Dave + Sam
in partnership with New Math Records, Classic Music Co. & Defected Records
a house duo hailing from Brooklyn with a super-slinky, bodacious New York style. Dave provides the vocals, performing live alongside Sam on the production… Their bouncing sound sits perfectly at home on Classic Music Company…
2016-2019
with Samuel Obey, Nelson Bandela Nance, Whitney McGuire, Naima Ramos-Chapman, Guarionex Rodriguex, Jr., Aaron Amado, Des Money, Reese Bland, Blake Murphy & Jahmel Reynolds
Roles
Creative Direction
Social Media Strategy
Art Direction
Design
Animation
Songwriting & Performance
OBJECTIVES
Diasporic dance music, rooted in deep-house arrangements, soulful progressions and vocally inspired by the intersection of Mike Dunn, Moodymann, Mos Def & Gil Scott Heron.
A tribute to our mutual reverence for early Chicago House Music and the golden era of underground parties and music in New York.
An opportunity to leverage house music’s international appeal — its four on the floor rhythms, choice breaks and repetition — to propel thoughtful lyrics and visual narratives; sans hype.
THE STRATEGY
Producer, Samuel Obey and I completed our first four songs remotely between 2013 & 2014.
Amid legal concerns and weak SEO, we changed our name from Sam + Dave to Dave + Sam.
Following the creation of our four track demo, we performed sporadically and quickly realized the potential for You Da S**t Girl to have a larger social impact on its own, than our individual presences or a new, joint promotional platform could anchor, sans funding.
With the objective of leveraging the song into a female empowerment campaign, I partnered with Director, Whitney McGuire on a visual treatment and in the summer of 2015, we filmed it with her husband, Nelson Nance & Naima Ramos Chapman (co-writers of HBO’s Peabody Award-winning Random Acts of Flyness).
THE CAMPAIGN
Upon completion of the video for You Da S**t Girl in September 2016, I:
built a website
distributed the song to all digital streaming platforms (intentionally removed, pending re-release)
designed merchandise and set up a print on-demand e-commerce system via Printful & Tictail integration
crafted and deployed an influencer solicitation strategy
created an instagram account: @youdashhhgirl, designed & animated graphic assets and curated 3 months of posts for instagram, facebook & twitter
secured Essence Magazine for media placement, per the song’s alignment with their brand objective of “serving black women deeply.”
TESTING
DAVE + Sam’s ‘You Da S**t Girl’ is the anthem that reminds you of your best self...
— Sydney Scott, ESSENCE
ITERATION
December 2016: Due to reader engagement, I was invited to perform You Da Shit Girl on their weekly, live studio format, ESSENCE Live
January 2017: Independent Dallas-based record label, New Math Recordings signed You Da S**t Girl to a digital and vinyl distribution deal
July 2017: Due to viewer engagement, I was invited to perform on the New & Next stage at the 2017 Essence Festival
September 2017: New Math released You Da S**t Girl EP with remixes by Chicago House icon, Derrick Carter and notable producers, Seven Davis Jr. & Columbia Nights
THE PARTNERSHIP
In November 2017, London’s Defected Records acquired the rights to You Da S**t Girl and in 2018, contracted Dave + Sam to record albums for subsidiary, Classic Music Company. I subsequently signed a songwriting contract with their Warner Music distributed publishing administrator, Defected Music.
IDEATION
Following our performance at the sold-out 2018 Defected Croatia festival, I:
wrote and recorded 11 new songs which were optioned towards our album and songwriting obligations
created an instagram account: @daveandsammusic, filmed all of our studio sessions, archived content and curated 6 months of posts for instagram, facebook & twitter
designed the Dave + Sam logos
hired videographers, Blake Murphy & Jahmel Reynolds to document us across a period of 6 months for archival footage, and commissioned the latter to edit our Electronic Press Kit
directed, styled costumes, created props, commissioned photographer, Guarionex Rodriguez, Jr. and artist, Des Money for the No Shade album photo shoot and subsequent Til the World Blow Up single artwork
commissioned illustrator, Casper Strietman to draw us in studio for the Middle Passage EP vinyl art
ENGAGEMENT
May 2019: Classic Music Co. released Middle Passage EP on a limited vinyl pressing, nearly selling out in a week
I booked, staffed, financed, designed and animated promotional assets, created merchandise, performed and commissioned artist, Aaron Amado to create a design system for our sold-out Middle Passage EP release event at Brooklyn’s Rose Gold
June 2019: Defected Records released Til The World Blow Up with remixes by Chicago House icon, Mike Dunn and Glitterbox Records released You’re My Remixes featuring our Dave + Sam Remix to playlist placements, radio, and DJ charts
August 2019: Due to audience growth and record pool feedback, we were booked to perform at the 2019 Defected Croatia festival
RESULTS IN PROGRESS
Bookings at Essence Festival (2017) and Defected Croatia (2018-2019)
A sold-out release show and coverage in the New York Times
Playlisted by Tidal and Spotify staff
Monthly average of 14,000 Spotify listeners
Reached #81 on international retailer, Juno’s Vinyl Charts
Radio play in 15 countries, including the UK’s Radio One
Recent singles debuted at #19 & #41 on Traxsource’s Top 100 Singles Charts