Artist Spotlight: Dane Amar

By: Victoria Moorwood

Pacific Records’ Newest Artist, Dane Amar, Talks New Single, “Prom Night”

San Diego-based record company, Pacific Records signed rapper, singer and producer, Dane Amar to their dynamic roster Sept. 1. Boasting artists such as Lindsay Perry, Ryan Hiller, and Benton Blout, Amar says he is excited to be joining the Pacific Records family.

“I’ve followed Pacific for a little bit now and I’ve always admired how they work with their artists,” Amar says. “Around 2014 I auditioned for a show at SDSU [San Diego State University] in front of their now Marketing Director Ace Antonio and to my surprise, he’s been following me since then. He asked me to submit an EPK, then a bunch of meetings and here we are now!”

Amar began making music when he was 12 years old and has recently taken on the craft of producing.

He’s inspired by hip-hop heavyweights such as Kanye West, Travis Scott, Drake, KYLE, Jon Bellion and the late Mac Miller.

“I’m just inspired by the way these artists could write such simple lyrics but are also able to tell a story from start to finish,” he says. “They make the listener go along with them on their journey and that’s something I always strive to do with every song. I want to take the listener on the rollercoaster that is my life.”

Growing up in San Diego has heavily influenced his artistic development by allowing him to be inspired by an aura that he calls “unbeatable.”

Many San Diego artists have one goal: to put San Diego on the map, in terms of heavyweights in the artistic world and to give San Diego artists a universal platform.

“There’s no one like us. We’re all unique from Rob $tone to Heartbreaka, we’re the only ones who sound like us,” Amar says.

San Diego based artists also have a unique chemistry when they come together. Amar was recently featured on “SD Wave,” a light-hearted, thumping hip-hop track about partying and life in San Diego.

“They had someone else on the song before, but when I heard it I fell in love with how it sounded. I needed a verse on it! Cashy, Johnny Wang, Paven and I were all friends beforehand, so we all already knew each other, so the workflow was awesome. Jeremy Sazon directed the video and also a friend. Great guy and super fire director,” he says.

Amar also just released his first single on Sept. 14, titled “Prom Night.”

A catchy, introspective tune, “Prom Night” echoes every question we’d ask our high school sweethearts if we were to see them now with an innocent honesty and foot-tapping flow.

Amar says the track was inspired by his own past relationship and all questions that still nag his mind about past and future romances.

“People drift and that sucks, but at least we have the memories,” he says.

The parallelism in the verses ask where his ex-love has been, where she’s going and what they could have been had they found each other later in life. The unmistakably relatable lyrics and upbeat, stripped-down melody are a promising debut track for this new artist.

Looking ahead, Amar has many ideas for a potential music video to accompany the newly released single and says he’ll soon be working hard on delivering some new music.

“I want stadiums to chant my lyrics, but most of all I want to inspire,” he says. “I try to be the person I needed when I was younger. Hopefully, the youth right now can hear me and realize that they aren’t alone. Growing up can be scary when you feel alone. I want my career to be like that long hug someone needed at the end of the day.”