Denver’s William Dusan Brings New Life to R&B

Are you ready for a resurgence of classic R&B with a modern twist?

Denver-based LGBTQ indie artist William Dusan is bringing the rhythms and raw emotion of the genre into a contemporary soundscape, which he has successfully done with his debut single “Everyday.” Initially released in June for Pride Month, the track is a love anthem for the wide-eyed, young lover in all of us who is ready to proudly profess their feelings from the highest rooftops.

Dusan believes there is a certain quality lacking from music, especially R&B, and he hopes to help rejuvenate it with his own artistry. With soaring melodies and thought-provoking lyrics, it is clear that Dusan reigns in a league of his own.

OFM caught up with the rising star to talk more about “Everyday” and his musical aspirations.

Congrats on the release of your debut single, “Everyday!” How does it feel to put this project out into the world?

It is honestly a huge relief to finally be able to not just carry it in my head and hope I can remember it and convey it correctly. It’s finally a part of the world, where I can actually share, talk about it, and hear other people’s experience in relation to what I wrote and what I tried to create in the song.

Can you tell us more about the song’s concept and inspiration?

Funnily enough, this is a song that I wrote for myself, almost like a daydream of what I wanted if I were to make a relationship into a song or a checklist. I wanted to write down what kind of experience I wanted to be in, how they would treat me, and how I would treat them. Where we are going with this and what it means once we get there.

“Everyday” was initially released in honor of Pride Month. How would you say it’s different from all the other LGBTQ anthems that were released throughout June?

Honestly, I wanted to make something that could be considered a legacy. Something that could stand the test of time and it doesn’t just hold to the standards of how we make music today, meaning either the music production, our choice of words, or anything like that. I wanted to make something that will remain enjoyable no matter if you listen to it stripped down to just a piano, or if you heard the full accompaniment with me.

You could still get the same message. It’s not even something that you should draw a question from, “What is he talking about?” It’s very true to everything that not just the LGBTQ community should feel and is striving for, but everyone can come together and say, “Oh, I understand your perspective because we all are looking for the exact same thing.”

How has the track been received by listeners?

So far, it’s been great! I initially had a small rollout for it with a lot of close friends and family, and then expanded from there. Honestly, the only thing I’ve been getting is praise and congratulations for everyone I’ve talked to. It’s definitely encouraging me to keep going.

How would you say “Everyday” is an introduction to you as a musical artist?

“Everyday” is very much me in a few ways: One, me as the daydreamer that is always looking for the positive and the most amazing story out of it all. “Everyday” gives you that one-on-one connection with the person and really draws you into the exact moment of it. Very often, when I talk about things, I am referred to as long winded because I want to give you that essence and detail that really brings it to life.

In other ways, I want “Everyday” to be a representation of the kind of things that I look for in life. I’m not always looking for the negatives. There are obviously going to always be obstacles and journeys that we have to go on to get to the highlight, our happiness, or whatever that might be and however long that might last. I figured that would be the best start for it.

Have you always had a passion for singing?

I have! I’ve been singing since I was around 3 or 4 years old. I was told that I got to be annoying at that age (laughs). I was singing everything. Commercials, the siren as it would go by, anything at all.

What do you hope audiences take away from your music?

Right now, with “Everyday,” I am hoping that it brings a little bit of nostalgia to people that listen to it who are maybe around my age or older. I also hope that my music inspires younger generations. See what you should set your bar to, and think and act towards those that you want the same feelings to be expressed from.

Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

I would say that has changed over the years, especially as culture has shifted from doing musical albums where they are trying to do an entire body of work that beats this or that, and then maybe there are some other songs sprinkled in, or some hits that might do something different. In general, you always got the essence of the artist from the album.

Growing up, I definitely loved Usher, Janet Jackson, Luther Vandross, and Toni Braxton. They all took R&B in different directions. Even TLC, they all went in very radical directions from each other, but the true heart and soul of what they were saying was always expressed. It’s either fun and games or it’s dead serious, but either way, you knew exactly what they felt and how they meant.

What particularly drew you to the R&B genre?

It’s the genre I grew up listening to exclusively until, I would say, the end of middle school. My parents were both in love with The Temptations, The Supremes, Four Tops—There was a lot of great vinyl music that was played by my household and my extended family. We would listen to it all the time, and we still do when we all get together.

It’s just something about the way that genre is so honest that has always appealed to me, and I love seeing these artists be able to start low, bring you in, set the stage, and then really take off vocally. The music goes somewhere, and all these different things can happen in a song.

You say there is a certain quality that has been lacking in R&B. How will your music help rejuvenate it?

I think starting with honest lyrics that are not trying to use the lingo of today or the way that you think your audience wants you to react to a situation. Being without any mask and speaking your truth is going to be the biggest importance. Then I really spent the time going through this because a lot of this music is, in a way, like a diary to me. A shoulda, coulda, woulda situation that I put out into a song and kind of reevaluated.

It’s very dear to me that I’m willing to be as truthful and upfront about something and leave it open to the listener to interpret it still. I’m not forcing them into any box. So, I’m hoping with that in mind, it’s not all written off as fluff. There’s something that comes from it. There’s conversation and backstories shared with each other.

How will your art connect with the LGBTQ community?

From a musical standpoint, I would say that it’s pretty open to interpretation with who the song is written toward. There’s a lot of ‘you and I’ as opposed to him and myself, or something like that. Ultimately, my goal is to really showcase that more as I get into visuals. There’s a lot of storytelling I want to do in that way. Not only talking from the perspective of the LGBTQ community, but also speaking from the perspective of a minority in a minority group. How that can be very different compared to what a lot of people perceive what is commercially seen or believed.

Are you currently working on any projects?

I am. Right now, we’re in the works trying to finish up what’s going to ultimately be my first album. I am hoping to release that this fall, but before then, I am hoping to release at least one more single.

What are some other future goals you hope to accomplish as a musical artist?

I honestly want to use my music to open doors for conversations for understanding different perspectives. Going back to what I was saying before about being the minority of a minority, my journey through the community has been very different than someone else, but at a lot of gatherings and things like that, when I talk to other people and ask their perspectives about certain things, what we said in our early 20s is very different than what we’re going to say in our 40s and 50s.

I find that to be interesting, and I don’t want to use music to preach to someone. Like, “Oh, this is the way it should be.” I want to open the door for us all to talk about, like, “Well, have you considered this aspect of it? Would you still do it this way? Would you do something completely different? How would you handle this?” With that, I’m hoping we can have another avenue to try to help progress forward and come together as a community.

Before we wrap up, are there any other upcoming projects or anything else you’d like to mention or plug?

Not just yet. The main focus is going to get ready for the album. I guess the one thing I can say is that I worked very hard to make sure that I could fund the music the way I wanted to and not feel locked into a label or studio. However, I am seeking crowdfunding to try to bring the visuals to life because, again, it’s something that I don’t want a single party to have control or shape how we tell our stories. I want to be able to tell it as honestly as I know it to be, so I would appreciate anyone contributing to my crowdfunding. A link to that will be on my social media.

Stay up-to-date and connect with Dusan by following him on Instagram @williamdusan, or visit his official website, williamdusan.com. “Everyday” is available on all music streaming platforms.

Photos courtesy of William Dusan