Danny Starr: The London Singer-Songwriter Turning Life’s Struggles into Pop-Rock Anthems

In 2024, Danny Starr isn't just creating music—he's crafting a narrative of resilience, identity, and raw emotion. With the support of BBC Introducing, 6 Music, and nods from Rolling Stone France and Mexico, Danny has captured hearts with his honest lyrics and melodic hooks. Starting his songwriting journey at just 15, with a poignant track addressing the war in Syria, Danny has evolved into an artist who fearlessly explores themes of sexuality, mental health, and the human experience. His latest singles under Revanche Records are already making waves, earning spots on Spotify's coveted playlists. Whether on stage or in the studio, Danny Starr’s music isn't just heard—it’s felt.

1. You've had incredible support from platforms like BBC Introducing and tastemakers like Rolling Stone France & Mexico. How has this recognition influenced your musical journey and your connection with your audience?

It's always a special feeling to have big names in music getting behind what you do, and it's no secret how much of a roller coaster being an artist can be when it comes to believing that people care and that what you're making matters, so yea, it's great. How it has impacted my musical journey is an interesting one. I'm simply more confident and comfortable than ever with what I'm putting out in the world, but I wouldn't say that's because of the press coverage to be honest.

I write songs to help myself and others process the chaos that is life on Earth, and I feel I'm writing truer to that motivation than ever before at the moment. As a result, when people message me on social media telling stories of how they've discovered my music and applied its message to their life it lights ten times the fires in my belly to keep going than getting the validation of the likes of the names you mentioned, as forever grateful as I am to be supported through those channels. Really the biggest boost for my connection with my audience from this coverage is that I know I have a dedicated listenership in Mexico for example, and it's awesome to be featured in their respective international outlets. It brings me that much closer to some of my most special fans from around the world. 

2. Your songwriting often touches on deeply personal themes like identity, sexuality, and mental health. Can you share how your life experiences have shaped your music, especially in your recent singles?

It's certainly been a turbulent decade or so over which I've written my catalog so far. If you were to listen from my debut EP to my latest releases you'd have a pretty good insight into my development through the teen years and into adulthood. That development ebbed and flowed with several significant life events including losses and changes in my family, mental health diagnoses which I'm still battling through to feel I understand my mind enough to feel truly stable, my journey towards being openly Pansexual, and how my relationship with being Muslim and a white-passing Asian-British man has taken shape as I've settled into who I know myself to be now. What I've learned through all of these has been heavily influential on my writing, and I feel I'm being so honest about all of it in what I'm releasing this year. These songs are all deeply important to my own personal growth, but equally they are for everyone and anyone who finds solace in them. They are a vessel with which to reach somewhere better, wherever that may be for you, and in whatever context.

3. Starting your songwriting career at just 15, with songs like 'Life' addressing the war in Syria, how do you think your music has evolved since then, both in terms of sound and the stories you tell?

From what I've said in response to the previous question, I'm sure you can get an initial feeling for how I feel my writing has developed since 15, but just the fact I wrote 'Life' back then, and also 'Love Bite' which addresses domestic violence at a similar time, reminds me I've always used songwriting to find and explore my understanding of some of the most challenging thoughts and experiences I am exposed to, whether personally or through people close to me. I'll never stop writing in this way, and I think not shying away from being brutally honest about the real world is one of my proudest characteristics as an artist. 

4. You’ve performed in a wide range of settings, from intimate solo gigs to full-band shows at major festivals. How do these different environments influence your performance style and how you connect with your audience?

Connecting with the listener is my fireworks moment as an artist and there simply is no better place and no bigger firework than when that's face to face at a show. Of course with different stage set ups the vibe of the night varies massively, with my solo shows really being a intimate deep-dive into the lyrics and meaning behind why I've written each song and my full band gigs being much more of an indie-poprock party. I love performing to new crowds, where I can connect with people through my music for the first time and pick out the faces that are starting to understand me and what I'm trying to say. But equally I'm not there's anything I value more than standing in the venue after the show with my most loyal supporters talking about all things life and music. Live is really why I do what I do, and it's one reason I've been so passionate about keeping that part of my career through all of the damage the industry took from the big C.

5. Your upcoming single ‘Long Way From Home’ was born from a soundtrack you composed for a short film. How did that experience differ from your usual songwriting process, and what can listeners expect from this new release?

It differed enormously, but led me to writing some of my truest-to-inspiration material yet. I was so stoked to be working on this project after my first call with the team behind the film and felt I quickly got a grasp of the message and the feeling they were portraying in the script. To be honest I really related to it, and found such joy in metaphorically opening a tap in my head and running it together with a tap on the brain of the film, if that makes sense? The film itself had such a distinct feeling, being about a young adult making a significant life decision on her way home from uni after her final exams. I pictured in my head the angel and devil sitting on her shoulders, and how sometimes in life those two most opposing powers can on the rare occasion be telling you the same thing, and you just go for it and take a leap.

There's something unique about the moment head and heart line up, and it's a feeling worth recognising that I was honoured and excited to be given the opportunity to lyricise. It was extremely important to the team that the atmosphere of the sound matched their emotional connection to the film, so I spent a long time focussing on this side of things, much more than I usually do when writing music for just music's sake, to ensure I felt my work was truly complete on this project. I very quickly sent through a minute and a half demo of this acoustic guitar led Bon Iver and Ben Howard-esque soundscape, with a few initial lyrics that I felt carried the essence of the film. Myself and the team listened to it together and from there the soundtrack just came flowing out piece by piece and eventually became this epic single that I cannot wait for people to hear, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to talk about it here for BabyStep so thanks for having me!