Dan Ademola: “ArtsTrain was a safe place for me to express myself through music”

Dan Ademola, one of our ArtsTrain Academy alumni, recently updated us on how he has been doing since he was at ArtsTrain. He has been involved in a few exciting projects since, recently hosting our Live and Unreleased Night in July. Dan has also been helping deliver sessions for our Sonic Minds project in partnership with Lewisham Music, which explores the link between music and mental health.

AT: Tell us about yourself and your musical journey!

DA: I've been an aspiring singer-songwriter for years. I'm a very active person, however, I'm also very creative, hence why I write songs quite often. It's a good release for me and has been for years, especially because every time I write something new, I notice how much better I get - practice makes perfect, right! I predominantly rap the lyrics that I produce, however I do sing in church and also on some tracks I make. I have recently become a mentor for young people, teaching them about the art of music and songwriting, which is very enjoyable. Seeing how much they improve and how confident they become after just a few days is always emotional and rewarding, and I hope I can continue making a difference for the youth.

AT: Could you tell us about your experience with ArtsTrain and the Academy?

DA: I joined the Bexley ArtsTrain Academy when I was 14 years old as I was put forward as someone who would gain a lot from the programme. In all honesty, I feel as ArtsTrain was a key part of my growth as a teenager, and has a huge impact on the person I am today. I came into ArtsTrain as a drummer alone, but within a few months, I was beginning to write lyrics and never looked back. ArtsTrain was a safe place for me to express myself through music, which was emphasised by my mentors, James and Alice. They were great in helping me with my music journey, but also very influential on my journey into adulthood, which is an amazing dynamic to have at such a young age. ArtsTrain also provided unique opportunities, such as recording songs in a studio and performing original pieces at many gigs, which was a great experience.

AT: What have you been currently been working on?

DA: After a few years, I have now progressed into being a mentor for ArtsTrain - the programme was so beneficial for me, so to give back to the community whilst also learning more about myself on the way seemed way too good of an opportunity to turn down. I've worked on a total of 3 projects - these have all been part of Sonic Minds. I've also been an MC for a couple events, with the most recent one the Live and Unreleased night at The Churchill Theatre. Next year, I'm hoping to write and record a few songs to really propel my music career, but with university, it is difficult to get as much music out as I can.

We can’t wait to see more from Dan and hear some of his new music! Check out our ‘News and Events’ page for updates on the projects mentioned or you can find more on our Instagram.