hello, daniel here.
i thought i would make a final post in 2019 to share with you and give you the lowdown on what 2020 has in store for you and me. i am writing this at 3am in the morning after a very busy day, let alone last few months, so please apply patience to my writing this gobbly goop. the better stuff is at the bottom.
2019 was a weird year for me.
i released ‘act i’ in april to really good critical acclaim. it was a big departure from my release in 2018 and i took a risk that was warmly received by the press and the fans. i was delighted to say the least. i underestimated how anxious i would be about following up my 2018 album after ‘reflection’ took off worldwide. the record surpassed ‘wired for heartbreak’ and is my most listened to record so far. thank you so very much to every person who listened to the record. i am humbled, i am forever honoured. sincerely, thank you.
i tried to tour but due to my mental health taking a dive, because of personal challenges i had not expected or really considered for, i cancelled most of the plans and shows we had planned to focus on my health and personal life and worked on getting better again. mission accomplished on that means happy and healthy daniel has been back for a few months now.
tracy watt painted me and that was quite the honour to say the least. i still struggle to look at the painting because i dont feel worthy of it but i can say without doubt it is quite incredible in all the ways that words cannot fathom. thank you tracy.
i released 3 cover songs in 2019. this was really fun and i am grateful i got to do this. a really cool experience!
so what does 2020 mean for me?
well, i had a shakeup in august 2019 and act ii has been in production since then. i have recorded 8 songs so far with vocals and have around 20+ ready for vocals and lyric work. act ii is very different from the first act and will take the music in a huge, dynamic and beautiful new direction, as you can expect from me with every release. i dont sit in one genre, i do what i feel and work hard to make it an emotional and exciting audio experience. i am writing from a very personal perspective and not holding back at all. once the record is ready and finished we will give you a release date, looking to be 2020 at the moment, music videos will be made and as i hinted earlier, a proper return to live performances with songs from all of my records at each show is also in our planning. rehearsals have begun already for live shows including several new songs.
2020 also brings my first ever film soundtrack and with that is the long awards season. i can confirm the soundtrack will be released worldwide in over 60 stores for you all to enjoy and i will be a nervous wreck when all the nominees and winners are announced during the 2020/2021 film awards season. how exciting. pretty dreamy. and this experience is a childhood dream come true. thank you to sadie and the whole team on the ‘lights of dawn’ film for this grand opportunity. the soundtrack is finished and when the film is released these beautiful songs i made for the incredible film will be yours. have your tissues ready….
2020 is mine for the taking. its just sat there ready to be enjoyed. explored. experimented in. and i want to leave 2020 with act ii being my biggest selling/streamed/heard record and to be a multi-award-winning film composer. i know if i work my absolute hardest, harder than ever before and be the best person i can be and apply all of my determination and drive, goodwill and emotion, perseverance and positivity to these upcoming projects in 2020, i will achieve these goals and dreams i have set out. i know that hundreds of thousands of people around the world will get to see me, hear me and experience my music for the first time ever in 2020 and 2021. i could not be more grateful for the media and advertisers who pushed my music to new audiences in 2019 and still continue to throughout 2020 onwards. thank you.
more so, i could not possibly be living my childhood dreams now without the incredible support of the people who sat and listened to music in 60+ countries this year. to those who came out to see me sing. sorry i could not do more shows. come see me in 2020/21 please!. i am submissive to my music. its the only place, besides talking to nathan, my counsellor, where i feel truly at peace and explore all of my frailties and lay them bare to be heard. thank you for listening to my stores, my soundscapes and songs. i love you people. so much.
i leave you with three concepts for ACT II. this is the first time you will see what i look like for this record. we say goodbye to the angst and loneliness, the leather jackets and foppish hair. the lumberjack shirts…and we say hi to grief, obsession and heartbreak…..suits….no ties…and slick back hair. act 2 is coming….2020 is coming….and its ours for the taking.
