Jason Dauman, the CEO and founder of Dauman Music, chatted about his respected career in the music industry.
He opened up about being a part of the digital age, the evolution of dance music, and he furnished his advice for hopefuls who wish to pursue music professionally. He is a firm believer that everything begins with a high-quality song.
Background on his label
The Dauman Music record label has become a constant presence on the Billboard Dance charts with over 60 hit singles in the past decade.
He has worked with an array of performers and songwriters including Snoop Dogg, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, Fat Joe, Jessica Sutta of The Pussycat Dolls, Dionne Warwick, Debbie Gibson, Tyga, Taylor Dayne and Tiffany, among countless others.
His newer artists include Shab, Crystal Starr, Marcus Jones, Kendra Erika, and Ashley Paul. “Crystal Starr just had the No. 3 record this week. She has sung with Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande, and she has opened for Lady Gaga,” he said.
“We have taken an approach on a worldwide basis to have a more far-sided view, and a lot of exciting things have been in place in England for us,” he said.
“Dionne is going to be honored at the Kennedy Center Honors, and that is well-deserved,” he said.
The digital age
On being a music executive in the digital age, Dauman said, “I am excited to have different ways of connecting. The digital world has opened up other opportunities. I still approach A&R in a more traditional way. There is a sizeable audience out there for great songs.”
“The song itself leads the way, and all the digital and other marketing tools are secondary to the excitement of putting out a song that realizes the artist’s full potential,” he added.
Advice for hopefuls that wish to go into music
For hopefuls that wish to pursue music professionally, he said, “You have to foresee the possibility of putting all the parts together: the song is the most important part, and for many new and developing artists, finding the song or co-writing the song is the key.”
“Very often, the song is the missing ingredient. The whole world is song dependent. They need to aggressively explore any song that is going to give them a better shot,” he acknowledged.
“There are great professional songwriters out who have a good vision and they can help bring out the vision of a new artist and help get them to a better place,” he added.
Technology
On his use of technology in his daily routine, he said, “I am a little against the grain as far as not assuming that the only thing that matters in the world are what somebody’s social media numbers are.”
“A lot of the major companies out there have figured out that if somebody has a certain number of followers and they would put window dressing around them, and that’s how they would find artists. There is some faultiness in that since there are so many other skills such as performance abilities and songwriting abilities, coupled with a passion for music. All of those things should factor in,” he elaborated.
“I’m contrary to that. While social media numbers are important, they don’t tell the full story about an artist,” he added.
The secret to placing songs with major celebrity stars
Dauman shared his secret to placing songs with major celebrity artists such as Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, and Bette Midler. “The key is casting. Finding a song that fits, and a little bit of luck,” he said.
“A lot of the great artists in today’s world, especially pop singers, are very song-dependent, so there is a sizeable audience for pop singers who don’t write their own material. It’s essential for them to find the song that really showcases their abilities as a vocalist to the absolute best,” he elaborated.
The evolution of electronic dance music
On the evolution of electronic dance music, he said, “It has certainly become a lot more mainstream, and it has developed various subgenres. There is no question that it is creating a stir not just with the core audience, but it has expanded in some respects, and it has even replaced rock and roll as mainstream music. This evolution is well-deserved, and youth culture has a passion for up-tempo music.”
Working with Jason Gould
He noted that he is working with Jason Gould, the son of the iconic Barbra Streisand. “Both of his parents are legends… Elliott Gould and Barbra Streisand are two of my favorites,” he said.
“We have this record that is coming out soon, and he co-wrote it with Gemini and Liz Vidal. Jason is a phenomenal singer, and he knows what he wants. This will be his first move in the EDM space, he is an exceptional talent and a clever songwriter. I am excited to get this record going, within a month or so,” he added.
