Versatile artist Danny Singh on inspiration—from boating trips to classic rock—amid the release of new sultry internet hit, “WYD?”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY PATTI DOUD ☆
The world’s globalized network has led to plenty of niche communities, whether the central theme of these diasporas is lived experiences or cultural explorations. For Danny Singh, his unique interactions with music led him to a laidback circle of friends, producers and fans who are the definition of “I listen to everything.” While this clique is the perfect audience for Singh’s experimental sound, a talent this expansive deserves to be acknowledged by all. His latest release—the recent smooth, sultry “WYD?”—is the perfect introduction track for the world.
The young artist shows off his sonic diversity through tracks like “KARMASUTYA,” where he sounds straight off a Nine Inch Nails track with his screaming verses. Another standout is the flowy, indie-R&B fusion track “BUDDY,” which could easily be mistaken for a Steve Lacy leak. In the rough rock track titled “WASSUP,” Singh boasts, “This is jersey punk, I just made it up,” which is a great summary of the jersey club beat layered over intense guitar riffs. While the production is stunningly unique, Singh also presents high quality rap flows reminiscent of Trippie Redd and Kendrick Lamar, along with providing strong vocals seen in R&B icons like Daniel Caesar and Brent Faiyaz.
Such a mind-blowing discography from such a young artist made me eager to pick the brain that’s contributing to a new, futuristic, and innovative era in music. Once we got on the phone to talk, it was clear that Singh’s go-with-the-flow nature was a major factor in his ability to skillfully pick up the unique sounds and executions presented in his music. Check out the full interview below.
LUNA: Just wanted to get started by learning a little bit more about you and your journey in music. So how did that start, and how did it lead you to where you ended up with your music journey today?
SINGH: It started in Queens with my brothers. Like my dad, he plays a lot of instruments, so he always had us in church, just gigging with him...and after that, I joined a couple bands in high school, like hip hop groups, rock bands. And then one of my band ended up winning Afropunk Music Festival [in Brooklyn].
LUNA: Oh, wait, that's so cool.
SINGH: Yeah, thank you. And after that, I just started producing for other people. [For about] two years, I was under New Lane...So, yeah, I just got my chops just by, like, being at the right place at the right time type of thing.
LUNA: Totally. And there's definitely, I mean...a certain aspect of talent that goes into it, for you to be able to be in the right place at the right time, and to be able to jumpstart something with momentum too. So definitely something to be proud of.
SINGH: Facts, man.
LUNA: So it sounds like you're a very collaborative artist, and you seem to be collaborating with a lot of different producers and musicians, and it sounds like that started at a really young age with your brothers and your dad, which is really cute. But, does that process differ depending on who you're working with, or is it easier to incorporate people into your own routine when you're producing?
SINGH: Every time I make music, it's always different. Like, when I make music by myself, I'm pretty much just picking the sounds and trying to tell whatever story's in my head. But I feel like when you're in a room with different people, it's like, oh, we're all collectively trying to tell the same story, and that's really cool...Otello is one of my good friends. He's from Philly, and he has a whole different type of lifestyle compared to me, a kid that grew up in Queens. And he's not even that far from New York, you know. So, you're like, out in Europe, you know what I'm saying. If you can relate, that's when I know I got that somethin' for the people. That's so cool to me.
LUNA: Yeah, it's a great way to look at it too. Because I feel like the more people you can connect with despite being far away and having different lived experiences, that's how you know your music is definitely reaching a lot of people. Do you prefer making music one way or the other, to either work by yourself or with other people? Or do you find yourself leaning towards one more than the other?
SINGH: It depends on my mindset for the week or something. Sometimes I like to be by myself and just cook up. But then I get really bored of that, and I'm just like, I gotta be around other people.
LUNA: Yeah, you have to bounce ideas off of people. And I'm sure there's an energy in the room too, that kind of helps keep things moving.
SINGH: One hundred percent.
LUNA: And then how do you decide what projects and things like that end up developing into something that you want to actually release, to share that story with everyone?
SINGH: That's a great question...I feel like there's always a wave in the air, everybody's on this timeline. It might be, for fashion, this year is fur and leather, right? Or Y2K, you want to really generalize it. I feel like the same thing happens in music, and I'm just trying to put my own little flair on whatever's going on. That's pretty much what it is. Like, everybody can make mac and cheese, but, like, this is the way I make mac and cheese, you know.
LUNA: Yeah, I love that. And it's a lot about having your finger on the pulse of, you know, what's popular, what's sounding good, what people are liking, what people are engaging with and seem to connect with, and stuff like that.
SINGH: Exactly. While being authentic, being real to myself.
LUNA: Yeah, totally. It's also its own skill. In terms of being able to put out something that's authentic to you and something that you really enjoy, but something that's also keeping up with the pulse of what's hot in music and what people are consuming and enjoying without making them tired of it too, you know.
SINGH: Mhm, that's super important. There are a lot of artists out here that are making great music and stuff...but, you know, a lot of people are coming into this, like, “look at me, look at me, look at me,” you know. And I feel like we need a different approach to it. I feel like everybody needs to be having a great time right now. Like we need to be on that. It's not about how great of an artist you are… It's weird.
LUNA: Yeah, no, totally. I'm sure it's easy to get caught up in that kind of routine, feeling like you're showing yourself off through your music and stuff like that too.
SINGH: Of course.
LUNA: Okay, so more on your music and inspiration. Where do you draw inspiration from, whether that's visually or sonically or things that you're like, “this is really cool, I want to somehow make my music feel like this.”
SINGH: I try to go for a vibe, you know? I was just in Miami, and I tried my best not to be on my phone... you just listen to the type of stuff [that fits the situation]. Like, if you're on a boat, you're not playing the same thing you're playing in your headphones to go to the gym, you know. So I'm just trying to capture a vibe. Like, “Oh, this is boat music right here.”
LUNA Right, and like, how does this connect to something that I can…
SINGH: Yeah, capture that feeling and put into a song.
LUNA: I love that. And here in Spain—I'm from Ohio, but I'm teaching English here now—and the clubs are so reggaeton focused. It's all very “Spanish music.” And that was a whole thing for me to adjust to, too. And that kind of connects to the idea that you have this right place and right time to be for this type of music. And it's cool that, I'm sure, from your perspective, you can decide: “how could I make a song that's like, for this place in this time, for this vibe.”
SINGH: Nah, facts, facts. Reggaeton goes insane, too.
LUNA: Is there something, or some sort of vibe, or a place, or a situation that you feel like you want to explore more, in terms of what we're talking about?
SINGH: It's really just dance music in general. Like, baile funk, reggaeton...I'd say reggae, soca music, Jersey club. All those dance genres, I'm trying to put a spin on them. Like, I really like the grittiness of rock music, and I love hip hop. That's what I grew up on. So I'm trying to blend my sound with all of those sounds as a dance project.
LUNA: Yeah, I love that. So, rock and R&B were some of your biggest influences growing up?
SINGH: Yeah, for a fact. I was listening to Lil Wayne going to school, man.
LUNA: Oh, same. But also, like, Nirvana, you know what I mean? I got that rock from my dad, versus what people were listening to, what was easiest to find growing up, was more R&B based.
SINGH: Mm, hmm, yeah, Nirvana is sick. Are you listening to Quannnic?
LUNA: I actually haven't listened, have you? Is it good?
SINGH: Quannnic is sick, bro, oh my god.
LUNA: I'll need to get on it then. Okay, so focusing in on just your recent single, can you give some background on what that inspiration was for that song, and how you worked on developing that, whether that was by yourself or with other people, and how you wanted to present it?
SINGH: I'm working on a lot of music with my friend Lunas!, and he just had this one beat. And honestly, at the time, the beat was just cool to me...because we were on, like, our fourth song for the night. I was just like, alright, yeah, I don't know if I still got it in me, you know what I mean? And I was like, alright, I'll just give it a shot. I did a whole pass through on it, just for him to be like, “Yo, bro, I think you should do the first verse over again.” I did it again, and I was like, “Oh, I see what you're saying.” But now, the hook is actually...it was solidified. Right now, I'm happy people are really messing with it. Shoutout, Nick is sick.
LUNA: That's awesome, love that. I think the last thing I have is just what's something that new fans should know about you, and what should they expect from you or keep an eye out for?
SINGH: I'm working on a little collection—the Fever Dream Collection. And yeah, it's gonna be real cool, man. I'm gonna try to put some swimwear in there, some athleisure, you know what I'm saying? Something to go out in after the beach, or something like that.
LUNA: Really feeling the boat vibe after the Miami trip!
SINGH: [Laughs]. Exactly, exactly, boat vibes all 2025.
LUNA: I love that.
SINGH: And I also, for the people, I'll say we're going to be throwing a lot of raves, so just stay tuned.
LUNA: Nice. I love that. Yeah, a song that translates well into, like, a live setting, is the most successful type of song, for sure.
SINGH: Yep, you know the vibes.
To see this inspiration in action, watch the WYD? music video and listen on all platforms.
