MUSIC
The Singing Poet For David Ali, the soundtrack of life is a never ending source of inspiration—and hope By Mi chae l J . Pa l l e r i no F or his highly acclaimed 2016 debut release, some of the songs that David Ali recorded had only a single sentence for lyrics when he hit the studio. And while
Mary Jane . His industry background also involves various crew work, including set dresser, production assistant, craft service business owner (The Silent Café LLC), set coordinator (HGTV), and more. And if that is not enough, Ali also is an advocate for justice. As a recruiter and B2B Independent Associate with LegalShield, he helps clients and business owners in the creative community affordably protect their legal rights by connecting them to top law-firms in the US, Canada and UK. And how does all this play out in today’s unsettled times? “I don’t sound like Stevie Wonder, but I write about love along with world issues like he does. Creative people have the power to influence. It’s not unusual to see creatives be at their best artistically while simultaneously using their influence to make a political change in the world. We all don’t have to do something, but we all can do something—whether it’s speaking at congressional hearings, marching arm in arm in the streets or doing infomercials to encourage fans to register and vote. A lyric to one of my songs reads, ‘Our ancestors and children are watching and the whole world is waiting to see—now what are you going to do.” In a time when pushing forward is the right course, Ali plans to pull together a team of writers and vocalists to work on his first jazz CD this year. He is excited to work with different writers to tell new stories (with the exception of K. Nicole Allen and Kimberly Beavers, who helped him write “Right Through Me” and “Another Place To Go,” respectively). He also wants to make a go at writing songs for movies, commercials and other artists. “I’m a different person now with different stories to tell, and I can’t wait to tell them,” Ali says. “I’ve gone from being a performing artist to a recording artist, and now it’s time to go back to performing. I want to take this next part of my creative journey with a live band and a strong management team. This is going to be great.” And if history proves one thing about Ali, inspiration will truly follow in his wake.
the genius of songwriting varies from artist to artist, Ali admits that his style is a bit unique—a process that can be as maddening as it is poetic. For example, the title track, The Canvas (one of Ali’s favorites), was a prerecorded track his producer created. Ali loved the song, but just could not find the words; so he let the melody settle. It was not until Ali rode along with his producer to drop off his children to his ex-wife that the inspiration hit. Sitting in the cars watching the fractured family interact, Ali could not help think about all the families that somehow lose their way. He asked himself what a man would
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say to his woman if he truly wanted his keep his family intact. He went back to the studio, put the track on loop, and took a nap as the music played into his subconscious. “My songs are sometimes like puzzle pieces,” Ali admits. “(So) I fell asleep trying to answer that question with all those pieces moving around in my head. When I woke up six hours later, they were all there. Two hours later, the title track was born.” The inspiration that moves Ali comes from everything and everywhere. It could be a story from his life ( Cake and Water ), a union he desires with his lover ( Handled ), a conclusion he arrived at while reading the scriptures ( Another Place To Go ), or even a bug (the emotionally moving and audience favorite, Fly on the Wall ). The indomitable spirit that is David Ali, much like his writing style, embodies a little bit of everything. Along with being an Independent Music Award-nominated songwriter and vocalist who addresses issues like domestic violence, homelessness and suicide with purpose, he is an aspiring actor who has worked on shows like Being
“ It’s not unusual to see creatives be at their best artistically while simultaneously using their inf luence to make a political change in the world. ”
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