Q&A: Danny Aridi
Hi! I am Danny Aridi. I am a 25 year old, Lebanese-Canadian, singer/ songwriter based in Dubai. I’ve been performing for 10+ years but I’ve been a full time musician for the past year.
Question: How did you know you wanted to get into the music industry?
Answer: Music is my passion. My mom bought me a guitar when I was about 15 years old, and I was the only one out of the family who plays an instrument. I was a shy and quiet person growing up but music helped me express myself in ways I could never imagine.
Question: How do you feel after winning the OUTLOUD initiative by Virgin Megastore?
Answer: it was an amazing feeling! There’s a lot of great talent in this city so it was one of my best achievements. I could not have done it without the support of everyone who follows my journey and has shared my music.
Question: What type of music does your album include? Do you only like and want to stay in a specific genre?
Answer: It’s a nice mix of some feel good songs and nostalgic tracks. It’s a different sound from what I generally do as it’s a bit more on the commercial/pop side, which I thought would be a nice change for this album.
Question: Do you have any advice you’d like to give to those who want to purse their dreams?
Answer: For any aspiring musicians out there, I would advise you to keep performing at different venues and keep creating new content. This is the best way to build relationships and fans that will support you.
Question: what are your future plans?
Answer: I’m always recording new music and music videos. I’m flying to India to film a video for my song Wanderlust, which is on the album. I’ve got a couple of big performances as well around Dubai and Abu Dhabi. My main goal is to keep creating more content. I’m always thinking about the next track, the next video, the next concert.
Question: When did you kick off your music career? Where did you get to learn that Virgin Megastore was going to launch OUTLOUD?
Answer: I moved back to Dubai from Canada a year and a half ago and decided to follow my passion and give music a shot. My brother told me about the competition, so I didn’t hesitate to join and thankfully I ended up winning the title of Virgin’s ‘Best Artist.’ This gave me the confidence and reassurance that I have the skills to be a successful musician.
Question: In terms of music, who is your inspiration?
Answer: Growing up, I listened to a lot of John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Amy Winehouse, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. I love the unique style each of these artists brings to the table. I have a soulful and raspy tone of voice, which is one of my unique traits. When it comes to inspiration for a song, it always comes from personal experiences or the experiences my friends and family have gone through.
Question: Throughout your journey, did you ever feel like you didn’t want to move forward with music and maybe head in a different direction?
Answer: Of course. Being 25, it’s only human that you look at your life and ask yourself what you’re doing. I did take a step back. When you decide to do music full time, it’s quite a big step. But I’ve learned that if you work really hard at something and stay determined with a good attitude, then nothing can stand in your way. I had a full time job, wore my suit everyday behind a desk but then I realized that it’s just not for me. I’m not getting any younger so I should take risks now so I don’t regret it in the future, I’m so grateful that it’s been going well so far.
Question: How has OUTLOUD impacted your music career?
Answer: OUTLOUD has been great. I’ve always dreamt about having an album in Virgin Megastore. For that to become a reality is quite surreal for me. I’m happy that it’s going to come to life. It’s great to be associated with Virgin Megastore as a brand.