Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel.
Hi Daniel, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Twenty-plus years and where do I start? Dance music has always been my outlet for creativity and emotional support. I remember going to my first outdoor party at a park and seeing the local DJs just having fun and spinning vinyl for hours, embracing any and all new faces that stopped by (including myself). A few weeks later I attended the group’s rave.
Seeing the DJs mixing and motivating the crowd fueled my interest. A few months later I was able to obtain my own setup and began playing at any house party that would let me turn up the speakers. I officially started my DJ career at the age of 17 dropping my first live set at a rave in upstate New York. Then spending the next 8 years playing at house parties, raves, bars, and clubs primarily in the New York area. I will always be thankful to the local DJs and production crews for promoting and mentoring me throughout the years.
In 2013, I moved to Connecticut where I become a private event, DJ. It was fun of course. However, I missed performing in front of crowds in the EDM scene. In 2019, I started streaming EDM again on social media. Which led me to broadcast weekly on Twitch, building a global fan base. The following let me receive bookings at virtual festivals during the days of the Covid Pandemic.
In late 2021, I reached out on a lead to a local producer of Quantum Morphology a child company of Grimoire Academy, a group that produces EDM festival-style events in the New England Area. Within a couple of months of conversation, I was booked for my first live Post-Covid performance. Since then, I have been able to open and headline at some of the most known New England music venues, such as Rhode Island’s Strand Theater and Fete Music Hall and even Massachusetts own Boston’s Royal Night Club.
Currently, I am mid-way through a 2023 tour with confirmed stops in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and even Florida where I am set to headline Quantum Morphology’s “Strange Desert EDM Festival Electronic Railroad” on April 29th, 2023 in Orlando, Florida. I am also working on track production that will be released in Q2-Q3 of 2023.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, I would not tell anyone the past 20+ years have been easy. If the external circumstances don’t get you the internal ones will. External circumstances I dealt with such as the cost of equipment, visuals, travel, and promotion. All that’s involved. There is a large cost involved with putting a production together. Yes, you can do some of what’s listed yourself at first, as I have. However, when you grow, you will need to focus on the primary part of your career and find people/companies that you can trust to handle the rest. Another bump in the road was availability, in the early stage of my career my job and relationship in NY limited me to the local area events only.
However, I was lucky in the beginning; my parents/local DJ crews were and continue to be my biggest supporters. There was a time that I gave up my dream due to the negativity of a relationship. Once that dark period of time was over. I took the chance on a new life in Connecticut. My new relationship and job now allow me the availability and support to chase my dreams. I moved in with my wife Christine and amazing kids. Now I have the trifecta of support that is leading my dreams of success. I would like to add my mother the original supporter of this DJ business. Sadly, passed away in late 2022, 5 days before my first headline show. I think about her every time I step foot on stage.
The internal circumstance that affected me till now is Imposter syndrome. The continued feeling that I am not good enough, is worth the effort, and someone’s always better. We all go through this from time to time. Even if we think we are the only ones. The way I got over this is to stop, close my eyes, and know that I am me. I am not a fake brand. My sound is distinct and though others may play and mix the same track on the same queue, they are not better or lower than me. Also, I have two mentors that I talk with from time to time. They have been there since the beginning and have helped me to push past the mental blocks that slow me down. Shout out to New York’s own $ingleLife and DJ Jaks for always being there.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a DJ of 20+ years specializing in Festival style high energy EDM. I am known for (Main Stage, and Big Room genres). Now residing in Connecticut, I had taken my early 20s brand “DJ Impulse” and restructured it to match more of who I am now. I am now in my late 30’s. I own a small farm with horses, chickens, etc. I love what I call New England country life. This created my new branding known as “Impulse Live”, I focus on high-energy performances that take the crowd through a single or multi-genre experience, with a new way to bring up old memories. Dropping remixes of Rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, EDM, and even some Country music anthems. It’s been stated that my eclectic mix of music and mic work, encourages crowd participation and My sets play as a storyline to my life. An offer to the world as a humble gift.
What I am most proud of is where I was, to where I am now. It’s the journey I have taken. The ups and downs the struggle and the perseverance. What I have overcome to get where I am now and where I will continue to go. The years of developing my craft find my sound and brand that is not what I was but who I am. I am proud that throughout my journey, I remained humble and community-focused, you will find me personally responding to social media posts and even mingling in the crowd before and after my sets. Furthermore, (if able) shaking hands and thanking people as they exit the event. I just have never really been a green room type of guy and have always been a people person and I will continue to do these thankful things until it’s just logistically not possible.
What sets me apart from others? I believe it’s the experience I give the audience. This is me! it’s not fake, it’s not a banding ploy for likes. I am an electronic cowboy from New England who loves and lives in the EDM community. Every time I stand behind those decks, I acknowledge that I am about to positively affect people’s lives and that is what drives me. I believe it’s that music and passion that builds the energy in the room. My performances are noted by many as “Explosive positivity and energy-driven performance”.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
You can’t succeed in life without taking risks. For me every step I took in the past 20+ years was a risk, from starting my career to cold contacting; constantly shaking hands, and meeting new people/DJs/promoters/event producers, and location owners. All led me to take risks and reach out of my comfort zone. The biggest risk I took was to be me, the electronic cowboy. I showed up post covid with only one friend and my supportive family in the crowd.
No one knew me and at first glance, the growing crowd probably thought “Great we are going to hear country music for the next two hours”. But then I started with Tech House, then House, Bounce, Big Room, then finally Hardstyle.
The crowd went crazy and the cheering let me know the risk I took was worth every moment. Taking risks is the only way you will evolve and move forward in any career. I mean just think of it. Every time a DJ hit that play button there is risk involved. Don’t dream your life….. live your dreams.
Contact Info:
- Website: poplme.co/iddErwq3
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djimpulselive/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DJIMPULSELIVE
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/djimpulselive
- Other: https://www.twitch.tv/djimpulselive
