David D’Angelo on Chill Hip Hop Cut “I.M.O.W”ft. Chloe Jean & David Scott
David D’Angelo is a multifaceted musician whose sound is a rich blend of hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and electronic influences. Inspired by artists like FKJ, Mick Jenkins, and Robert Glasper, David’s new album In My Own World seamlessly fuses lofi hip-hop beats with soulful melodies and intricate instrumental arrangements. David’s journey as a musician has been marked by a deep exploration of self and environment. As a music teacher, David shares his passion and knowledge with others, inspiring the next generation of musicians. His ability to connect with both his inner world and the communities around him is evident in his work, creating a universal appeal that resonates with listeners from all walks of life.
“I.M.O.W” is a standout track from David D’Angelo’s latest album, In My Own World, a project born out of the introspection and solitude of the pandemic era. Through this album we hear how David processes our changing world and a changing climate. The song “I.M.O.W” features talented vocalist Chloe Jean and classically trained violinist David Scott Binanay. This song delves into themes of isolation, self-discovery, and finding peace within oneself. In fact, David penned the lyrics on a flight to move to San Francisco, the city where he would later meet and collaborate with Chloe Jean for this record. The energy for “I.M.O.W” came following a romantic heartbreak, while simultaneously the world was shifting into more isolation at the start of the global pandemic. This song and album is about how David experiences the world around him solo, the way he sees things through his own lens, but also in community as he relates to his peers. We are all in our own world – that world inside our heads.
The music video for “I.M.O.W” visually amplifies the song’s themes of isolation and self-immersion. Set against the backdrop of water as a symbolic element, the video depicts David gradually becoming submerged as he is playing multiple different instruments, representing his descent into his own world. This immersive visual journey mirrors the song’s exploration of loneliness and self-reflection, highlighting the transformative power of being fully present in one’s environment and emotions. As the video progresses, viewers see David being consumed by the rising water, symbolizing the immersive nature of his thoughts and emotions. The video also conveys the interconnectedness of individual experiences and the natural world, emphasizing the theme of finding peace and solace in isolation. By inviting viewers to join him in his personal world, David encourages them to find their own peace and connection, ultimately enhancing the song’s message of self-discovery and inner harmony.
D’Angelo weighed in on a few things about the project below:
David, can you share your earliest memory of music and how it influenced your decision to pursue a career in music?
I have a few core memories of being exposed to music in my home at a young age. My mother was actually my first and only piano teacher! My father is from Peru and I remember as a kid watching him and my uncles play the Cajón, as well as sing. Even though my home life as a young kid was often turbulent, music and family gatherings would go hand in hand, and music would always lift everyone’s spirits.
I do not know exactly at what point I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music. It genuinely has always been my strongest passion and my goal to continue making music. As long as I can remember I have wanted to make my living through this creative and therapeutic outlet, while exploring nature and having my music heard all over the world! I was and still am the kid who wants to be a rockstar growing up. I am still on plan A, with the understanding that it’s possible to have a meaningful career in music and that there is a lot of room in between being a starving artist and a Prince or a Beyoncé.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your music career so far?
This is a great, yet hard question to answer! One of my most rewarding and exciting moments in my career so far was getting to open for FKJ at a packed club in New Orleans, while still in college! Some other rewarding moments involve performing in the beautiful country of New Zealand and filming a music video there, and also more recently as a music teacher getting to work with and watch my students performing and releasing music of their own for the first time!
Can you share the story or personal experiences that influenced the creation of “I.M.O.W”?
The end of 2019 through 2020 was the time period I first created and continued to develop “I.M.O.W.” At the time I was dealing with a romantic heartbreak from a long term relationship ending. Then the world was thrown into a global pandemic, and people were becoming more and more isolated. I also was noticing climate related disasters becoming more frequent. That was something hard to ignore, especially because I had just moved to San Francisco for a job in Environmental Education. All those things, coupled with my own contemplative nature caused me to feel like I was living in my own world, viewing reality but not feeling part of it in many ways.
What was the creative process like for “I.M.O.W”? Did it evolve organically, or was there a specific vision from the beginning?
I.M.O.W is the title track from my new album “In My Own World.” I would say I.M.O.W evolved organically from the first instance of me composing the beat to later writing the lyrics. After I wrote the lyrics and leaned more into what I was feeling, the rest of the process became very intentional. I began to develop a more clear vision and concept of what it meant to be In My Own World. From 2020 onwards I had the plan to create a full project centered around this theme.
Can you describe the process of filming the music video? Were there any memorable moments or challenges during production?
The video for I.M.O.W was filmed/edited/directed/
Essentially, I wanted a video relating to me being immersed in nature and “In My Own World.” In our first meeting discussing the video he was like “dude..I have an old keyboard I don’t use anymore and an idea..do you mind getting wet?” That’s how it started. Fun fact, he glued pool floaties, you know those noodle things, to the underside of the keyboard and it actually floated on the water! With that creative idea/invention the video became what it is today. It meant I could be playing the keys in varying depths of the lake we filmed in. Playing the keys and drum pad in the water was a blast, and the whole shoot was a very memorable and fun process. Surrounded by water and playing music in this natural setting, that was, and truly is, myself “In My Own World.”
Were there any particular themes or messages you wanted to highlight visually in the music video?
I wanted the visual of me being gradually more and more surrounded by water as the video progressed to feel like I was going deeper and deeper into my own world. Playing music and exploring nature are my two greatest passions. Being surrounded by water and playing music in a natural setting is authentic to me being In My Own World. The imagery is peaceful, yet sparks curiosity and contemplation.
The song touches on themes of isolation and self-discovery. How did these themes come to play in the songwriting process?
The inspiration for “I.M.O.W” came to me during a time of lots of change and introspection in my life, the end of 2019 into 2020. I had a lot of shifts in my personal life along with the global shifts. Feelings of isolation coupled with my perseverance and excitement for new beginnings, directly influenced the lyrical content. In fact, I actually wrote these lyrics on my flight to move to San Francisco for the first time. I had a lot of time for self reflection, and somewhere looking out over the western US these lyrics came to me.
How do you relate the concept of being ‘in your own world’ to your own personal and artistic experiences?
This feeling and concept of being in my own world Is something I have felt throughout much of my life. Throughout my childhood and adolescence I experienced a lot of bullying, or what we would now classify as significant emotional and verbal abuse, from some of the closest people in my life. Music, and specifically playing piano, was a consistent and necessary outlet for me to escape that world, especially during high school. That was a world where I often didn’t fit in, where I wasn’t assertive enough to protect myself.
Yet while playing piano I would feel at peace, and more confidence, even while other aspects of my life brought me stress and drained my self confidence. Slowly but surely I was creating my own world. A world where I would never give up on myself. A world where I would continue to improve my artistry and musicianship day by day, turning pain to productivity through my isolation.
I have my own unique viewpoints on the world around me, as we all do. The understanding that we all see things through our unique lense is something that I find interesting. For me, experiencing and appreciating the natural world really inspires my music. Truly everything in my life inspires my music to some degree. I love seeing what inspires other people as well. In my opinion we are all in our own worlds, at the same time, on this same planet, together.
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About the Author
Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.
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