Meet David Simmons, Jr.

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Simmons, Jr.

David, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Music has always been in me, I just never trusted myself with my own gift. I grew up around music via my dad and older sister being singers. I would always harmonize with them when commercials would come on and I’d sing with my dad at church. I was also extremely shy, so outside of singing with my family around the house and in my room, I never explored anything further…for basically all of my life. I grew up in the gospel church so that set a foundation for me that I still hold on to this day. I moved around a lot as a kid, so everywhere we went, I’d end up singing in the choir. I never saw myself doing anything professionally until basically three years ago.

I started a band with a friend at the time in Kansas City, and that’s when I started to see that people enjoyed the music I wrote. We did a few local shows and got played on local radio. One day I connected with the amazing human and now friend, Shoshana Bean through Instagram and she pretty much convinced me to move to LA. She was the first person that I admired tell me that she believed in me and that set a fire in me to leave everything I knew at really pursue music as a career.

She has looked out for me since that interaction and I will be forever grateful for her heart. I randomly entered into a Youtube talent search for the group Postmodern Jukebox for their PMJ Search in Sept. of 2018 and won! I recorded a video with Scott Bradlee soon after which catapulted me into really being heard and seen in LA. I started touring with PMJ in Jan. Of 2019 and have pretty much been on the road with them all year! Scott and the PMJ team have given me opportunities I NEVER saw possible and I’m thankful for the journey it has set me on! I’m currently touring in Australia and New Zealand!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road by any stretch of the imagination. Most of the obstacles were self-planted if I’m being honest. I leaned heavily into fear: fear of myself and fear of what I was actually capable of. I had to learn that you will never be able to please everyone, to see my own self-worth and to take a few risks in order to see beyond where I grew up. Fear can be a friend, but you have to do the work to make that voice shrink. People have always believed in me and saw me in places I couldn’t. I just had to catch up.

Can you give our readers some background on your music?
Right now, I’m a singer/songwriter/bgv live & session vocalist. I do solo performance and background work musically. I’ve only been in LA less than two years and I’ve been able to work on American Idol, The Billboard Music Awards, tour with Postmodern Jukebox and more. I’m most proud of really staying true to myself and my brand: honesty and openness. I really believe that staying humble and just genuine kindness shines brighter than anything. I think maybe what’s sets next apart as well. I pride myself in just being authentic and people can always see that first.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My friends back home in Kansas City, MO have always cheered me on, encouraged me, given me opportunities, given me time and space to grow and have loved me through it. I credit a lot of where I am to them! They know the realest version of me, so I can always run to them to remind me who I am.

Shoshana Bean has been pivotal in my journey. I call her my Fairy GodFriend because she’s always setting me up even when I don’t even know it. From only seeing a one-minute clip on Instagram, she simply commented and that planted the seed for me to take a risk and move from what I was familiar with. I will scream from the mountain how much she means to me.

Scott Bradlee and the PMJ team have also been very pivotal in my new(ish) career. I’ve never toured or had experience with that and they continue to put me out there. I’m thankful they see me and want to put me out front.

My partner Travis Grossi has played a GIGANTIC part in all of this as well. I’m gone for months at a time on tours, but he believes in my dreams as much as I do and that really does affect how much I pursue anything. He really believes in me and holds me accountable to what is real and true about who I am.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/dsimmy
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/DLSJr
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/dsimmy82
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6iDraZY7XxgUBtBwHeCkMP?si=oCriAWyHQW6NhtM28fLkSQ

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