Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Desh Please. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Desh, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

For me, creating art has always been very spontaneous and natural. I never wake up and think “Today I want to write a song about x”. Lyrics and melodies come to me all the time randomly throughout the day. Of course, sometimes in the middle of the night when I’m trying to fall asleep. So of course I then have to get up, go to the bathroom and as quietly as I can, sing the melody and gibberish lyrics into my phone trying my best not to wake up my other half. Whenever I’m too tired to do this and convince myself I’ll remember it in the morning, I never do. So now, when something comes to me, even in the middle of the night, I make sure to get up and record it, ‘cause you never know. 😉

I was always putting on a show for people. Whether I was being a ham and trying to entertain random people in line for checkout at the grocery store, or rounding up my cousins to put on an amateur play for our family at Christmas or birthday parties, I’ve never shied away from any chance to perform in front of others. Before I started writing and recording my own music, I was performing with various show groups. I’ve done everything from competitive dance to community theatre, to hosting a YouTube series for product reviews. I’ve learned so many things over the years from a variety of sources, both from school, private studies and elsewhere. I took voice lessons, guitar lessons, I studied graphic design and much of what I’ve learned has been self-taught or garnered from how-to videos on YouTube or online courses I’m taking.

Knowing what I know now, I would have started putting out music independently sooner. I would have utilized YouTube so much sooner. I’ve written hundreds of songs and every time I wrote a new one, I wish I had recorded it and put it on YouTube. I have a fair amount of footage of me performing many of my songs live, but I only have a very small portion of the songs I’ve written professionally recorded. My goal this year is to get more of them recorded and released and put more of my material on YouTube as well.

Everyone says in entertainment it’s all “who you know” but I’ve never really known anyone, which can be an obstacle in itself. I’ve also always had an interest in acting. I’m a SAG-AFTRA member and pay my dues every year but I haven’t worked since I was a child and even then it was background for a few commercials and indie projects that never went anywhere. I’d love to get back into acting and voice acting as well. We live in a time where you can create your own content and don’t have to wait for someone in Hollywood to give you the green light which in a lot of ways is really great for independent artists and creatives. That being said, there is SO much material out there now, it can be hard to rise above the noise and get noticed but I believe there is room for everyone to shine in their unique way and right now I’m focusing on growing my community and finding the people that resonate with my lyrics and my music.

Desh, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Desh, I’m an indie music artist in Anaheim, CA fueled by coffee and stupid boys. I’ve written over two hundred songs in a variety of genres, everything from rock to folk to EDM but the majority of my discography falls into something I call “Cry Pop” – catchy songs with lyrics you care about. Songs you want to sing (and cry) along to. I play guitar, piano and have experience working in a DAW, Logic Pro, I film, edit and design all my creative work myself, including my music videos, album art, merch and more. When it comes to music and storytelling, I usually have a very vivid idea in my head. It can often be a challenge to execute those ideas but part of the journey has been learning to “pivot” and get creative when obstacles arise. Any independent musician will tell you the journey is not easy. But having the creative freedom to bring your artistic visions to life and to then see that art celebrated by your community of fans and supporters makes every step worth it!

I first started acting in local theatre productions when I was eleven. I got the part of the white rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland” and it turned my world upside down. It was the first time I found myself drawn to singing and performing for a crowd. Shortly after that I began perusing acting professionally and started taking voice lessons. I auditioned for and was accepted into an arts high school where I studied musical theatre and other creative works. My dad bought me my first guitar at seventeen and that’s when I started writing songs. Soon after, I recorded my first album and began playing shows at local coffee shops. For years I also played live with several bands and recorded a handful of demos. Some of my songs even got played on KROQ by DJ “Rodney on the Roq”, Rodney Bingenheimer.

I get inspired by so many different things. I find inspiration in people, in places, in experiences, in a good tv show or indie film. I tend to write from a very vulnerable place. When I’m really “going through it” is when I tend to write my best material. Writing songs and creating art is very therapeutic for me. When I’m going through something, emotionally or mentally, writing has always helped me cope with whatever I’m dealing with. The lyrics in my songs are extremely personal and raw. I’ve always been a storyteller. I’ve never been someone who writes in a diary, but instead, I share my world through my words, both in my screenwriting and songwriting. I won my first playwright award at age nine when my grandma entered me in a contest for LA Parent magazine. My script “Jennifer the Troublemaker” was based on a real bully at my school who copied my original cartoon drawings I created and submitted them to “Highlights for Children” claiming them as their own. My play was performed in front of a live audience by a performing group called “All God’s Children”. Since, I’ve written several screenplays for film and developed a television dramedy series.

I never really fit in at school but I always felt at home when I was performing. In theatre, I could become a character and pretend to be someone else. When I write scripts, I like to write a mix of what I know, things I’ve experienced and things I haven’t. But my songwriting is pretty much my diary. I love that feeling when I find a song that sums up exactly how I’m feeling. Being a songwriter, when I’m able to find the lyrics and write my own song that sums up what I’m going through, it’s that feeling times ten. And then hearing someone else relates to my song or interprets the lyrics in their own way takes it to another level entirely. Being able to collaborate with one of my idols or hear they are a fan of my music or want to work together would be a full circle moment and the coolest thing in the world. There are so many artists I look up to and would love to work with. Some producers whose work I respect and am dying to work with are Finneas, Dan Nigro, Aaron Dessner, Ryan Tedder, Jack Antonoff, and Butch Walker to name a few.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! Now, almost everything is available on YouTube but a few years back I had no idea how to get into Sync Licensing for instance (music placements for film, TV, commercials, video games) or how to navigate my way around a daw like Logic Pro (digital audio interface) or how to get my music on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, etc. (I now share guides on how to do things like this on my YouTube channel DeshPleaseMusic to help other indie artists).

Spotify for Artists is a great tool especially for independent artists to gain access to analytics and ways to pitch upcoming songs or promote new music and reach new fans. Apple for Artists is a similar tool with helpful info as well. The Songwriting Academy is another resource I wish I knew about sooner. They have free skype calls with industry professionals and other creatives and offer retreats for songwriters and other artists as well. Backstage is another great site for actors.

I also think collaborating with other artists is a great way to experiment with styes as well as reach new audiences. I think there’s a certain magic that happens when you click with someone creatively and you create something together really special. I’m looking forward to collaborating with more producers this year and find my unique sound. For so long I’ve had this idea in my head that defines my music and what I consider “MY sound” and I’m just looking for that one producer I click with that can help me bring it to life.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding thing has always been to see how my art has impacted someone else. Hearing someone share how they were moved by my music or say how much they relate to my lyrics means everything to me. I write very personal lyrics, sharing personal stories from my own experiences and things I’ve gone through and felt to my core but knowing someone else can relate, even if they interpret the lyrics in a completely different way, is something I really can’t put into words, but as an artist it’s absolutely the most rewarding thing and why I continue to share my music with the world. I also love seeing fan art created by members of my community. They come up with so many cool ideas. They help me with lyric videos and content for socials, merch and more.

Putting your art into the world, something that is so personal can be exciting but also pretty scary. Being vulnerable and sharing your authentic self with others, especially on the internet can be daunting as well. But if it’s something you’re passionate about, it’s worth putting yourself out there and taking the risk. You never know what might resonate with others and take off. I’ve already had a number of collabs come from people that found me on YouTube. It’s such a cool way to connect with fans and your community but also other artists and creatives.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/deshplease
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deshplease/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deshpleasemusic/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/desh-please-ba491929a/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/deshplease/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DESHPLEASEMUSIC
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/58YrHyIIzxmfI4oxpAWAMn?si=PZJ4SvCmRfiqWqyeF5EAhQ Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/deshplease/1633997330

Image Credits
CraigD