Meet Darius Ford | Jazz/R&B Singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darius Ford and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darius, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor for me is authenticity. I know exactly who I am, I know exactly what I want to say, and I put all of that in my music. I used to want to be the popular one in the music industry, be at all of the events, and be called on to collaborate with everybody. However, when some of those opportunities required me to lose my own identity and put on one that the music industry had picked out for me, I had to stop. It was tempting, because it almost guaranteed instant recognition, money, and overall success with my music. I had to say no and when I said that, those same people who were excited to work with me, all of a sudden were trying to blackball me. Being authentic has made success in the material sense slower, but it does not outshine the many people who have come to me saying how my music is relatable and how it helped them to live another day. The material success will eventually come, but I don’t want to lose myself, gain all of this instant material success from making music that isn’t really me, and then go home and still be unhappy because I don’t know who I am anymore. Authenticity is so important.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a singer and songwriter. My style and genre is mainly Jazz and R&B with a hint of Neo Soul. I had always known that my artistry was different. However, I was too busy trying to fit in with other artists who were considered popular, especially in the area that I was in. I tried to make the same music that they made, but it never felt or sounded like me. I felt like I was too different and wouldn’t be received at all. However, through a lot of inner work and prayer, I learned to accept the way God made me in terms of the music I make. As time went on, I began to really see the impact that my music really had on people. It was more like a quiet, but very strong appreciation that people had for my music. After a while, I began to not only accept it, but understand the sacredness of my artistry. I can’t work with everyone and I won’t be invited in every room that I may want to go in musically. I realize now that is perfectly fine. The type of music that I make is not considered popular to the general public. However, it holds so much weight and has staying power. As long as I do right by it and never change who I am, I know that the right doors will be opened to me and the right people and opportunities will come to me. When the world hears my music, I want them to know that I was a real artist, that I put my all into my music, and that my music helped to heal people.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, I’m from Virginia. When it comes to food, I would eat at J&K style grill for all around amazing food, Wickers Crab Pot for strictly seafood, and Coopers Restaurant for that down south soul food. I would also visit MJs Tavern for the drinks. Tequila Sunrise used to be so nasty to me. Every single place I went to that had a tequila sunrise, it was horrible. However, when I went to MJs, I was very hesitant. One sip turned into three tequila sunrises later and I’m not even a drinker like that. That was amazing. Of course, I would visit Busch Gardens or King’s Dominion for the fun and amusement. These are just a few places I would visit with a friend.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Marla Thomas. Marla is like a big sister to me. Our friendship has stood the test of time and she has always been a supporter of music. She tells me exactly what I need to hear even when I don’t want to hear it sometimes. She tells me when I’m right and when I’m wrong. She is such a true friend and big sister to me.

Website: https://dariusford.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dariusfordmusic?igsh=MXJrY2ZtbjV1bzk3YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CdsGqHxc8/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC0O_ffwJcbeBtTtpxnEz-8A?si=wJhZbECWIJSY6xti