Meet Don Dali | Music Producer, DJ & Bassist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Don Dali and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Don, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My work life balance really has no limits. For me, the balance comes from dividing my time between projects whether it is my Brazilian/Latin/EDM music as DJ Dali or or my Jazz Fusion shows and releases as Don Dali. It’s a constant grind of writing, producing, practicing, rehearsing, learning, releasing and performing all while finishing my studies in Performance at Berklee College of Music. Each part compliments the other which is the balance, and I really can’t imagine my life any other way. I live my life with no other option than being hungry.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What recently put me on the map for most people is my collaborations with prominent Brazilian artists including Delano, Mc Delux, Mc Gw, Mc BL Oficial, Leticia Tridico, mc jhenny, Mc DL Jaguaré, Mc Luanzinho SP and Mc Bariny and Cuban artists including Fury Nay and TANI as well as many more latino, funk, reggaeton, trap and hip hop artists. We are also adding the finishing touches to my joint 8 track album with Mc Delux, who has roughly 5,500,000 monthly listeners on just Spotify alone. It is to be released mid 2023 and marks our first studio recorded album both separately and together.

As an Australian music producer and DJ who comes from a background in Jazz, the fact that I’m producing latin music can be puzzling for some. But this difference is my trademark and listeners can definitely hear it in my sound. A big influence and help is my Cuban partner who has a deep understanding of music as well, especially in these styles. Being from Cuba she speaks Spanish and she also speaks Portuguese which is insanely helpful. I’m still learning but she’s been a big reason of the success so far of this project and I’m looking forward to seeing how far we can push it.

The craziest thing for me is receiving the love and support from my fans, colleagues, friends and listeners in Brazil. The Brazilian people have been so supportive and welcoming and from what I hear are proud to hear their music being pushed in this way. I love Brazil and hope to come to meet my listeners who keep DMing me, asking for shows in Brazil.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite spot in the city is the Arts District because it reminds me of the cafe culture back home in Australia. Death and Co is a speakeasy craft cocktail bar around there that my mates and I love to go to. Highly recommended. if I had a week in LA i would also visit Santa Monica, Arts District, West Hollywood of course, maybe going up to Laguna and Malibu as well.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents are the only reason I’m here. Literally. From a young age my dad would constantly push me into dreaming of a life in music. He played drums in his youth and it stuck with him. I still remember of the drives coming home from school where he would paint the picture of the big stage, of music, of seeing me on that stage. He’d tell me all the time of how he wants to grow older, traveling the world with me watching me perform. My mum was the one that made me believe. While not being a musician herself, one of the biggest life lessons I learned from her was that anythings possible. And the only reason I am where I am is because I believe her. They are the biggest example of this. Immigrants that escaped Romania during communism, that found home in Australia. They started from nothing and are now giving us every opportunity they can.

Website: http://dondali.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oficialdjdali/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3Uku-IiCFKFnrnF5wy9G-A