Maryland artist Darien Virgo has been quietly creating and releasing music since 2012. Back in March of 2017, he remixed a Swell-produced track “I’m Sorry,” which featured a subtle yet catchy vocal sample along with a slightly surreal music video that meshes smoothly with the style of the music.
Recently, Virgo released his latest song “Feelin It,” produced by close collaborator Urban Keys, who also happens to be his partner and best friend. We spoke to Virgo about his recent music, his approach to creativity, and more.
B: So first, could you just tell us your name and where you’re from?
D: My name is Darien, last name Virgo, and I’m from Silver Spring, Maryland, which is in the DMV area.
B: Right on. So first question: What’s the first album that you ever purchased?
D: Ah man, when I was younger it was all about Limewire, so I honestly didn’t purchase many albums. I was more of a hip hop mixtape and dancehall type of person. I was heavy into Wiz Khalifa, Young Jeezy, Movado, and Vybz Kartel.
B: I love the visuals for your track “I’m Sorry,” could you tell us more about that song and how the video came together?
D: “I’m Sorry” is a remix I did; the original track is produced by Swell. That song came about when I was around a former friend of mine, and I saw that this person had some fraudulent ways. One time, I told them I couldn’t do something for them, and they switched up heavily. That’s what kind of restarted my engine to begin music again. My spirit told me to turn that particular situation into a song.
I flew to LA to see my boy Luke Segreto and we shot that video. It was a simple, yet fun video to shoot. The crazy part about this song is that people who have heard the original version generally like my version better, in part because the lyrics I wrote just add more to it.
B: Transitioning into your newer music, tell us more about “Feelin It.”
D: I haven’t put out music in a long time, and I believe when you’re re-entering in your artistry, you should be building a fresh new fan base. Nowadays, you have to make something that people automatically like. Urban Keys made the beat randomly one day when I was away at a photography gig. The energy of the music, and asking the audience if they’re “Feelin it?” really brings some crowd pleasing vibes to it. Me just free-styling/writing what came to my head with it also added to the fun and positivity of the song.
I don’t usually make music like “Feelin It.” I’m not even sure if I’ll make another song similar to it, but I really felt it. Like I said previously, I believe when you’re making a re-entry, you need to make a good impression, and I think this song does that. I also shot a video for “Feelin It” with the same videographer. He flew out from LA to the east coast. He believed in the track and couple others, so we shot that video along with a other songs using some really nice equipment, and I’m excited for those to come out.
B: Yeah I noticed that, what’s it like to work with such a close partner?
D: It’s amazing, it’s really dope. It’s like both us have different energies inside of us, and we both just get to paint it, like one paints first, then the next, it’s really fun. In my humble opinion, “Feelin It” is a really great song, and I think you can hear the strength of our relationship within it. Urban Keys vocals are on the record as well, which is another nice touch.
B: So what’s next for you? What else should the readers know about Darien Virgo?
D: I’m looking to do more shows right now. I’ve also got a song that we just completed, the mastering engineer just sent it back. I’m an artist that likes to demonstrate, what I mean by that is my music usually has some deeper messages behind it.
With this next track, “Step Back,” ideally I want everyone to just take a step back, analyze and become aware of their life regarding what’s going on spiritually, mentally, and physically, and ultimately choosing personal happiness over everything. I’ll be dropping that record next week, August 21st, so be on the lookout for that for sure.
You heard it here first, check out Darien Virgo’s music above and be on the lookout for “Step Back,” dropping next week.
Find him on linktree, Spotify, Instagram, and Soundcloud
