Plenty of people dream of stardom while singing along to their favorite songs in their bedroom. In most cases, that’s as far as it goes. But 22-year-old Dan Talevski has parlayed this hobby into a worldwide fan base – all from his home in Ontario, Canada.
Since he started posting videos of himself singing covers of songs by artists like Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Alicia Keys and Ne-Yo, he’s amassed over 21 million views and 72,000 subscribers, and the numbers are still growing, on his YouTube channel. The spectacular reaction to the raw talent evident in these home videos caught the ear of renowned producer Polow Da Don – whose production credits include tracks for a ‘who’s who’ of pop and hip hop, such as Fergie, Usher, The Pussycat Dolls, Keri Hilson, Nas, Ludacris, Ciara and more – and scored Dan a record deal with Zone 4/Interscope, plus the guidance of 3Street Management (Howie Dorough of Backstreet Boys and CJ Huyer of 3Deep).
Growing up in a house where a wide range of music was constantly being played, Dan caught the music bug early in life. From a young age he found himself singing along to the songs of his favorite musicians – which at the time ranged from Michael Jackson and Madonna to Led Zeppelin and the Beatles, and has since expanded to include newer artists like Usher, Kanye West and Justin Timberlake.
Then, two years ago, he logged onto YouTube to search for a song – and noticed that a cover version came up first. This happy accident inspired Dan to post his first video – a 37 second clip of himself singing Justin Timberlake’s “What Goes Around… Comes Around.” The reaction was immediate and with each video he posted, Dan gained loyal new followers.
It’s a reversal of the traditional model, where record labels were the gatekeepers, introducing music to listeners. In Dan’s case, listeners found him on their own – and kept coming back. “People who watch me tend to stick around, which is great,” says Dan. He also gets dozens of requests each week from people wanting to hear his take on their favorite songs. And it’s this fan-driven momentum that got him to where he is now – working on his debut album with producers in LA (at the famed Record Plant), Atlanta and Toronto.
It’s a position he’s grateful to be in. If it weren’t for YouTube, he says, “I’d probably be sitting in the same spot as a lot of struggling artists – YouTube was the greatest way to get my voice out to the entire world.” But that’s not to say it was pure luck – his undeniably amazing voice, ability to produce beats, and songwriting skills all add to his appeal as a hardworking, multi-talented musician.
He brings this versatility to his songwriting, where he’s equally at home with club tracks, love songs and melancholy ballads– as well as the stories of others, from whom he draws a great deal of inspiration. “I find other people way more interesting, so I’ll put myself in their shoes,” he says, looking to “other people and things and cultures to see how they interact with each other.” In much the same way he saw and seized an opportunity on YouTube, Dan is constantly observing the world around him, looking for his next subject, “In the back of my mind, I’m jotting things down, storing it back there,” he says.
With his abundance of talent, creative savvy, and the ability to connect directly and honestly with fans, Dan Talevski’s star is on the rise – just ask the millions of people who’ve watched him sing on YouTube already, and who will no doubt be eagerly awaiting his first album next year.
For all business or media inquiries please place business or media in the subject line respectively.
Online Now!
