Exclusive Interview with Danny Hughes

Danny Hughes (DCPA) is an electronic music producer and DJ from Aledo, Texas. His story began like many musicians’ growing up. Born into a family of musicians, he learned to play the piano, trumpet, guitar, and work with production software in academic music programs as a kid. Danny built a solid foundation in the craft, but eventually pursued an accounting degree in college while at Texas Tech. After graduating in 2011, he worked as a CPA for 9 years in Dallas. Electronic music grew exponentially in the US during this time, prompting him to re-visit his place in the music world. Building an artist career was not easy with a full-time corporate job, but his varied background in business and music allowed him to quickly navigate the modern music industry and connect with those who believed in him, including a production team at Nimble Agency all the way from Amsterdam. From 2016-2020 Danny allocated most of his free time to building his artist career as DCPA, distributed over twenty tracks with Symphonic, travelled the world to attend major festivals, and in 2020 he made the decision to go full time into the music business

Looking back on your career, what would the highlight reel look like if you were adding it to Instagram?

Video technology has evolved along-side music technology for as long as I can remember. My highlight reel would start with polaroid photos of me as a kid playing piano, as a teenager I’m in VHS tapes playing guitar, trumpet, learning music technology in a high school class in Aledo TX. There’s a gap from 2007-2015 where I’m no longer a performer, but still in pictures at concerts around the world, involving myself more in electronic dance music culture. Suddenly it’s 2016 and I’m catching up on music production techniques late at night, posting to Instagram after my day job as a CPA in Dallas TX, determined to return to music. My dream becomes reality when I take an RV down to Austin TX in 2020 and take the stage.

How are you utilizing Social Media as an artist?

Social media is a place to make direct connections with fans, showcase the timeline of your career and all of your work. It’s an advertising platform, and a sales funnel where you can take fans to your music content on other platforms and apps. I try to post all of my latest content on Instagram, regularly direct message with fans, and share aspects of my personal life.

What is the importance of connecting with your audience if you’re not on the road performing?

It’s important to maintain existing and make new connections with fans on a weekly basis. These people that you take time to talk with online often become your biggest fans, the next people to buy tickets to your shows, merchandise, or happily share your content with their networks. Fans like to have an open line of communication with you. It helps keep you thinking about the “why” behind your music when they share ways that it has impacted them.

Any changes happening with your music?

I’ve been wanting to add cover tracks to my catalog, but the past 6 years have mostly been dedicated time to producing original songs. There are some exciting new collaborations on cover tracks in the works, expanding my reach in several genres.

Talk to us about the magic you’ll be giving us with new music this year?

I’m looking forward to releasing more instrumental progressive house and trance, with lots of analog instrumentation. I’m also reviving some of my favorite tracks from the 80’s, 90’s and 00’s as electro house and nu disco covers.

Based on what you are working towards with your new music, how are you carving a new path for yourself?

Focusing on the latest technology at hand, whether it’s a new community building app or blockchain based tool, is always integrated in my future planning. There are a lot of new tools for creators, so I try to make sure I’m up to date on recent apps in case one of them really takes off. I believe emerging technology will play a big role in musicians carving their own paths forward.

What has been the best part of your career?

Waking up knowing that I’m treating my lifelong passion as a career has been really satisfying and freeing. The best part has been the support from other people, the energy they’ve given me to push forward. I feel accomplished so far but still excited about the future.

Can you share something you haven’t shared yet that is the next big move for YOU in your booming career!

I haven’t formalized any plans yet, but I’ve aways been interested in creating a video game centered around my art style and involving my music. I think that’d be cool to put out there and see where it goes. Electronic dance music and video games have always had a great synergy.

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