Today we’d like to introduce you to Maxwell David.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Most people think of vocal coaches as being older musicians who have perhaps come to coaching after a career of performing. People I meet are always surprised that at 33, I already have 14 years of experience coaching. This is because I got started so early on.
After my training and some early performing in Stratford-upon-Avon in the UK, I moved to London to sing with The Choir of St Martin-in-the-Fields, a prominent ensemble that performed and broadcasted regularly around the UK. At that time, I tried a bit of vocal coaching and musical direction and loved it and quickly made that my focus.
I started coaching at a few weekend performing arts schools in London and was loving it. At the time, there was big BBC documentary running about the Sylvia Young Theatre School, the UK’s top-performing arts school for under 18-year-olds best known for training Amy Winehouse, Dua Lipa and Rita Ora among many other names from music, TV, and film. I was completely in awe of the place and knew I wanted to work there. I called and emailed and wrote to them many times trying to get an interview, and finally, they said they would see me. I went in for a quick interview and heard nothing back.
A couple of months later, I got a call from them asking if I could cover someone the next day and I was completely thrown in at the deep end coaching over 100 incredibly talented young performers. And then I was there for just under ten years!
It definitely wasn’t plane sailing at first – I was a young-looking 20 year old trying to direct students who were just slightly younger than me; my piano playing skills weren’t up to the mark, and I hadn’t really learned my craft to the full – and so I initially struggled to direct the 30, 40 or sometimes 50 strong ensembles I was put in front of. But I really wanted to work there, so I had to, slowly but surely, prove myself to Sylvia and her team.
A few years later, I was a full-time member of the singing staff for the 250 students full-time school and 1,500+ student weekend school, delivering their adult program, and managing the marketing for the school.
In 2015, my husband and I had visited LA, and I had made a couple of contacts here, and it became clear that there were fantastic opportunities for me here particularly with Disney and Warner Bros Records. I followed up with meetings with record labels and studios and, with a very heavy heart, handed in my resignation to Sylvia Young who had become a wonderful mentor and who I still count as a great friend.
With just seven suitcases, my husband and I moved to LA in November 2015, and I started coaching aspiring recording artists and exploring opportunities with record labels and studios. Some doors have opened quicker than others, but in the first three years, I have coached over 300 aspiring recording artists and worked on projects for The Disney Channel (Descendants, High School Musical, Zombies) and 20th Century Fox (Shape of Water), and I am just about to start working on a new series for Netflix directed by Kenny Ortega. I am also very lucky to have two great associate vocal coaches working with me so that together we can support as much talent in LA as we can.
I am ultimately passionate about helping aspiring recording artists to reach the first base of their career in the music business, and so, earlier this year, I founded Spears Music with Dion Singer from Warner Music Group.
In the ‘do-it-yourself’ world of music, artists are expected to be writing, recording and releasing their music by themselves before getting the attention of the music industry which is really hard and can be very expensive. Spears Music aims to help exceptionally talented artists get attention and generate some initial traction behind their music.
We’re already working with some fantastic artists who have very bright careers ahead of them, and I look forward to helping to nurture some amazing talent in the future.
Please tell us about your art.
When it comes down to it, whether I am coaching an artist with a record label, an actor for a studio or an aspiring singer who’s just arrived in LA, the aim is always the same – to tell a story. Every song is written for a reason and is designed to make an audience feel something, whether that’s to uplift them, inspire them, energize them, or make them reflect on love or loss. Touching an audience with that story is the most powerful thing a singer can do.
Crafting the delivery of the message behind a song and nurturing wonderful voices to their full potential is what I find most rewarding about my job.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
Over 20,000 songs are being uploaded to Spotify every day. So, not only are artists expected to write, record, and release their own music by themselves, but they also have to cut through all that noise to gain attention. Only then are we seeing major labels jumping on board. That’s really tough.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
All information about my work can be found at www.maxwelldavidmusic.com and www.spearsmusic.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maxwelldavidmusic.com / www.spearsmusic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: maxwelldavidla
Image Credit:
Andrew Clark and Nicky Johnston
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