Danny Ocean is tall in person. He also has a strong sense of self with just the right amount of vulnerability. He talks about making music and falling in love and starts the conversation with a look back at the last two years after being catapulted into a global spotlight as his debut single “Me Rehúso” received a warm welcome around the world.
“I was making music in my bedroom,” Ocean recalled during a recent interview at a coffee shop in downtown LA. “Then this song blew out. It changed everything. It’s been an amazing ride.”
Since his debut, which was followed up with the single “Dembow,” Ocean is preparing to release more music soon, including a single in English and an album in Spanish, he said.
“I’m a simple guy,” Ocean, 26, said. “I think the [musical] journey is about knowing how to create music that has the right essence of Latin. It’s something that you have to feel.”
As the world streams more music than ever, Ocean’s perfect blend of two languages is something he takes very seriously in terms of making sure it comes from an authentic place as a creator, he said, which is why he believes his debut two years ago reached many people around the world.
“I think the key is to be honest,” said Ocean, who wrote his hit song for an ex-girlfriend and also to Venezuela, his home country. “As a songwriter, you know when a song is a good fit and when it’s an honest song.”
Now based in Miami, Ocean said that his new album is mostly finished with the exception of some minor adjustments he’s making: “I’m not in a hurry,” he said. “There’s still no date.”
Asked if he plans to release new music in 2018 or 2019, he says it will be “in a couple of months,” adding, “but I do want to release it now.”
Ocean was in Los Angeles to meet some of his fans at a high school prom, where he performed. See a bit of his LA prom performance here:
As the conversation spills into the hotel’s main lobby, Ocean said he hopes his music connects people through his experiences.
“I’m the kind of guy that likes to write about love,” he said in a gentle, reassuring tone. Seconds later, he’s off to conquer the rest of his day and the prom.