We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daniel Pomerantz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Daniel , thanks for joining us 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?

I have a lot of gratitude for a lot of people that have contributed to the craft. There’s so many people I know (and so many people I don’t know) that have helped form whatever my sound is. I grew up listening to a lot of music, mostly music my family would play until around middle school when I started really branching out music-wise but I could still see some parallels between what I was listening to and the style of music I grew up listening to. A really direct example would be that I thought it was really cool that my dad asked me if I had heard the song “Chum” by Earl Sweatshirt while I was in middle school. He grew up listening to a lot of hip hop music along with pretty much any type of music imaginable (a lot of jazz and funk and rock and cool weird stuff) so it didn’t baffle me or anything that he was even aware of Odd Future it just made me realize that I feel a familial feeling when it comes to music, and I think that is what has helped me craft my sound more than anything. My senior year of high school was really cool too music-wise. I went to University City high school in St. Louis MO. A lot of memories. A few of my friends somehow formed this audio production class that brought together a lot of my friends at school and we got to make beats, songs , whatever we wanted , in our school’s “attic” floor . It was in the band’s practice room with soundproof rooms. Shout out to Ucity, that is where I grew up and spent my formative years learning how to be a person. I didn’t even make beats at the time, I was in my school’s jazz band and played the saxophone so I would occasionally play on people’s songs or beats but I didn’t even know how to make a beat until I finished high school.

Knowing what I know now, I would have taken the saxophone (in jazz band) more seriously in high school. I would have really learned music theory while it was being taught to me . I would have learned my scales. I kind of have to rely solely on my ear and this weird faith I have that what I am about to make or currently making is not something I should overthink. I owe a lot to the artists and bands and producers that I grew up listening to. J Dilla , Prince, Stevie Wonder, Amy Winehouse, Nirvana, Bill Withers, Biz Markie, Tribe Called Quest, Pharrell stuff, Madlib stuff, Beatles, Nina Simone, I feel like I heard more “good” music in my childhood than most, like objectively, if that’s possible. Most of this music came from rides in the car with my dad or road trips with my whole family, where everyone had the aux for a little bit. It’s feels good to be able to trust the reason you love something. I didn’t always want to do something musically but I have always had a strong passion for music and I don’t feel like I’m even close to where I’ll be ability wise in 5 years.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m Daniel Pomerantz, a music producer who goes by dp0mmy. I’ve always loved music. I like listening to it, breaking it down, and creating it. Over the years, that passion turned into what I do today working with artists and attempting to bring ideas to life. I specialize in sample-based production and digital sound design, and I’ve worked with lots of different artists and I’m not exactly genre bound. My main focus is on creating beats and instrumentals that feel authentic to the artist while still standing out. My goal is always to make music that connects. Artists come to me for a new perspective, a sound that matches their vision, or sometimes a challenge. What I’m most proud of in my work is the relationships I’ve built. Music can be personal, and I’m honored whenever someone trusts me to be part of their creative process.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

My first thought is that I really do love to listen to my music. I like to listen to my discography in order and try and understand my growth and the progression of my sound. It’s something that feels existentially pleasing.

I really value the ability to turn my emotions, experiences, and ideas into something tangible that resonates with myself or others. It’s cool to create a connection.

I love the process of making beats. I love looking through a bunch of songs and sample ideas, twisting them into something unrecognizable yet familiar, and then hearing how they evolve (at least in my own perception) in collaboration with other artists. To me it’s about working with the raw materials and crafting something that can live on its own. Doing something unexpected but within the sound of the pom-verse

There’s also the deep sense of satisfaction in pushing boundaries and knowing that what I create might inspire someone else to dream, create, or feel understood.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew the right people to work with and contact. I used to hit up a lot of artists that did not have interest in working with me, and if they did, it didn’t always feel genuine. When I was in college, I didn’t go to many music-type events and I think it kept me in the world of social media which can be depressing. I’m glad that I’m in a place now where I do feel apart of a community, but I’m also glad that I know I could do this on my own if I needed to. I make beat tapes and have probably over 1000 unreleased beats.

I now understand the importance of surrounding myself with people who truly value what I bring to the table, and I wish I had prioritized that sooner. That knowledge has been a game-changer, and it’s made me more intentional about the opportunities I seek out and the energy I put into my craft.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: dp0mmy
• Twitter: dp0mmy
• Youtube: dp0mmy
• Soundcloud: dp0mmy