NOW THAT I'M HERE: D. DaVaugn
CINCINNATI, OHIO | D. DAVAUGN
INTERVIEW TERRELL “REALIFE” BLACK PHOTO @CARTERJUNG
“As an R&B artist I think my voice is unique. But what really sets me apart, and what I think will carry my music for years to come is my perspective. I’m not afraid to try new things and push my limits. This goes for style, mixing genres, different lyrics and different topics that I feel should be discussed but many artists and people stay away from.” - D. DaVaugn
VALIDATED: Being from Cincinnati, Ohio, what’s your earliest memory of R&B and Pop music?
D. DAVAUGN: When I was a kid, I liked anything that had to do with Usher, Chris Brown and Neyo. At my Daycare they would always play Usher’s hits, and I remember getting up and dancing to his songs in front of everybody. Around that same time, Chris Brown and Neyo were on tour together and I was able to go see them; it was really exciting.
VALIDATED: You come from a musically gifted family. At what age did you start to notice your singing ability?
D. DAVAUGN: In my family, everyone sings or has some musical talent. Initially I just liked dancing but around age 7 is when I noticed I liked singing. By the time I was 10, I started getting told “Boy you can sing” and I just kept practicing and singing.
VALIDATED: Which established singer/songwriters and music producers have you worked with?
D. DAVAUGN: The biggest of course is my co-write credit with John Legend. I’ve also done some work with a producer named Morgan Matthews with Interscope records. He has credits with Alicia Keys, Miguel, Gunna, Aaron Carter, etc.
VALIDATED: You’re the cousin of award winning Soul/R&B singer/songwriter John Legend, what’s one piece of advice he’s given you?
D. DAVAUGN: He just tells me that I’m really talented and to persevere and keep singing and writing.
VALIDATED: What was your “Ah ha!” moment, when you figured out that you could write and sing professionally?
D. DAVAUGN: Well, the first songs I actually did were when I was 17, 18 years old. I was in LA co-writing with rapper, and producer Tay Da Prince and we wrote a song called, “Ima Man” and I sang the hook. The next day we went to Village Studios and I got to sing in a professional recording studio for the first time and I loved the way I sounded. That same week we wrote my first single “Get To Know Her” that features Tay Da Prince and went to the studio the next day to record that one as well. Later that year I wrote “Give My Love” and “Now That I’m Here”, and songs just kept coming to me ever since. Most people’s first songs usually aren’t that good but mine actually turned out to be solid professional records that I was able to release on all platforms.
VALIDATED: Last year you dropped a few singles, including “Get To Know Her” featuring Tay Da Prince, “Give My Love” and “Now That I’m Here”, what’s been the response to the records?
D. DAVAUGN: The response has been pretty good! The record with Tay Da Prince not only brought some different attention and new supporters but also different musical connections. “Give My Love“ consistently has the most streams by far. Additionally I dropped a remix for that song featuring a talented artist who goes by the name “Shavon Ross.”
VALIDATED: Which of these songs resonates with you the most?
D. DAVAUGN: For me personally I really enjoy “Now That I’m Here”. I’m not a big celebrity by any means but when I first went out to LA and I was with John Legend and other celebrities in the studio, naturally I posted it on Snapchat and Instagram. My views were hitting numbers I’d never reached before due to people sharing my stories, and a lot of people were hitting me up thinking I “made it.” Some people were just being kind, others were already asking me if I could get them in there or help them with their LA dreams. The crazy part was that many of these people hadn’t spoken to me in years so I couldn’t take it seriously. Those series of events were the inspiration for “Now That I’m Here” which was produced by Jalen Jkeys.
VALIDATED: What can we expect from your debut EP?
D. DAVAUGN: You can expect a good project. These songs are really just capturing the last few years and end of my teenage years. It’s more of a statement that R&B songs can be groovy and catchy without being so explicit and provocative. Don’t get me wrong, that music has its place, but the market is overly saturated with that kind of music and not every artist should feel they have to conform to it to get noticed. This project is also to isolate my vocals and set the tone for my music career that I’m a SINGER in every sense of the word. That doesn’t mean I won’t switch things up or do different things, but at my core I’m a singer.
VALIDATED: What void in R&B are you trying to fill as a new artist? What makes you unique?
D. DAVAUGN: As an R&B artist I think my voice is unique. But what really sets me apart, and what I think will carry my music for years to come is my perspective. I’m not afraid to try new things and push my limits. This goes for style, mixing genres, different lyrics and different topics that I feel should be discussed but many artists and people stay away from. I like discussing unique topics in my songs while still packaging it to sound very appealing and catchy to the ear.
VALIDATED: When you’re not writing and recording, what do you do for fun?
D. DAVAUGN: That’s a tough question because I’m writing all the time. I do enjoy spending time with friends and family, and I like exploring different vegan restaurants.
VALIDATED: Which decade of music would you say influenced you the most and why?
D. DAVAUGN: Definitely the 2000s but also the early 2010s as well. The 2000s bring back nostalgia from my childhood and the 2010s are really where my understanding of song structure and how to make a good song evolved from.
VALIDATED: You’re a student at the University of Cincinnati, what are you studying?
D. DAVAUGN: I’m studying communications and business administration.
VALIDATED: What would you tell fellow songwriters who are pursuing singing careers?
D. DAVAUGN: I would tell them to learn everything you can and stay humble. This is a long journey and it’s good to become versatile along the way. I think it’s necessary that an artist can write full songs by themselves and also co-write in groups. This is the best combination to come up with good songs and write songs easily. It will also teach you to be equipped for any situation.
VALIDATED: What does the reminder of 2022 look like for you?
D. DAVAUGN: I see a lot of hard work in my future. Dropping more songs, projects and hopefully getting some placements and songwriting credits with different artists - both established and newly emerging.
VALIDATED: What’s your social media contacts and website?
D. DAVAUGN: My Instagram is @Davaugnofficial and my TikTok is @Davaugn. I don’t have an official website yet but currently I use linktr.ee/DDavaugn. You’ll be able to go directly to my latest singles on the major platforms and even my YouTube channel.