Danny Zee – Blue Butterfly

By starrymag | December 2, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) I’m still on the brink of almost having found it. I’m always experimenting and trying out new stuff. Whatever helps me express myself, I pursue it. That’s why the record has turned out a little diverse. I’ve been trying to find a mid-way between R&B, Soul and Hip-Hop and maybe with a tinge of some Singer-Songwriter vibes in there. Since I’m also a guitarist I try infusing that somehow as well.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I remember it all first started with Pink Floyd and Jeff Buckley. Eventually, I transitioned over to John Mayer. Recently I just discovered Frank Ocean and Daniel Caesar and I have to say they’ve really helped me express myself.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Blue Butterfly.”

 

A) It was literally the emoji my girl and I used, the blue butterfly one, to express our love and care for each other. You know how you just end up using one emoji over and over again with someone? “Blue Butterfly” just evolved from that. We used it so much, it became our “I love you,” “I miss you,” “Good morning,” “Goodnight,” “I’m here for you,” “I’ve landed,” “I’m here, come out” and whatnot. I remember so many times to figure out whether she’d be upset or not I’d send her the emoji. If she’d send it back, great; if not, I’d know something’s up. So, it just became this ‘emoji-symbol’ of our relationship, absorbing thousands of words we’d want to say to each other in itself.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I don’t think I’d want to speak on behalf of them as I feel art is perceptive and everyone carves out their own perspective of things, so I don’t wanna say anything that makes them feel, “Oh no! But we thought this!” But for me, personally, on a very generic level I would connect the song to maybe a sense of acceptance. We’ve all lost a “lover” at some point in our lives – that one person we just can’t get over and at the time would do anything to get back with them. But to accept that you can’t have someone you really want and to be able to still love them through that process and cherish what you had with them takes strength and that’s what I tried conveying through the song.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) Ash, a dear friend and the director behind the video, had this vision to portray the dynamics of a really intense relationship reaching its demise. So, we (the director, choreographer, me and Inja [lead actress]) worked towards creating certain movements and frames that would depict that. The rest I’d rather let the people see for themselves and draw their own version of the message.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) Mostly it’s been like that yes. Usually, I’ll lay down a track first (musically) and then work a melody around it, eventually coming to the lyrics. However, sometimes (nowadays especially) it’s the opposite. I’ll just have a random melody pop in my head, maybe 2-3 lyrics too and I’ll quickly record a voice memo of it and the next time I’d hit the studio I’d go through them to figure which has the most potential. It totally depends on where I am in life and what mood I’m in. Sometimes I let the music drive me, sometimes the melody and lyrics.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) I would say all of it since I produce myself and, up till now, I’ve done it alone. I just hear things play in my head. When I get an idea, I can always see the end product in my head before I’ve even started working on it, from the beats to the guitar work, vocal treatment, harmonies, bass, etc. So, I do get this vision – yes. Although solitude helps create this zone and space that’s a little deeper and really helps me dig into the emotion of the song (even production-wise), I’d love to start having more producers on board. I feel it should be teamwork for sure because an individual mind can only think to a certain extent.

 

Q) What can fans expect from a live Danny Zee performance?

 

A) I think much more intimate and extensive versions of my songs. I’d be way more expressive on stage I feel. Whenever I’m recording, I realize how many different ways there are to maybe solo on a certain part or sing a certain part or even extend on it and start jamming more. I’d love to experiment live and improvise to see if we can wander off somewhere and give people a much deeper, crazier, extensive version of the tracks, not just the way you hear them on record.

 

Q) How were you able to pair your upcoming Blue Butterfly album down to eight tracks?

 

A) These were tracks written over a period of six months. In all honesty, the purpose behind it wasn’t, “Ok, I wanna write an eight-track album.” I was just letting out a lot of what I had to say. And each time it would be a different mood, but the same stuff I wanted to say. That’s why in terms of “music” I wouldn’t say there’s a sense of utmost uniformity in the album. They’re different moods, but there is uniformity in terms of an underlying emotion for the album, you know? I did make 5-6 more tracks during this time, but in the end I had to cater to that one emotion I wanted to serve and hence decided to push the other tracks out for maybe future releases.

 

Q) What songs off the album are you looking forward to performing live?

 

A) For starters, “Blue Butterfly” since there’s a lot of margins to really extend the track towards the end and make it even grander! But I’m really looking forward to “Foreign Lands” as well as “We’re in Luv!” Both of these have a lot of margin for improvisation.

 

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from listening to your new album as a whole?

 

A) Whatever it is they feel they should when it comes to heartbreak. Whether it’s acceptance, to cherish what they had, to work towards fixing what might have gone wrong, to go back to their loved ones or to even let go. We’re all in the same place but have different stories and journeys, hence every person will take away something different from the other, as the song will invoke reasoning that is right for them. I don’t think it can be something I’d want or hope for.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I’d love to perform at The Forum in LA because I attended my life’s first concert there, David Gilmour’s Rattle That Lock Tour in 2016. And just recently I saw John Mayer perform there as well. So, it’s like this dream that I get to perform at a venue I’ve seen my idols perform. Also, I’d love to perform at very small intimate lounges. I feel they give you such liberty to really connect with the listeners and get personal with them since you’re physically just so close.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) John Mayer, Daniel Caesar, Frank Ocean or H.E.R. I feel given an opportunity we can really create magic. I’ve jammed on their tracks and in my head took them into directions I wish I could convey to them someday. It’s not even about me being on the tracks we could collaborate on. I’d even love to just collaborate with them FOR them, you know? It’s the opportunity that matters more than anything. I’d get so much inspiration, learning, and growth, I can’t even fathom.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) I’ve been listening to CASE STUDY 01 by Daniel Caesar a lot these days since I’ve been traveling back and forth from LA to San Fan a lot via 10-hour long bus rides. And man, this entire album with the views I get from the upper deck of the bus is probably the best combination for me ever. It’s so inspiring. I’ve been penning down so many new songs, as well as notes to myself in the future.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) The new digital era has given artists the liberty to be up close and personal with their fans and I, for one, would definitely exploit that opportunity. But my main motivator isn’t necessarily that. I wanna use this tool to inspire more. It’s just another medium to be able to share “my take on life,” give inspiration to my fans by being personal about my journey and the process I’ve been through and will go through to eventually make it.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you for standing beside me, for showering me with so much love, and for all the sweet messages! (Yes, I try going through all I can.). All of my music is FOR and BECAUSE of you, so you!