

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dani Meza.
Hi Dani, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started playing and taking music seriously right out of high school. Playing and performing came naturally to me and throughout the many years of being an active musician, I met people who love the way I write and compose. Through those relationships, I connected with other like-minded musicians and business folks which in turn allowed me to record an album. In 2015 I took a break from playing concerts to concentrate on recording my first full-length album as I wanted to take my time with it. Unfortunately, or fortunately (from my perspective now), I had an aneurysm along with a stroke in January 2016 which put my music-related endeavors to a halt.
Within the past seven years of recovery, other recurring health problems surfaced that kept making me step back from music including significant issues like a second stroke and epilepsy. But still during all this time my brain couldn’t stop writing songs. I would have these fever dreams and wake up with completed songs. So I transposed everything along with lyrics and sat on this music until it felt right to record it. For me, this was a whole new way of writing and capturing songs and the necessary push to get to the studio to record them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like everyone that has started on this path, there are ups and downs. Overall my experiences in the music industry have been a relatively smooth road. The struggles I’ve faced have been mainly personal. Having my near-death experiences allowed me to get over a handful of things that kept me from writing without reservations.
Now because of those experiences I trust and go with my instincts, even though I may still have some self-doubt. There isn’t time to overthink a musical decision. Being a perfectionist is boring. My favorite songs have mistakes, mumbles, off-tuned instruments, chatter in the background, and sometimes low-quality recording.
Because of my medical history, I do have physical limitations so I have to be very careful with myself and know my limits. On the other hand, these limitations forced me to explore a new way to express my music which has been part of the artistic journey as well.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in songwriting. My strong point is being able to arrange something and add that needed spark to it, whether it’s instrumentation or lyrically. I used to be known for my dramatic stage performances, but now I am forced to be a lot calmer. I am most proud of all the friendships I’ve made with this career–especially when I’m told I’ve inspired another musician to write.
I think my looseness in my own music sets me apart. Not conforming to a set sound. I write with moods as a mindset, not genre. So whatever mood I’m trying to convey the music ends up reflecting that. There are no specific instrumentations or specific outlines as long as the music captures what I’m trying to make people feel. It can be a full band with strings or it can just be me and my guitar. It’s always about the song. I want each album I release to be its own world. I recently released my first full-length album under the name the crushedvelvets this past October titled “I Planted, Apollos Watered, But God Kept Making It Grow” which captures exactly what I mean about moods.
For this release, I got to work with Producer Chris Schlarb from Big Ego Studio along with some of my favorite musicians on this release. Ben Lumsdaine on Drums (Durand Jones, Anna Butters), Danny Frankel on Percussion (Lou Reed, Fiona Apple), Carey Frank on Keys (Kate Hudson, Dr. Lonnie Smith), Maxx Diaz on Bass (WIRES, Broken Baby), Heather Sommerhauser on Synth (Junatime), Alicia Walter and Jerimiah Lloyd Harmon on backup vocals. All these musicians are artists in their own right and understood exactly what I was trying to capture. After eight years of waiting, I finally get to showcase my new perspective on writing. I get to share these worlds with others.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see myself shifting in the way I work more as a result of what I want to do rather than trends in the industry. I avoid trends with a passion. I keep away from anything that might subconsciously seep into my music that is popular. A lot of acts try to fall into what’s popular to ride the wave but don’t realize that just being honest with their music is what makes them get noticed. It’s originality and our own experiences that make music special. I think music fans are currently grasping for things that feel more genuine and I sense things are slowly moving toward music that is more natural and relatable.
One of my goals is to work with a “popular” act or songwriter and bring out what’s special in them. Have them write all their own songs and see their vision complete without the white noise from the industry. It shouldn’t take eleven songwriters and three producers to write a two-minute song.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecrushedvelvets.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecrushedvelvets
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thecrushedvelvets321
- Other: https://thecrushedvelvets.bandcamp.com/
Image Credits
Michael Hernandez