album?

This is a great question, yet also a hard one! My next favorite track on the album would either be “Priceless Commodity”, a hip-hop track + video addressing water scarcity and the need for water conservation or “Keep My Distance”, both of which feature my good friend and frequent collaborator MayDay rapping on these records!

As someone who made it a priority to share your knowledge and passion with your listeners and students, do you have any advice for anyone who might be trying to follow in your footsteps?

Whether you are looking at going into a career in music, or any other industry, I encourage you to never give up doing what you love the most! Identify what you are most passionate about and what would bring you joy to do daily for work. It is possible to make a full-time living from the services/products/benefits you can provide others, using your top passions and skill sets! Gaining as much expertise as possible in one specific area, while also having a good understanding of how your expertise fits into the larger ecosystem of society and business, will give you a better chance of leveraging your knowledge as a career. It’s much better to focus on bringing value to others than to focus on getting value from others. This is easier said than done and I am still learning how to be the best musician, teacher, and overall person I can be. I still make mistakes all the time, but it’s easier to learn from the mistakes when you have clear goals of what you want to do in your life and career. 

What’s next for David D’Angelo, and is there anything you’d like to say to your fans?

Yes absolutely! So first up I have two new video releases coming this fall, both are songs on my album In My Own World. The first one is “IMZ” featuring MayDay, and the other is for “Don’t Hide” featuring MayDay. Don’t Hide is a song and video I am especially excited about. It’s my first release where I am singing on both the hook and have my own verse and outro parts. Recently I have been recording more of my own vocals, and In My Own World is my first project where I have released my vocal parts on my production. You can expect more music coming out with me on vocals, including at some point a full project where I am the only vocalist! This is new territory for me, so I am excited to explore more styles and genres as an artist doing vocals, not just the producer behind the scenes!

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