Dylan Dunlap, an LA native indie/rock singer, found his love for music at a very young age. He grew up pursuing the industry in any and every way he could. For the past four years, Dunlap has been performing his original songs on the streets of downtown Burbank and the Santa Monica Promenade for hours at a time. Dylan first made a debut performing on season 8 of NBC’s The Voice. Since then, he has gone on to open for various artists including icons like Molly Ringwald, Phil Wickham, and Howie Day.
In hopes to raise awareness on mental health, Dylanwill be donating 100% of the proceeds from the sales of this EP, towards PSA Behavioral Health Agency in Phoenix, AZ. Their vision is to bring services to multiple communities by promoting hope, recovery, diversity, and wellness via innovative programs, affordable housing, and peer-directed treatment for children and adults with behavioral health issues.
In this interview spotlight, we chat with Dylan about the new project, influences, music consumption preferences, navigating the digital age and more.
Full Q&A along with links and streams below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
I’d love to dive deeper! The thing that attracts me most to this style of music is how organic I strive to make it. Sure, there are loads of synths and samples, but after listening to all four songs, I really think that the listener will feel closer to me and understand who I am a bit more. I always want to be as transparent as possible, and that’s what drives me to continue creating.
What led you into this journey with music? And further, what drives you to push it out to the public?
Since I can remember, I have always been fascinated with the idea of communicating without speaking and, instead, through my music. Vocalizing emotions in conversation has always been a difficult thing for me, so I thought that becoming an artist a few years ago was such a brilliant idea. It’s pretty surreal to think about how far I’ve come, as I now do what I do to reach out to others and let them know that they don’t have to be alone. You see, it originally started out just for my own healing, and now I feel like it’s for a much greater purpose!
Who or what influences your creativity? Have your tastes in music changed over time?
Ha. My taste in music is interesting. I really don’t hate any genre. My sister’s obsessed with death metal and my friends worship hip-hop/rap. Neither of those styles represent my own, but I think it’s important to always maintain an open mind! I enjoy so many different kinds of bands and I own so many different kinds of albums that I honestly have no idea where my inspiration comes from. I will say that Coldplay got me through my entire childhood and Mumford and Sons got me through high school/college! All in all, my tastes in music have definitely changed over time though, as the first albums that I listened to were Audioslave’s self-titled record and Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
With “Feels Right at Home”, I actually want to accomplish a lot. I never want to put something out with small goals. I always want to aim higher, and I have faith I can achieve it all with these four songs. I want to raise awareness about two major things with this release. 1. Because I’ll be donating 100% of the online sales to PSA Behavioral Health Agency in Phoenix, I hope it can shed some light on mental illnesses in general and how important they are to talk about. I’m a strong advocate for mental health, so I have no issue being vocal about all this. 2. We are all guilty of streaming music. Believe me. I have an Apple Music account and I honestly don’t remember the last time I purchased a record on iTunes. That being said, what better way to raise awareness about buying music online than telling my fans that if they buy MY music online, I’ll literally donate it all.
What was the last song you listened to?
I blasted “Army” by BOY on the way to this coffee shop in West Hollywood! I strongly recommend that you, and anyone reading this, get all of their music.
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
CDs. Nothing beats going on a long drive and popping a CD into the stereo. I feel like somebody’s more likely to listen to the entire album this way instead of being able to shuffle songs up on an iPhone.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
Haha! I’m definitely going to piss somebody off no matter what. Good question. Personally, I enjoy Apple Music quite a bit, but Spotify is honestly incredible when it comes to discovering new music. Hands down.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what is the biggest challenge you face when trying to connect with or find new fans?
The biggest challenge that I face when trying to find new fans is that without some sort of social media boost, (whether it’s somebody with a massive following that talks about you, or some sort of opportunity that throws your name in front of a ton of people), independent artists will always hit a wall. It’s all about perspective, really. I have spent so much time in coffee shops obsessing over how to get more followers on Instagram that it’s made me go insane. What I’ve come to realize, and what I’m still learning, is that it’s going to be a gradual thing. I’m going to play more and more shows and learn how to shamelessly plug myself better to the point where the number will eventually rise in time. I think the most important thing to understand as an artist is that a number on a screen does NOT determine your worth.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more music?
You can listen to my album and EP on any platform that’s most convenient for you. I’d say that the best ways to communicate with me are on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/iamdylandunlap and my Instagram: @iamdylandunlap. I absolutely love talking to my supporters.
Anything else you’d like to add before signing off?
Just one more thing! Thank you guys so much for the interview. Your questions rocked and I had an absolute blast writing all this. Have such a beautiful rest of your day!
