DAMIEN

By Shayla Kristen

To describe yourself as a creative, humble, different, electric and passionate artist may seem like a high standard to set yourself into, but seventeen year old singer/songwriter, Damien, feels that these are the qualities that best define him. Always willing to put forth the effort, Damien generates these qualities, making sure that his music and his fans see that he is a quality artist.
As a quality artist, Damien wants to give hope to his fans, and for them to see him as a humble and real person who is hungry to be successful. His message of hope and humility is that despite his struggles with his family he does not blame anyone. Delivering his message of hope after being homeless illustrates his humility and his belief that “as long as we are breathing we will be able to do something positive with our lives and make our dreams come true.

Damien’s advice on making your dreams come true is to stay focused on what you want to achieve, practice persistence and study your craft.







Even though Damien’s dad helped him to overcome shyness by taking Damien to barbershops to perform, he had issues with his father growing up. In the course of this the barbershop performances, Damien gained the techniques of performing and became a better performer.  



As his father was in and out of jail, he wasn’t there for Damien as much as he would have liked, and with his Mother’s inability to take care of him, his uncle took the opportunity to adopt him around the age of 10. Despite the fact that it was a good thing his uncle adopted him, Damien’s relationship with his uncle was up and down, as threats of desertion were heard constantly. In the midst of his uncle’s threats to kick him out, another element was added to Damien’s humility and creativeness. The current relationship with his mother, father and family in D.C. leaves Damien with caring relationships and no regrets in this world.
Damien was discovered by BlacElvis and Harold Lilly on YouTube, and because of the passion that was felt through the computer screen, he was flown out to California to record an album.   However, when Damien returned from California to Washington, D.C., during a winter snow storm, he found himself homeless.With only the aid of friends to lean on, he began living out of his friends truck and sleeping from house to house. He was allowed to live with a friend, whose mother who happened to be his teacher. With the opportunity to be in the presence of their family and stable happy environment, Damien was hopeful and focused on his music once again. After this refuge he got in contact with Harold Lilly again and took the opportunity to move to Atlanta to pursue music full-time.



Passion is a quality that Damien possesses and with this passion for music, Damien has shown that he can survive the windiest storm. Damien has an electric quality that exudes in his stage presence, thanks to his dance skills that mirror Michael Jackson and confidence. Dancing is a skill that singers need to master and with his recent performance at Howard University’s homecoming and opening for Rick Ross, it is clear that he is moving in the right direction. His creativeness comes from his family, more specifically his Dad, his aunt and grandfather, and even though they were not famous they knew the art of putting on a show. 

Though he is new to the scene Damien has the right formula to make it in the music business as he studies the greats from the past. Currently in his CD player are those soulful men of the past, such as Sam Cook, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway and of course Michael Jackson. Damien wants to help people through his music, tell his story and bring people joy. With his past struggles of being homeless, family struggles and gaining strength by being on his own, Damien’s hope is to be the greatest in the music world. Damien is set to prove to everybody that he can be the greatest and that his hard work will bring him the success that he desires. What will make Damien great is his strength to pursue his dreams, his passion to be a relatable person through his music and his ability to be a good person.

Giving back is what Damien loves to do best such as going to the Atlanta Mission and talking to them and giving them hope about the future. Damien recently gave away 75 pairs of shoes to the community and organized a turkey giveaway and carnival for kids, with a performance in Greenbrier Mall area with Polow Da Don on November 23, 2010.

Damien’s single “When I Get Money” is sure to pull all the girls in and gain respect with men everywhere.

Keep a look out for this young man who is sure to bring hope on his way to greatness.

Make sure to stop by our “Take A Listen” station to hear Damien’s new single:   “When I Get Money”.

You can find Damien on www.facebook.com/officialDamien or www.Damiensworld.com.

His YouTube page is megadayday1 where you can see his vocal talent as well as his dancing skills.