Up-and-Coming NYC-Based Pop Singer DANNY CAL Discusses His Latest Music, Biggest Inspirations and More!

Having opened for Mat Kearney, T-Pain, Misterwives, and Oh Honey, New York native Danny Cal presents his debut original MV, “Can’t Let You Go”, mixed and mastered by Grammy-winning engineer Ariel Borujow (J.Lo, Madonna) and Sunny Nam (Barry Manilow, Keith Urban) and produced by EGM.

As featured on KASC Radio (Billboard Top 5 College Stations), “Can’t Let You Go” has since found a home as a party anthem, having already been picked up by several SoulCycle locations and performed live by Danny to packed houses at Bitter End, Rockwood Music Hall, and more. The video premiered late September on Huffington Post.

Learn more about Danny Cal in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! Now that we are into Fall of 2016, what are some words you would use to describe this year? What have been some of the highlights for you and your music?

This year has been a thrill. It’s almost been a year since I first released my music to the world, and this year saw my first music video production. What I’m most proud of is how far along my band and I have come from when we first started playing together. We are totally cohesive now and everyone is so important to me.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your earliest musical memory?

My parents always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be, and I really took that to heart. I went through phases of childhood when I wanted to be on Broadway, be a doctor, a lawyer, a teacher, and an architect. Music was always just something that followed me along for the ride. I remember when I was just a toddler improvising a melody on the piano keys while my dad played blues chords on the lower registers.

Let’s talk about your recently released party anthem, “Can’t Let You Go.” Where did the inspiration for it come from?

Well I drew a lot from a conglomerate of flings I have had in my lifetime. I tend to get really wrapped up in my emotions towards romantic interests, and I wanted to find a way to express that intense energy in a song. When I thought about how to visually represent the intention, I naturally thought of the hype of a summer banger. I wanted to express how much fun and exciting falling for someone can be, but also that the party can’t go on forever, so you better go out with a bang.

Can you elaborate on your upcoming shows? Where are your next few shows? What do you think makes a perfect show for you?

I’ve been performing frequently at The Bitter End in New York City lately. I’m taking a short hiatus from performing in order to focus on writing some new music, but what makes a perfect show for me is the audience. When I’m on stage and I hear the crowd singing along to my lyrics or pressing into each other trying to get close to the stage, I can physically feel the energy of everyone in the room. I think that makes everybody more connected to the music.

What if anything has surprised you about the music industry? What do you think has been your biggest challenge? And what do you think has come really naturally to you?

I actually used to work in the industry on the business end, and I think what most surprised me about the music industry in general is how nothing goes unnoticed. Music people are on the pulse of everything at all times. I think that itself has been my biggest challenge. I feel like I’m always running to try and keep up with the most recent trends! What has come naturally to me is connecting with my audience. I love being on stage with my band and bringing others into my world.

Who are some of your favorite artists and what bands continue to inspire you and your music? Who would you still love to work with in the future?

This is a totally tough question and everyone asks it. I grew up listening to pop punk and emo bands that I think still influence my sound in an interesting way. I also am so thankful for the horrible amazing pop music that the 00’s gave us, because those producers were really pioneers in the genre that I write music in today. If I could work with anyone, I think I’d like to collaborate with Justin Timberlake. Can you make that happen? I just feel like he never stopped being the teen idol I looked up to as a kid!

When you aren’t performing, working in the studio, what do you like to do for fun? How do you unwind from it all?

I know I’m from NYC, but I’m actually very outdoorsy. I love hiking and biking and swimming. Also, when I need to distract my mind from the hustle and bustle, I will make a leisurely trip to the grocery store and cook something special at my apartment.

At the end of the day, what do you hope is the message of your music? What do you hope listeners take away from your songs?

I just hope listeners can relate to the story I’m telling–I have really poured out so much of my life experiences into my music, and I’ve tried to paint them in a way that anyone can understand. At its apex, my music is meant to remind us all of the shit we wade through but also how rad life can be.

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

I just want to thank All Access for interviewing me! You guys are great! Please check out my new music video and http://dannycal.com for everything else!