Darian Renee is a high-level, professional musician, producer, sound engineer, songwriter, musical coach, and dog mom forging an impactful path within the music scene in Boise. She is the proud owner of Muse Studios, where she helps artists’ visions come to life and hone their skills. Her experience and expertise in several avenues of the arts is impressive, to say the least.
I first encountered a Darian performance at an ATV event in Fairfield years ago. I remember being so impressed with her vocals and stage presence. Earlier this year, I got the chance to take a couple vocal lessons from her, and we’ve stayed in contact leading up to this interview. Surrounded by her comfy studio and adorable pup, Joey, we discussed how it all came to be. “In a nutshell,” Darian has been everywhere, man. She never gave herself an option to be anything but an artist practicing art. She’s taken every opportunity life has given her to learn, grow, and improve.
Darian grew up right here in Boise, beginning her musical journey at a young age. Despite not coming from a musical family, she knew early on that is all she wanted to pursue. Her brain was transfixed on anything related to music. She taught herself by ear initially and got her hands on anything she could learn. By the time she was 12, she was in a gigging band. She participated in choir all throughout her schooling, played violin in the orchestra, played in multiple bands throughout high school, and wrote her own lyrics.
By the age of 19, Darian entered the music industry as a talent buyer booking national acts; it opened doors for her own touring aspirations. She spent the next ten years touring all over the U.S. During a break, she attended school at Berklee College of Music, earning double Bachelor of Arts degrees in music business and audio engineering with a minor in voice. She also became professionally certified as an audio engineer in Reason and in Pro Tools and as a vocal coach and music arranger. Darian also attended Juilliard and became professionally certified in piano performance and artistry.
While on the road and attending school, she simultaneously ran a music studio in Florida. It had a focus on alternative, rock, and emo genres. She initially started as a songwriter at the studio, writing for heavier acts. It progressed into arranging vocals, complete audio engineering, and producing. In 2016, after a few life changes, she decided to head back home to Boise for a short break. That “short break” has lasted until now, allowing her to find community and thrive in her home city doing what she loves best. The city had changed since she left, becoming more and more attuned with a booming music scene. She was able to move her music studio to Boise just before the pandemic in perfect timing.
Darian’s days are packed full of flexing her songwriting muscle in daily practice, teaching lessons, working on producing projects, performing, and giving all the love to her adopted doggy, Joey. She performs regularly throughout the valley with a built-in residency at the Residence Inn in downtown Boise or Pig Latin in Eagle. Her favorite part of her job is being able to connect to the world of creatives and create something truly special with them. Her newest endeavor is hosting mini artist retreats through her studio. It provides a welcoming space that allows artists to travel to Boise and spend time recording without the mundane day-to-day getting in the way. While it helps traveling musicians, it’s also open to local musicians that want to record without distraction. It complements her producing style wonderfully as she aims to get to the heart of artists’ vision. She wants to understand and convey music that matches whatever the artist is shooting for.
Darian’s advice for music aspirants:
Reach out for collaboration, reach out to people for feedback, and be open to receiving it. Always connect with other musicians that can help you.
Advice for gigging artists:
It’s a show for the audience, and you want to give people an escape to distract them from their everyday lives. It’s all a balance. Don’t change who you are or your entire show based on the venue, but read the room and make adjustments. It’s ever-changing. Part of it all is trial and error.
Darian is an exceptionally talented human that has made a deep impact on the music scene. She’s a high-achieving visionary with all the experience and skill set to help any artist achieve their goals.
Be sure to follow Darian on Facebook, Instagram, or her website to stay up-to-date on performance schedules and announcements! You can find Darian’s music on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Music. If you’re interested in booking studio time or are curious about her mini artist retreats, email her at darianrenee@gmail.com.
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