Introducing Alt-Pop’s New Rising Star… Dan Aura

Dan Aura is the alt-pop newcomer using his platform to be the change he wanted to see as a youngster. The 20-year-old London-based musician has just released the first single from his forthcoming EP, which is set for a November release. ‘Straight Boys’ not only showcases Aura’s rich vocals; it also carries an important message of defiance and bravery and encourages listeners to be their authentic self. We caught up with Dan to discuss his roots in music, flying the flag for authenticity, growing up in the internet age and the inspirations behind his new EP ‘Plastic’.

Give us an idea of your route into the music industry; how did you begin to release music as an independent artist?

It all started in the last few years of secondary school, that’s when I realised, I wanted to do something with music. I moved away from my hometown to Brighton when I was around 16, to attend a music college and really start my journey as an artist. The two years I spent there moulded me into a better singer, performer, and really taught me everything I now know about the ever so complex music industry. During my time there I released my first two singles, whilst still experimenting with my sound and my voice. My music has dramatically changed since then, now I lean towards more electronic sounding alt-pop, and most of my influence comes from Troye Sivan, Charli XCX and a lot of 80s influenced pop.

Are you from a creative or musical family? What music can you remember from around the family home as a youngster?

I wouldn’t say I’m from a particularly creative or musical family, but my Dad is a music fanatic and I remember him going through stacks and stacks of vinyl in the living room when I was a child. I grew up listening to a diverse range of music from Nirvana to Hot Chocolate, Tears For Fears to ABBA, and I can’t thank my parents enough for exposing me to all aspects and genres of music from such a young age, because it gave me the choice to take inspiration from all of them.

I think my favourite vinyl from my father’s collection would probably be the ‘I Feel for You’ by Chaka Khan, which I  ended up stealing for my personal collection.

What is your first memory of music, and your very first memory of performing?

I have a horrendously bad memory, but one that really sticks out is when I went to go and see the Sugababes in Bournemouth, I was probably around 7 years old, but I remember having the time of my life. My first memory of performing was in Brighton at the ‘Latest Music Bar’ which is a 100-capacity venue in the heart of the city. It was for a small showcase for college and its aim was to help us become more comfortable with performing. As someone that gets quite bad nerves before shows, this was my first real rush of performing my own music to people who were singing it right back to me and there’s absolutely nothing like it.

What shaped your formative years and what music were you obsessed with as a youngster / teenager?

As a child going into my teenage years, I was absolutely OBSESSED with the Sugababes. There was just something about the melodies, harmonies and the power that their music had over me. My first ever CD was ’Taller In More Ways’, which I had on repeat on my little CD player. I also grew very quickly into Lady Gaga, who I went to see at the O2 with my Mum for my 14th Birthday, which was one of the best experiences of my life. Lady Gaga played a huge part in discovering who I really am. She preached authenticity and has this careless attitude which has stuck with me to this day. I will be eternally grateful for the impact that she had on me as a child.

You have an incredibly distinct and mature voice for someone still so young – when did you discover that you could sing and wanted to pursue music as a career?

I wasn’t always the best singer, but my voice started to develop properly when I was around 14-15, which was when It occurred to me that it may be an option for me as a career, and here we are! I would definitely say that funk and soul had a lot to do with shaping my voice, as I started to mature and listen to more and more music, I started listening to Stevie Wonder, Prince and all of the greats. This definitely turned my voice into what it is today, as there was something alluring and heartfelt to the way they all sang, and I wanted to be able to evoke the same emotions in the people listening to my music.

We love your latest release ‘Straight Boys’ – congratulations on its release. For anyone that hasn’t heard the track yet, can you explain the inspiration behind the song and your reason for writing it?

The inspiration behind the track was very simple for me. I’ve lived a few years without any closure from what I went through as a young queer kid in school, so this song was that closure for me. How I like to describe it, is that it’s my two middle fingers to anyone who ever picked on me or tormented me just for being my authentic self. The reference to ’Straight Boys’ is purely for the people that made my life a living hell during my time at school, but this song s for anyone and everyone, no matter your gender, sexuality, race or sex, if you’ve had trouble for just being yourself, this song is for you. I’ve never felt prouder of any piece of work that I’ve produced, because this song really encapsulates what I stand for as an artist, equality, free love and the freedom to express yourself however the hell you want.

We hear there is a new body of work on the horizon. What can you tell us about your forthcoming EP?

I’m so excited to finally share this music with everyone. This will be my debut EP so I’m super proud of every single song on there. There are so many themes running throughout the project, including authenticity, heartbreak and the pains and struggles of growing up in the internet age. Each song is vastly different from the next, and that’s one of the things I love most about this project, there’s something for everyone. There are songs to dance to, songs that you can scream at the top of your lungs, and one or two that will hit you right in the chest. 

As an artist with a platform, what or how do you plan to use your voice to amplify issues that are important to you?

As an LGBTQ+ artist, I will always stand for issues that are close to my heart, and that are very important to me. I personally believe that if you have a platform, you have some sort of responsibility to amplify issues and inequalities in the world we live in, especially if you’re someone who’s part of a community that has come from being extremely ostracised and split apart from the rest of the world. I will always do my absolute best to use my platform to lift important issues surrounding minority communities and a range of wider issues that I believe need to be put in the spotlight.

What other artists or creatives do you admire, and why?

I admire a lot of other artists, especially as a creative, you realise how much effort and work goes into producing a project from start to finish. Troye Sivan really encapsulates everything I would love to become as an artist, the creative direction, songwriting, production, everything is always incredible, and he’s grown so much as an artist in the last few years, as I remember watching him on YouTube before he ever released anything. I think I hold creative direction very highly, maybe because I love art and visuals just as much as I love singing and writing music, and I can’t wait to make some amazing connections with people that share my vision.

Who is on the bucket list to collaborate with?

Honestly, where do I even start! There are a number of incredible artists that I would love to work with, the main ones being SG Lewis, Disclosure, Raye and Gracey. There are so many incredible writers and creatives that I would love to create something with, so we’ll just have to see what the future holds.

The past 18 months have been incredibly difficult for most. How have you navigated safely and sanely throughout the global pandemic?

It’s been rough, but it’s also been incredible, as it birthed my debut EP. The start was probably the hardest, not seeing my partner for months on end definitely didn’t help the situation either, but I was lucky enough to be able to spend the majority of the pandemic with my family. Creating music during the pandemic proved to be more difficult than I thought it would be, which ultimately lead to me beating myself up for not being productive (seeing as I was locked indoors all day every day). I eventually got out of that mindset and realised that I should give myself some credit for getting anything done let alone writing every day!

We can’t wait to come to a Dan Aura show – what do you think your live experience will be like?

I can’t wait for my first headline show, it’ll be an incredible show of lights, live arrangements and screaming at the top of your lungs. I’m obsessed with live shows and arrangements myself, so I assure you my live shows will be like nothing else, an experience that I hope people won’t be able to get enough of.

Make sure to check out Dan Aura’s brand new single ‘Straight Boys’ below and listen to the full track here.