Ever since he was a boy growing up in Puerto Rico, ChristianDaniel knew that he was a singer. Raised in a house where music played day and night, the youngster trained his ear to the sounds of the great Latin balladeers. Music not only surrounded him, but it poured from him uncontrollably. He recalls singing to the radio non-stop as a four-year old, and holding impromptu performances with his sister and brother to the songs of Sting and Eric Clapton when he was just six.
Music has always been in my soul, says ChristianDaniel, now 22, on the verge of releasing his first CD, ChristianDaniel under the new label, Bad Boy Latino. For as long as I remember I was always singing.
Still, forming a career and convincing his family that he was a serious musician did not come easy. His father steered the young artist toward a career in marketing and had hopes that he would grow into a young golf phenomenon as well. In every aspect of his life the youngster displayed talent. But as ChristianDaniel grew he became increasingly aware of the expressive and soulful voice he carried with him. Music stars such as Shakira, Marc Anthony and Ricky Martin began influencing the young teen, as well as the sounds of hip hop and reggaeton caught his young ear.
In every aspect of his life the youngster displayed talent. ChristianDaniel continuously demonstrated his natural abilities as a self-taught spear fisherman, boxer, and surfer. It became evident that he only had to choose his passion and he would become a star at it. But as ChristianDaniel grew he became increasingly aware of his expressive talent as a singer and that was the direction he decided to take.
At the age of 16 ChristianDaniel began training with a professional voice coach. No one made him do it. ChristianDaniel, with a heart full of songs, found the instructor himself and began studying without telling his father.
I knew at 16 that I was serious, ChristianDaniel says. I had to do it.
It took less than a year for ChristianDaniel to gather enough material for a demo. He kept the project somewhat secretive, he says, but soon his father heard the recording and was convinced. Eventually ChristianDaniel played his demo for Emilio Estefan and his career began to form.
For the past two years ChristianDaniel has been collaborating with songwriters and producers to assemble the Spanish language CD that will bring his voice to the public. The songs he chose not only carry a great deal of emotion, but they speak to experiences ChristianDaniel himself has lived. His forthcoming single Donde Quedaran speaks of a long-time love who suddenly leaves. Though heartbroken, the singer realizes that the past never returns, and that he must move forward. ChristianDaniel interprets the message as a positive one.
Love always has two sides, he says. What remains in the end are our memories.
He describes the songs on the album as vein cutters; deeply felt personal ballads that deal with heartache and love. He admits these are the type of songs he loves to perform.
Deep down, Im a balladeer, ChristianDaniel says of his style. I want to be the next big Latin ballad singer.
The songs on his debut CD show his heartfelt influences, not only of the legendary singers which he heard as a child, but of hard-edged American rock singers who interpret blues and power ballads. The synthesis is apparent in ChristianDaniels tracks. His voice is forceful and gritty, while simultaneously embracing the nuances of romance and longing. His is a unique voice that crosses the influences of Jose Feliciano with modern day rock icons such as Dave Matthews and Scott Stapp of Creed.
The dual influences make ChristianDaniel the perfect artist to premier Bad Boy Latino. The label promises to fuse the worlds of Latin and American pop. ChristianDaniels one-of-a-kind voice will certainly put the label on the charts.
When two forces come together like myself and Emilio we have to make sure we do things on a grand scale, says founder and CEO of Bad Boy Entertainment Sean Diddy Combs. ChristianDaniel is the perfect artist for the launch of our new label. Christian Daniel embodies the voice, the style, and the passion to become the next worldwide superstar.
It is always exciting for me to discover a different and unique voice, says award-winning producer Emilio Estefan. That is what I found in ChristianDaniel since the beginning. Right now the music business is going through tough times - it is very important for us to look forward and establish new faces and create new talents.
ChristianDaniel himself is confident his debut will lead to cross over success. After all, he has some of the best people in the business behind him. His life will likely change as he gets increased exposure on television and radio. But still, he expects to remain doing the things he loves to do: such as boxing, training horses, extreme sports, and of course, singing.
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