We were lucky to catch up with David P Stevens recently and have shared our conversation below.

David P, 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?

Hello! My name is David P Stevens. I am a songwriter/producer and national recording artist. When I was a teen, I was captivated by the guitarist at my church. my dad was the pastor, and our musical experience was very different from most of the churches associated with our denomination. We were the “funky” church. Very upbeat, very contemporary. I was initially drawn to the band stand by how cool the guitar player looked! As soon as I picked up the instrument however, I fell In love with it. This same guitar player became my mentor in music and brother for life.

Once I started playing the guitar, I also began picking up other instruments. I played bass guitar, piano, drums and sang. I became so well versed in each instrument, that I was able to fill the seat for whoever did not show on Sunday morning.
At the same time that I was learning these instruments, I was also falling in love with songwriting and producing. I would save every dime I had to either buy instruments, or take fellow young musicians into the recording studio with me. I spent so much time in the studio, that eventually I learned the ins and outs of engineering as well.

Eventually, I became interested in contemporary jazz. This interest grew into a passion, and that passion is what I became largely known for, both nationally and internationally. I traveled the country and abroad as a contemporary jazz artist. I charted high on Billboard several times, played in some of the biggest and most prominent festivals, and recorded with some of the genres biggest names.

While developing myself as an artist, I was simultaneously writing and producing for many other artists across multiple genres. I find it difficult at times for artists to be able to separate the perception of me as a jazz artist, from a multi genre producer. I have to spend time proving that I’m not one sided.

I work very hard as a producer, to really listen to artists I work with, and try to tailor my music and production to match their vision. Often, I will meet an artist and I will sit with them to find out what they like, what they don’t like, what they’re passionate about, what hurts and what makes them happy. I also take time to learn their musical influences. Once I have an understanding of that, I can then write and create music specifically for them. This is my passion! Often times, in the process of talking and learning, sessions get intense. I’ve found myself as almost a counselor or therapist in some cases. I find that to be essential for pulling the best out of artists.

I still continue to travel and release music as an artist in addition to writing and producing. i’ve just released a new contemporary jazz project entitled “Go”, which hit digital platforms in early July.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I went away to college, my dad handed me a very old computer and some music software he bought from Radio Shack. He said son, I don’t know what this is, or anything about it, but somehow I think this can help in your musical journey. He was RIGHT! Between assignments, I would write and record songs. I got pretty good at making small productions, so I would invite singers from the school over to record. I made countless demos. From there, the interest grew. I continued buying equipment every chance I got. I frequented pawn shops and music stores. I was hungry for whatever I could use to make the music sound better.

As the passion grew, I began looking for spaces to build. I started in the living room of my apartment. From there, I built small rooms in garages, basements, etc. Eventually I opened up a commercial recording studio. While building, I also worked full time, and would intern at studios all over Philadelphia, so that I could ask questions and get exposed to better equipment. At the same time, I was meeting artists, and recording them in the major studios at night, in order to practice. I was hungry and passionate. Eventually, I built 3 large recording studios. 2 failed, and the third was prosperous, then failed, and then became prosperous again later.

None of the failures stopped me. I used that time to learn more about the business, to record in my basement, to attend every meeting I could, and eventually, I decided to go to Berklee College of Music and get my Master’s degree in business, with a music and entertainment focus. Here I learned marketing etc. I did this so that I would not just be a producer, but also understand how to market clients, how to better understand the industry, etc. This has led to a consulting business in addition to all of the other things mentioned.

The common thread through all of this, is hard work, passion, dedication and resilience. I knew my calling. I knew who and what I was supposed to be and I invested heavily in myself to make it happen. When I failed, I would allow 2 days of pain and hurt, and then I would get up and make a new plan. Fast forward a few years, I took my whole family and we moved to Los Angeles. I have been thriving ever since, and I am happy, but still studying, still learning, still passionate and still hungry.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I want to write and produce the biggest and most influential songs in my generation. Equally, I want my songs to have messages and themes that will touch people, cause people to love, cause people to feel happy, to dance, to cry and to think. it’s not enough just to write hit songs and get paid, That part would be amazing, but it’s more important for me to leave a positive mark on the current culture. As Barry Manilow once said, I want to write the songs that make the whole world sing!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://DavidPStevens.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/DavidPStevens
• Facebook: https://Facebook.com/DavidPStevens7
• Linkedin: https://Linkedin.com/DavidPStevens
• Twitter: https://Twitter.com/DavidPStevens
• Youtube: https://Youtube.com/DavidPStevensTV
• Other: Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, etc., all David P Stevens

Image Credits

Rena O Photos
Katherine Gilraine Photos
Ronald Parker Photos