Darren

I grew up singing in a southern baptist church in Houston, Texas, where I got my start, at the age of 7 years old. As a little kid in the church choir my voice always stood out like a sore thumb and caught the attention of the audience at once. Even then I knew I had a gift, and I was made to be a front runner; a soloist. I just enjoyed singing and the feeling it brought to me and others. The church gave me my start, but I refused to stop there.

I auditioned for "Showtime at the Apollo" at the age of 9 years old. I begged my teacher to let me sing for my audition, but my Drama Teacher insisted that I perform a dramatic poem. My favorite poem at the time was "Still I Rise" by Mya Angelou and I gave my best, but the poetic number did not catch the attention of the producers and I was sent home in the Semi-Final of the auditions.

I would go on to sing in school choirs throughout highschool and perform amateur plays, but my voice began going through a "change" and I lost the confidence I once had in myself in the middle of my highschool years. I struggled with continuing to pursue music as it was my passion, but I just didn't sound like myself. Instead of giving up completely on music, I chose to pick up an instrument and start to play the piano. I learned the fundamentals of reading music, different chords/ chord progressions, and silently performed beginner pieces for friends and family. I also took school very seriously, as I was determined to be successful one way or another. I went on to graduate highschool and attend the Univeristy of Texas at Austin!

My entire college career was a struggle as I knew my heart still belonged to music. I would sit in class humming and doodling while the teacher spoke what seemed to be absolute gibberish. One day, something hit me! I made up my mind and decided to dive back into my music at the mild age of 20 years old. I went and found a vocal coach to assist me through the change I experienced in my voice; someone who really believed in my gift. After a year of consistent practice with my coach I began to see the confident performer I knew I always was and got back on the audition circuit. The next stop for me was America’s Got Talent!

I waited 5 long hours for my audition and my anxiety led me to warm up so many times that I might have over-did-it just a tad. They called me front and center: "Darren, when you're ready." I closed my eyes, took a deep breathe, and sung my rendition of the classic tune "My Girl" by The Temptations. I performed to the best of my ability, but it wasn't enough. Out of thousands that auditioned with talents of all kinds, I was sent home. I was disappointed, but I refused to give up. I took the anger, disappointment, and aggression built up from this failure and channeled it into positive action. I continued to practice with my coach and perform at local open mic nights aside from school and the many odd jobs that I had acquired.

On my way home from school one evening, life struck a sour chord in my life once again. I received the news that my Grandmother had passed. I sunk into a deep depression and began to express myself by writing through the pain. These songs were brought to life as I began to record in professional music studios. I had cried enough, and the day of my Grandmother's funeral was here. My family insisted that I perform for the service and I was absolutely mortified, but it was one of the most heartfelt and riveting performances of my life. Fighting back the tears, I rose to the occasion and I knew my grandmother would be so proud. This marked a milestone in my life as a musician, teaching me how to truly evoke emotion into a song. As my grandmother would have wanted, I would continue to pursue my dreams.

I would later hear that The Voice would be holding auditions in Houston and I knew this was my moment! I had rehearsed so much that I had even listened to the track repetitively in my sleep and I made it! I received a call back audition, and I was set to perform in front of the producers of the show. I show up and do my first song and last minute, I was told to sing a better song. I hadn't practiced the second as much and halfway through, I begin to stumble on the words. In that moment, I knew I would be sent home. I though to myself, "Man, this was the audition right before the turning chairs and I almost made it to National Television!" I knew I didn't make it, but the fact that I made it that far stood for an awful lot. I just know that it will always be my passion and I will never stop performing!