Today we’d like to introduce you to Darik
Hi Darik, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started singing at age 7 or 8, holding small concerts in my living room for my parents. My immediate family always knew that I sang, but it wasn’t something that many knew about. I would always just sing in my room at the top of my lungs; I never realized how loud I was until my brother told me he could hear me from my room while he was outside. My younger sister, Nikki, helped me realize that I didn’t know how to sing on key, so I learned to play guitar a little which helped a lot. At 17 years old, I sang on stage for the first time during a high school singing competition in which I shared the stage with the Pentatonix members Kirstin, Mitch, and Scott.
I always wanted to major in music during my college years, but I couldn’t pass the basic written music test to enter into the music department as I had no experience or training. Eventually, I would audition for popular singing talent shows to no avail until I passed an audition for a South Korean singing show called Superstar K4 in 2012. I was eliminated for not knowing how to speak Korean at the time. So, I went back to college to double major in Psychology and Korean Language. During that time, I sent a demo to an independent record label and was signed. I released “Eliot Vol. 1,” in 2015 under that label. I took an almost 10 year break from writing and recording original music as I was busy with school, work, and a long term relationship. However, as I started to rediscover my love for music and what made me happy in life, my relationship started to deteriorate. And my new album comes from that deterioration.
My new album will feature songs that explore the complexity of toxic relationships. The songs were inspired by TikTok stories, my personal experience, and sometimes an amalgamation of both. I wanted this album to be quite vulnerable and emotional, so the focus isn’t so much on the production or vocal prowess, but how the lyrics are delivered. While some may view the choices I make on this album as mistakes, all of it is done with intention and the most honest way the lyrics can be sung. I tend to sing the way that I’m feeling, so my voice bends to the emotion that I’m trying to convey. Through the 10 years of being an avid listener of music, rather making it, I have become more appreciative of the imperfection of art and the beauty of the flaws of individual musicianship.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not a smooth road. I enjoy making my own instrumentals, recording my own vocals, mastering my own tracks, taking my own album cover phots, etc. However, the hardest thing was feeling unsupported and I feel I still struggle with that today. It can feel debilitating when even my close friends and family seem like they don’t support what I love to do. I tend to internalize it to self doubt or worthiness; I question if I’m even good at singing or making music if the people closest to me don’t seem to care. I would watch documentaries of famous people who would talk about how their friends would come to their shows, how their parents would drive them to all their auditions, or how their spouse is their biggest cheerleader. Well, I never really had that as much. However, it’s allowed me to not worry about if my music is pleasing to everyone else; there’s no pressure when I’m making music because as long as I love my creation, that’s really all that matters. I just try to remain grateful that there are avenues that allow me to share my art with the world.
I would say though, I remember everyone that shows support in some way: my sister, D”Lanesia, who accompanied me to my Korean auditions, my sister, Nikki, who would help me find the right key, my friend, Tywannah, who would listen to my demos and encourage me, my co-worker Lorena who will literally like every Facebook post I make regarding my music, Kari, who showed me the power of self determination, my mother, who introduced me to my love of singing from hearing her singing as a young boy, and my late friend Catalina, who was my biggest cheerleader in life and inspired me to begin doing what I love again.
As for the album, I wrote about my struggles of blame, guilt, fidelity, love, and solace. It was strange writing for the album because I was still in a relationship while writing half of the songs on it. So, it was definitely hard to put my feelings into words that felt resolute.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a musical artist, and I specialize in recording music. However, I think I’m most known for singing quite loudly. I’ve sang the National Anthem at some smaller events here and there, so most people, who are aware of my singing, know me for singing at those events.
It’s so hard to be proud of something that I’m so passionate about, yet still have imposter syndrome about. With that said, I think my most proud moment was when someone saw me walking to my car and pulled over beside me. He rolled down his window to tell me that he heard my song and that he thought it was really great. In the 15 plus years I’ve been doing this, that had never happened until that moment. These seemingly small moments are the things that I remember for a life time. Even lately, some of my friends like to poke fun at some of my songs, but the fact that they even heard it and sing back some of the lyrics to me make me feel valued and seen.
What sets me apart is my repertoire. I just sing to whatever song I can make. I can thank my biggest inspirations Crystal Lewis, Rachael Lampa, and Koda Kumi for that. I sing jazz, pop, rock, ska, country, grunge, r&b; I don’t categorize myself to a genre, which can make it bit difficult to find a particular audience. But, I think it makes it interesting that it is almost impossible to tell what type of song I will release next. I have never put myself into a box and claimed a genre as my own. My hope is that my music can inspire people to be who they are, unapologetically; not to let anyone tell them who they are, but allow themselves to stand and live in their own truth. That has always been the type of person I am and I always encourage anyone that come across me to stand in their truth.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Your paths is yours and yours alone. Your experience in your successes and failures are all yours and you should cherish them because they make you who you are. Do what makes you happy; don’t be afraid to say yes and don’t be afraid to say no. Your life is yours to live.
When I was starting out, I wish I knew how to believe in myself. I was constantly waiting for anyone else’s approval. When I let go of that burden I didn’t have to carry, life overall became so much more enjoyable.
This is why the album I am making now is so important to me. The title of the album will be “Alethia, Vol. 3.” All of my album titles fit the theme of the songs on the album itself and is usually a name that is associated with the meaning of the album as a whole. This album is about standing in my truth, understanding that truth, and then living with that truth.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://darikicm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darik_icm/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@darikicm
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ivancalimusic
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@darikicm
Image Credits
Sherry Abbasi
Darik Williams
