The way you grow up shapes the person you turn into and the values you possess. Daniel Fears grew up learning, and to this day, he still feels an overwhelming motif of education in his lifestyle as a local musician. An Austin-based musician with over a million streams for tracks he’s worked on, Fears produces and plays R&B-based music as often as he can.
Fears’ vision for music unclouded after being exposed to his private lesson teacher who taught him the trombone. Playing multiple different types of music every night ranging from salsa music to Broadway show tunes, his private lesson teacher was the first person to show Fears what it was like to be a musician.
“I was just so drawn to [that career], and [playing music] seemed really exciting,” Fears said. “Around 16, I decided I wanted to be a professional musician.”
Fears expresses his creative drive through songwriting. He writes music in many ways, making sure to always intentionally sit down to let the sounds naturally come together. Building onto this craft, he also finds inspiration for his music through writing poems.
“[I fill] up pages and pages, writing without stopping or without thinking too hard about it,” Fears said. “I [then come] back and [find] what lyrics I can fit into [my songs].”
From writing and producing music to organizing events and booking shows, being a local musician is no simple task. Fears has had to learn how to stay motivated throughout this demanding but gratifying experience.
“For me, the biggest thing is keeping my focus on what is truly important —what’s really going to help me be in a better place in three months and six months and [even] a year,” Fears said.
Spreading positive messages to the world is a prevalent theme in Fears’ music, as seen in his first song, Say Something, his first EP, Canopy, and his newest EP, Enough. In this new EP, Fears discusses what it means to be enough for yourself and how to teach yourself that you are enough.
“I think a lot of times we’re told that we need more of something,” Fears said, “but I think within my music I definitely want to give a gentle reminder that you already have the ingredients inside of you to be whatever it is you’re going to be.”
Growing up in a predominantly Christian household, gospel music was a staple in Fears’ life and was the primary genre of music he listened to. The melodies, lyrics, and beats of gospel music have trickled into his own R&B songs.
“Since I grew up on gospel, Christian music and R&B have gotten into the music that I’m making,” Fears said, “so I try to embrace that, and I try not to shy away from it.”
To Fears, the most important thing is to continue to learn new things and to incorporate new ideas in everything he does. He uses this goal of education and growth to push himself towards success.
“I started when I was 16 and I’m 33, so [this goal] has been sustaining me for many years,” Fears said. “[It’s important to] figure out what motivates you and do that.”
Fears’ love of learning has blossomed into a love for teaching, leading him to become a private lesson teacher at Canyon Vista Middle School. Now, almost 20 years later, he yearns to inspire other artists to embrace their dreams in the same way his private lesson teacher did for him.
Listen to Daniel Fears’ new single Enough now and visit his website for upcoming music and shows.
