Hamilton entrepreneur Anthony DiDomenico tells his listeners to never give up on their dreams on his latest single.
You probably know Hamilton native Anthony DiDomenico as an entrepreneur, founder of marketing brand One New Era X, and yoga enthusiast- but the branding specialist has began extending his career into the audio sphere with D1do, his musical moniker. The artist is proud to be a Hamiltonian, and doesn't mind the label.
"Growing up, I would always hear people down-talking Hamilton relative to Toronto," said DiDomenico. "I would always respond proudly saying, "We're the waterfall capital of the world, full with so many beautiful people, a thriving arts and culinary community and a stunning escarpment/mountain brow!""
Akin to the late 2000s/early 2010s rap features in mainstream pop, D1do's style often includes soft, uplifting beats featuring rap bars and a pop feature. The artist describes his music as inspirational pop/hip hop, attempting to spread messages of strength, acceptance, and motivation.
"I'm also a big fan of anthem-like sounds & spreading love and positivity through music," said DiDomenico. "Some of my influences include Freddie Mercury, Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran & Avicii, of course the list goes on. There's so much talent out there to be appreciated, including the artists that many people have yet to hear through the mainstream."
D1do's new single, "Don't Fade", started out as a remix of his collaborator's track.
"We started working on "Don't Fade" late in 2020 after hearing Jake Breathe's original track called, "The Past has Passed"," said DiDomenico. "The songwriting process took about a month from start to finish. It originally started as a remix to Jake's track, then grew an identity of its own as we continued fueling it with soul & intention."
"Don't Fade" features D1do, Jake Breathe, and Jillian Wisborg.
"We all had a hand in writing, the music was produced by PINK, and mastered by MILANO," said DiDomenico. "It was quite a smooth process overall and a brilliant dynamic with the team, I feel open-hearted communication keeps us strong. There were times when we wanted to change certain parts that were written, and in these moments people have the choice to get triggered or really sensitive, or be open to experimenting with the feedback, and then moving from there. It was awesome to see how open and "flow" everyone was throughout this co-creation."
The musician's single reflects on his own spiritual connection to music.
"The lyrical message is overall about not giving in," said DiDomenico. "Don't fade on your dreams, self, passions, spirituality, relationships, whatever. It's open to the listeners interpretation, but for me I know it had a lot to do with following my heart- with music. Continuing to step into vulnerability and share my gifts with the world, irrelevant of how it's received and more because my intuition is calling me to do so. My verse speaks a lot about tapping into presence, the ups and downs are what makes us stronger. Everything happens for a reason, and only if we keep going and don't fade can we see it all play out."
Following your dreams, refusing to give up, and believing in yourself are all messages that D1do hopes to convey through "Don't Fade".
"I hope the intention gets through to the listeners," said DiDomenico. "May this song inspire them to take their leap, don't give up! Don't listen to the voice that's holding you back. The one that's saying you can't, or you're not enough. Listen to that other voice, often hiding deep underneath the layers. The one that's screaming it's who you're born to be, and if you don't go for it, you'll never get to see what could have been. Remember this, "If not you, then who? If not now, then when?""
You can help support Anthony DiDomenico by following his socials, visiting his website, or by streaming his music.
"Follow us on social media, like and comment on a post- those things go a long way as we've seen in this day and age," said DiDomenico. "Let us know if it resonates or if it doesn't, let us know your favorite part, or what you feel we can work on! Either way, we're grateful for you taking the time to tune in."
Upcoming gigs:
(Postponed due to COVID-19.)