David Wayne has been deeply involved in the arts since he was a child. He started to release his own self-recorded music to Soundcloud in 2011, from his bedroom in Baltimore, Maryland. In 2012, he moved to New York, where he has been continuously releasing new music and performing. He is recognized for being a self-sufficient and extremely independent artist because of his impressive ability to produce, record, engineer and release music from his home studio.

Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Just me :)

For starters, what band were you a part of prior to this?

I had a brief stint with a boy band back in the day for about a month but we never released any music, other than that I've been on the scene since 2011.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

It's my first and middle name. I actually wanted to go by something more unique but when I wanted to put out my first song I couldn't think of anything quick enough, so I chose DavidWayne as a temporary name and planned to think of something shortly after but I never did. Every year I go through this week long mid life crisis where I say "Ok it's time to change my stage name and start fresh.", I come up with a name and I usually run it by a few friends and every time they're like "Naaaaaah that aint it." lol. So while my stage name started out as something temporary, I probably wont ever change it.

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

I write about 99% of my music. I get a lot of comparisons to The Weeknd and Usher in terms of sound and content. I try to keep things creative and fun, so even if I'm writing about the same core topic I will try to personalize it based on my recent experiences. I always have an end goal in mind and I really enjoy the process of challenging myself to do something new that I haven't done before and that's what keeps things fun for me. I constantly want to learn new things about myself and break barriers. The value of what I'm doing is also important, if it's not something of substance to me then it's usually hard to get behind it.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

I've been inspired by Prince lately. I've been a fan of his music since I was younger but after his passing I really took a deep dive into his catalog and he was just on another level. He was so versatile. I also love deep cuts and b-side songs because that's where artists are more comfortable being themselves and less worried about making something that will impact radio. Prince in particular has some very amazing albums full of deep cuts and b sides, you can tell he was more focused on artistic expression than producing a hit.. He inspired me to pick up piano recently and become more musically inclined past being a vocalist and a writer, if you check out my Instagram I've been posting videos of my keyboard skills and to show my fans how I'm progressing.

I also love 90s R&B and have really been digesting it as an art form lately, lots of Teddy Riley and music produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The sound was church but still made you want to dance. So if any fans were wondering what's next expect from me soon, this may be it, but we'll see as time progresses and things flesh out a bit more. I don't think you'll hear any of that influence on my most recent work but we will see what 2019 has to offer. I don't want to confirm something that's still in early stages of development, things can change a lot in the process but if anything I want people to know that I'm in the early stages of working on new material.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Michael Jackson for sure. A true legend and performer.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

Loads of rehearsal, at least three times a week minimum. Reviewing past performances and rehearsals to see if there's anything I can do differently or better. I also get a little anxious before going on stage, so I have to really put myself in a zen mode and calm down. Saying a prayer and channeling that energy from the universe is a big part of that. Any stress or anxiousness that you take up on stage will also be shared with the crowd, so it's really important to get rid of any bad juju before you do your thing. You have to remind yourself what you're here to do. People came to see you and have a good time.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Getting my last music video premiered on Soulbounce.com was a big highlight of mine, having my work on such a large and respected platform was very humbling and showed that I'm making a lot of the right moves career wise. They also followed me on IG so it makes me even more conscious about what I'm posting, I can't be posting no more bullshit lol. I'm praying for more success come 2019.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Definitely all the greats. MJ, Prince, even Beyonce if we're talking about a present great. I've always been amazed by her work ethic and her ability to command attention. You know what she has going on whether you're a fan or not.

I enjoy watching behind the scenes and interviews of legendary artists just to understand who they are and why they do what they do. Just watching them rehearse for a show is absolutely amazing and inspiring. I would love to see that up close one day and I'm a bit bummed out that I won't be able to experience that with some of the greats that I really admire who are no longer here.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Music video for Twisted coming soon!