Today we’d like to introduce you to David Tran
Hi David, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
For sure. So I’m an alternative R&B artist and producer here in Austin, TX, though I originally grew up in Louisiana (Baton Rouge, to be specific).
I didn’t really get started on making / releasing music as early as I would’ve liked, but I did grow up surrounded by it. My father was a preacher at a church back in my hometown, and my siblings & I were always somewhat involved with the music during those services. This eventually led to me teaching myself piano during high school, playing in marching band, and it wasn’t until the past 7 years ago or so that I actually found a love for producing / making digital creations.
After graduating college at LSU, I left everything behind in Louisiana in order to make a fresh start in Austin, which I had always heard great things about. Since then, I can’t necessarily say I’ve fully reach my originally set out goals, but I’m learning and improving every step of the way. I’m always all about the journey and a bulk of mine has been captured in the music I’ve created while here, so I’m grateful for those experiences.
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?
Things have never been completely smooth in my experiences, but that’s what makes the ride fun right?
Starting with the obvious one first, we all know the pandemic period was rough for mostly everyone. For me it was pretty detrimental. I had officially gotten my music career off the ground here in Austin and was building great momentum. By the time the pandemic had struck, the owner of the house I was renting in North Austin forced us to immediately move out as he was selling it. Working in service industry at the time and furloughed, it was very difficult to rent anywhere else afterwards. I was effectively homeless and went back to Louisiana for a period to essentially live off a friends couch. The music and my momentum suffered as a result, and I finally am just now getting things back on track somewhat.
Other struggles include the usual suspects that most deal with: having enough finances to fund your art while living in a rather expensive city, going in and out of relationships trying to find ‘the one’, and navigating family dynamics when they expect more from you at this age. Despite all this, you just keep going and use it all as ammunition to fuel the music you create.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I started off as purely a producer. For the longest time, I would just make tracks and try to find people to be on them. I didn’t have a ton of success then because I realized eventually that what I was making had a unique sound that required a unique take, and I believe that initial path greatly influenced the way I make music today.
I would say my music is great at invoking emotion, which isn’t the most unique position to state, but I’d like to think I do it in a way that makes it stand out from a crowd and is inherently ‘me’.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was definitely very gullible and naïve I’d say. Put too much trust into various things, people, and processes, I feel like I didn’t really ‘figure things out’ until a bit later than my peers.
But I would say I was (and still am) a pretty easygoing and chill guy for the most part. Had a big interest in musical instruments, like I previously mentioned. But also was very active in sports (soccer, basketball), and video games with friends. A pretty simple guy lol.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7yJZUrIFXjKIfJ2pvR8PGE?si=b8983fb2df1247b5
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonyshelby
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/itsjonyshelby
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/mojojony
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jonyshelby
Image Credits
Jackie Radinsky
Elizabeth Archer
