The growing popularity of social media has unlocked several opportunities for budding artists to showcase their talent. Artists are no longer dependent on producers or labels to find an audience. On the flip side, social media also brings loads of criticism to artists just when they think their career has started taking off. Rising music artist and producer Darien Joseph has been there too. He overcame ugly criticism to prove his talent is original and gifted.
Darien has loved listening to different genres of music since childhood, but only during the pandemic-related lockdowns did Darien discover his true passion for music. Besides pursuing a degree in finance, Darien used to work as a part-time DJ at a local club in NYC. With clubs and pubs shut down, Darien desperately sought a job to support his family. The idle time took a toll on him because Darien was pressured to financially support his mother and younger siblings. During this time, Darien sought solace in music and knew he would pursue it as a full-time career.
Depression was not the only thing Darien overcame at the start his career in music. In March 2021, Darien dropped his first instrumental on his YouTube channel, which went viral almost overnight. Within a week, the video had earned more than 800K views, but this limelight was short-lived. A well-known music band on the platform red-flagged his video as plagiarized. Darien faced allegations of being a fake artist who copies music from others to find an audience. This ordeal went on for a while, and the platform deleted Darien’s debut release due to the outrage.
Within a few weeks, Darien could see his subscriber base going down, and his social media account was flooded with hateful comments. As a budding artist, it was not easy for Darien to recover from such a traumatic situation, especially when his creation was indeed his own. He eventually moved on from the situation as a better musician and began honing his craft. Darien was determined to become a one-man-band where he would not need anyone to create music.
Over the next 6 months, Darien became a powerhouse of talent. He wrote songs, composed music, sang, and even produced them. By the end of 2021, Darien dropped his first single, “Sunshine,” which exploded on the internet. The song ushered in a fresh wave of unique and cutting-edge music. It showcased Darien’s original talent as an artist, shutting down all online criticism.
Today, Darien is counted among the top rising pop artists on social media. He has a huge fan following on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. With an average of 5K monthly listeners on Spotify, Darien is set to take the music scene by storm. His recent release, “Autumn,” which dropped in May 2022, became a huge hit on digital streaming platforms. The song went viral as social media influencers started recreating dance covers and even used the music as a background score in their content.
In an industry dominated by young talent, Darien has managed to stand out as an artist with a purpose. His real-life experiences have changed his perspective on life; now, he wants others to experience the same with his music. Darien wants to create music that leaves the listeners with a ray of hope or sense of positivity.
