We’re looking forward to introducing you to Daniel Ely. Check out our conversation below.
Daniel, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Yes! I feel moments like this have been happening a lot lately. One example was this past weekend, when I got to be a part of a music-video shoot for Nick Schrader. Nick and I worked together on his new album, and it was such a fun time, and special blessing to be part of a music video for a song I got to produce! There were a lot of awesome people there, and Nick is such a creative and inspiring dude, so pretty much anything he does, he does it with flair!
Another was a recording session with my friend Rob Mauti. We are currently working on an album, and at this particular recording sessions we recorded two songs basically from scratch in one day. The players came prepared, and we were all able to work together to create something very artistically played and fun to listen to! His new album is going to be dope, and I can’t wait for people to hear it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am many things! First, I am a music producer and songwriter, but under that umbrella I do many things, including music composition, audio engineering, playing guitar and piano, singing, ect. My business is called “Test Flight Music,” and my passion is for helping artists find their unique artistic voice.
It is easy to try to make music that has already been successful, it is hard to do the soul-searching and artistic work that it takes for an artist to create something that is uniquely “Theirs.” That is where I come in. By bringing my expansive knowledge of music production, composition and songwriting in a variety of genres, I help artists take special care to explore new ideas and ultimately make the music creation process enjoyable, and the end result authentic.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
When I was young, I struggled to make friends, even through high school. Because of repeated rejections, I grew to believe that I did not like people, and that people did not like me. However, since then God has shown me that I have a gift to bring out the best in the people around me, and when I chose to love selflessly, selfless love is what I get in return.
This idea is consistently relevant to my personal life, as well as my professional life in music
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Last year I had a particularly challenging few months. Business was slow, and I was struggling to pay my bills. I considered entering back into the corporate space where I had previously made my living.
I have jokingly called this “Career Crisis Month,” which was May, 2024. That month forced me to ask myself what I was willing to do to stay in music. Ultimately, I chose to stick with it, and trust that God will show me what to do.
Trust be told, moments like this happen pretty regularly, although each time I see things work out I grow in my faith that if I work hard, and trust God, I will find a way to pay my bills and live His design for me.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes, and no. I make a point of not lying under any circumstances, but I also have learned the power of discretion, which means being discerning with the words I speak.
Not every part of my life needs to be broadcast to the world. Many of my inner thoughts and personal struggles need to be kept between me, God, and the people closest to me. This benefits me and people who would not benefit from an unfiltered look into my private life.
That being said, my personal music releases are pretty raw, so if someone really wants to know some of the deeper parts of my inner thoughts, they should listen to the music I release under “Daniel Ely” on digital platforms. My most recent album “Hours in Front of a Piano” is a perfect example.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I might substitute out some of the time I spend watching Youtube to spend time writing a musical. That’s a long-term ambition of mine.
That being said, I am thankful to say my life is pretty much exactly how I would want it. I have great friends, I golf regularly, I write and produce a lot of music, and I feel I do a good job working hard while keeping time open to spend time with friends, or do whatever God would have me do.
Even sharing this in the interview fills me with gratitude.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.testflightmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielelymusic/
- Other: Spotify Playlist of past work: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4oHlByMYYF4C2Tant2da8G?si=97ce0ba59e994c52
