Dawson Fuss
Dawson Fuss recently released his single “Free”, and it is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard.
The first time I heard “Free”, I felt emotional and empowered. Listening to Dawson’s story through this song is incredibly beautiful and inspiring. His songwriting is honest, his vocals are stunning, the production is brilliant. The music video is just perfect. “Free” is an anthem. “Free” offers an important message. I admire and respect artists like Dawson who are not afraid to share their story with the world.
“Free” definitely deserves more love. So go stream it, go watch the music video :)
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
When I was 5 years old, my mom signed me up for an after-school theater program because I was a constant ball of energy who loves to sing and wear costumes, and I played Shrek in Shrek the Musical. That moment single handedly started my passion for music and performing. My path has since changed from theater to singing and songwriting, and I couldn’t be happier with where I’m at now. I started writing music about two years ago, and it’s the only thing I want to do. I’m still starting out, so I can’t wait to see what my future holds.
"Free" is your new single - what's the story/inspiration behind this song?
“Free” is a musical representation of my experience coming to terms with my sexuality and the journey that followed.
When did you start working on "Free"? Could you describe the songwriting/production process? Who helped you create it?
I started working on “Free” about a year ago, and it was possibly one of the most difficult songs I’ve written. It was a topic that I knew I needed to unpack for my personal wellbeing, and being a songwriter, music was the avenue I took to do so. It was extremely challenging to channel all of my strong emotions about my experience coming out into a structured song format, but on the other hand, it was extremely cathartic to have a space to reflect on my past. I worked with the incredibly talented writer and producer Will Everett, who was extremely open to hearing my story and using it to create a piece of art. The writing session for “Free” was one of my favorites and I’m so happy to finally have it out to the world!
What did you feel when writing this song?
Writing “Free” was an extremely emotional process. It took a couple of days to actually write it because since I hadn’t fully unpacked my trauma around coming out, it was pretty much the first time I had talked about it with someone else. It felt kind of like a therapy session; a music therapy session :)
What's your favorite thing about this song?
My favorite part of the song is its message. “Free” is an anthem not only for people in the LGBTQIA+ community, but rather people of all identities that are struggling to come to terms or accept a part of themselves.
What made you want to release "Free" as a single?
I wanted to release “Free” as a single because not only did I feel like it was one of my favorite songs I had written, but the fact that it had the potential to reach people that needed to hear the message. I wanted the song to spread hope that brighter days lie ahead.
What do you want people to feel when listening to this song?
I want people listening to “Free” to feel liberated in their most true, authentic selves; to feel like they can be 100% themselves without the fear of being judged by others for doing so.
What can you tell us about the music video?
Shooting the music video was one of the best moments of my life. I worked with the amazing Anastasia Delmark, who is the most innovative, creative person I have ever met. Together, we came up with a concept that would create a visual representation of the story that “Free” paints. Being an independent artist and not having a huge budget for the video, it was incredible that Anastasia was willing to work with me. She was so committed to the project and pulled as many strings as she could and was able to produce an extremely aesthetically pleasing video that I think perfectly illustrates what the song aims to capture.
What message do you want to give to LGBTQIA+ communities?
A message I want to give to the LGBTQIA+ community is that even though being queer is extremely difficult and we constantly have to conceal our authentic selves to protect ourselves from potential harm, together, we are working towards a new world where we can be unapologetically ourselves. In the meantime, I’m so grateful to be part of a loving family and community that accepts each other for who we are and raises each other up in times of need.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
Being an artist in the modern music industry is extremely challenging. With it being so simple to distribute music independently, there is a constant firehose of music being sprayed onto streaming platforms every day, so breaking through the noise is more difficult than ever. On the flipside, the difficulty of “making it” in this industry motivates me to make the best art I possibly can. Since the bar is so high, I have to push myself to my greatest potential in order to reach a fulfilling level of success.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
The music industry today is drastically different than twenty years ago with the evolution of social media. Nowadays, it seems that the music isn’t about the music anymore. Popular artists are like influencers on social media; some have a minimum number of TikTok they have to post a week set by their labels. Because of the oversaturation of music, artists have to go to extremes to become and stay relevant. If I could change one thing, I would say that the music should speak for itself, not the number of followers one has or who can work the algorithm the best.
What does singing make you feel?
Singing makes me feel liberated. It makes me feel Free. Being able to be completely connected with my body and mind while simultaneously connecting with the audience makes me transcend to a different realm. Any kind of negative feelings I have beforehand immediately vanish as I ease into the space of the song. It’s magic.
What biggest life lessons have you learned so far?
The biggest life lesson I’ve learned so far is the reality that not everyone is going to like what I do, and that’s okay. There are some people that like my music and some people that don’t, and there’s nothing I can do to change someone’s opinion about that. I could choose to dwell on one’s negativity and spiral into a pit of self-doubt, but realizing that my own confidence is the only part that matters reaffirms that I’m where I’m supposed to be.
In your opinion, what would make the world a better place?
Something that would make the world a better place is love (as corny as that is). Everyone seems to be so trapped in this materialistic competition that we forget to take a second to breathe and love each other. So many small differences get in the way of seeing, and accepting, each other's true self. By understanding that our differences are what makes us human, we can learn to immediately feel love rather than hate.
Connect with Dawson: