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

Dev, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

As a child, I loved MGM musicals and old Hollywood movies, so that made me interested in acting, scoring, and filmmaking. I love CDs, DVDs, vinyl art, liner notes, and booklets, so that made me interested in art direction and graphic design. My love of jazz and old school music from the 1950s to 1990s made me want to be a musician in the first place. Being exposed to Electronic dance music and artists like Thievery Corporation, Daft Punk, and Mark de Clive-Lowe gave me the inspiration I needed to be a music producer.

All of these little moments and memories add up to the artist I am today! I try not to limit myself to one medium. As a creative, I pride myself on being a “powerhouse”. I like to embrace all creative sides of me, from visual art to sonic art, from businessman to entertainer.

Dev, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I release music as Dev Marvelous, creating, mixing, and producing all of my original songs. My most recent original EP is called “the HEALING (or so I thought)”. I design all of my album artwork, too.

I’ve also produced singles for Colorado’s Dzirae Gold, and appeared as a keyboardist on the works of Lauren Eylise, Leo Pastel, Matt Waters, and Tommi Lea. I enjoy studio work as it allows me to truly be a part of an experience that is larger than me. It is a gift to work in a creatively charged environment with genuine music lovers to bring our collective positive energy to the world.

I’ve entered the worlds of acting and writing for the screen as well, two childhood ambitions of mine. In 2023, I was cast in The Carnegie’s production of “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill” as Jimmy Powers, Billie Holiday’s pianist and confidante. It was an honor to make my stage debut in a local theatre with an amazing and passionate crew. I look forward to more acting in the future, as well as bringing my original visual ideas to a screen near you.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I moved to Cincinnati in 2021 to resume touring with a band after the COVID-19 restrictions lifted. After being fired that same year, it was hard for me to find work as a musician having moved to a brand new city alone. Not only that, but I had invested so much money into an album that just was not seeing any income. After going into a deep depression, I knew there had to be some ways of making it out alive and still living my dreams.

The power of community and friendship is so important to a creative. I am so grateful for the sympathetic outpour from close relationships that got me wedding gigs, local shows, as well as new bands to be a part of. I went from hermit mode to full-time performer over the course of two-and-a-half years. I performed my first solo shows ever at Ghost Baby in 2023! I didn’t do all of this alone, but I definitely have to applaud myself for sticking it out and not giving up.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I’ve been a full time musician and live performer for so long now, but recently I’ve been hearing a voice for a while now saying, “Now what?” There’s so many dreams that I pushed aside to make just one come alive. Now that I know my resilience, in addition to having an open and supportive community around me, I’m more driven than ever to make all my dreams come true and fulfill my goal as a creative: To uplift, transform, and make people feel that any dream is possible.

I pray that whether it be a song, a beat, a script, an interview, or an act of kindness, I am a living testimony that you can be who you are, give from your heart, and shine, no matter what. No sexual orientation, no race, no gender, no money amount, no personal modifier should hold anyone back from living their God-given purpose. My mission is to help give the world the freedom to be. I want that to be the mark I leave as a creative.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thedevmarvelous
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/thedevmarvelous
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@thedevmarvelous
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/thedevmarvelous
• Other: Bandcamp: https://devmarvelous.bandcamp.com/

  All links, interviews, and featured projects:
  linktr.ee/devmarvelous