In this interview with TAGG, we sit down with Dan Arwady to delve into the creative process behind his latest EP, Carry With You. The EP embraces a live, in-studio recording approach, capturing a raw, spontaneous energy that reflects Dan’s deep passion for live performances. We discuss the inspiration behind this unique recording style, how it shaped the sound of the EP, and the personal experiences that inform his songwriting. From the influence of his children to the intricate musical dynamics with his collaborators, Dan shares the emotional journey that led to the creation of these powerful tracks. Get an intimate look at his creative world, the people he collaborates with, and the authentic sound that defines Carry With You.
‘Carry With You’ embraces a live, in-studio recording approach. What inspired you to go in this direction, and how did it shape the sound of the EP?
I’ve always loved live musical performances. I wrote all of the songs on this EP and, usually only a few days after writing them, played them live at some sort of a show or gig. Playing them in front of others shaped the way that I wrote them. “Carry With You”, for example, had a few different versions, in different keys and different tunings. I would start out by writing the songs, recording quick demos, playing them out, and adjusting how I’d play it each time until something clicked.
It only seemed right to record it with the same feeling of spontaneity. It was a harder process, for sure – Harry and I both played our acoustic guitars together in the same room, with a decent amount of bleed in each other’s microphones, which meant that we pretty much had to play it properly and not rely much on post-production or editing. But when I first heard the takes back through the studio monitors, I knew we’d made the right decision – I could feel the give-and-take between the two of us, the dynamics were pronounced, and we were responding to each other’s playing. It ultimately led to a much more genuine-feeling recording.
You’ve mentioned the importance of live human interaction in capturing authenticity. Were there any unexpected moments or improvisations during the recording sessions that made it onto the final tracks?
After Harry and I would lay down the instrumental tracks, Cassie and I would go and lay down the harmonies together. Usually, when we play live, she and I just use one vocal mic, because we really try to blend together before it hits the microphone. In the studio, we were in two separate vocal booths for isolation, but we were recording at the same time. There were a few moments, when recording “Somebody Else”, that I sort of improvised some vocal runs that were different from how we usually did them live. To my surprise, Cassie followed me and harmonized in real time, sticking right to the run. Those are some of my favorite moments on the record, because you can hear that we’re singing the song together.
The title track, ‘Carry With You’, is deeply personal. Can you talk more about how your children influenced the song and what you hope they take from it?
I love my kids more than anything, and that song has some layers to it. I lost my dad in September 2019, and we had some deep conversations before he passed. I remember him telling me that raising his children was the point of his life. When I was writing “Carry With You”, I was thinking about him and that conversation we’d had, and wondering how I might explain that to my children someday, what I might say if I could.
The lyrics, specifically right before the hook – “You carry with you who you are, child, and you carry with you who you love” – that, to me, was the point of what I wanted to communicate to them. That, through life’s ups and downs, you will still always have yourself, and that you will always carry with you the love of those who’ve cared for you throughout your life.
The EP features a strong lineup of musicians. How did you choose your collaborators, and what did each of them bring to the project?
I’m lucky enough to be friends with and to have played with many wonderful musicians in my life. Harry and I have been great friends for the better part of a decade, and have collaborated together on many musical projects – I trust his ear and musical sensibility to the utmost. He’s an amazing musician in every sense of the word – a deeply studied jazz guitarist, a phenomenal acoustic player, and a great songwriter in his own right.
Cassie is also extremely gifted, the kind of person who just hears harmonies and can execute them, often without even having to stop and figure them out. She and I sing together out in California, and I knew I wanted that authentic sound that she provides.
In short – the reason the record sounds like more than just session players, is because it is. We’ve known each other for a long time, played together, and we all contribute to each other’s projects and care deeply for the writing. I feel extremely lucky that these people I call my friends happen to also be world-class musicians, and it was amazingly fun to make the record alongside them.
The in-studio performances of ‘Somebody Else’ and ‘Carry With You’ give fans an intimate look at your creative process. What was it like recording those live takes immediately after finishing the EP?
It was awesome. The songs felt good, and getting to play them all together was a wonderful experience. It felt like we could let loose and just play, and when I watch the videos back, I can tell we’re deeply into the songs as we’re playing them.
Your music often carries a deep sense of introspection. Do you find songwriting to be more of a personal reflection, or are you writing with a broader audience in mind?
To be honest, I try not to think about it when I’m writing a song. I try to get out of my own way and just let the song become what it’s supposed to become. Often it’ll take me days or even weeks to understand why I wrote the lyrics I wrote – what I was really talking about when I was having those thoughts. The audience is wonderful, but it’s not the reason I write, and I never really think of the audience when I’m truly in the middle of writing a song. I just try to write as authentically as I possibly can – sometimes that means the reflection is personal, and sometimes I’m telling a story that’s deeply rooted in some emotion that I’m feeling at the time.
The themes of connection and memory run through ‘Carry With You’. What draws you to these ideas, and how do they shape your songwriting?
The themes of connection and memory run through my life. I grew up in a family that had people and neighbors stopping in all the time. We’d play music, hang out together, that sort of thing. I remember those days and the feeling of connection we all felt. In my adult life, I’m trying to bring back connection – that’s why I love playing live. Music is a human thing, and we need it more than ever right now.
In ‘It’s Not Perfect’, you explore imperfection—what inspired this song, and do you find beauty in the flaws of life and music?
“It’s Not Perfect” is actually a love song. Love is, by definition, imperfect. To love someone for who they really are is to love them for their flaws. That admission to yourself – “it’s not perfect” – you could follow that up with, “… but it is real.” And I wanted that song to feel true, real, understated but heavy with emotion. True beauty is flawed, and it’s one of my favorite things to explore.
‘Somebody Else’ features cello, adding a new texture to your sound. How do you decide when to introduce different instrumentation into your arrangements?
I’ve made a lot of recordings, in many different styles (not always with me as the primary artist, sometimes in other capacities, such as the drummer, producer, or sound engineer). People tend to go for fake strings when they’re making music these days – stuff you can trigger from keyboard samples, that sort of thing. But I had always wanted to work with real strings, and real players.
To the extent you can, when you’re producing a recording, you’re trying to think of the end result, and I knew “Somebody Else” needed just a little something more. It seemed like cello would be a perfect fit, rounding out the bottom but also lending itself to the expression of the lyrics. I’m so glad that Chloe was able to add such beautiful strings to the tune.
If you could sum up the emotional journey of ‘Carry With You’ in just a few words, what would they be?
Love feels shorter and lasts longer than we’d ever expect.
You’ve been involved in multiple musical projects, including Vara Wade and Sure Fire Groove. How do these collaborations differ from your solo work?
Those collaborations taught me a lot, and I’m passionate about both projects. But, they are quite different. For one thing, I play drums in both of those bands, and I’m not the lead singer of either one. Playing acoustic guitar and singing lead on my own stuff is a bit of a departure for me – despite the fact that I was always writing on guitar in the other two bands, I wasn’t performing on it. My solo work has given me a lot more room to write more personal lyrics, because I know that I’ll be singing the words, and that I can communicate them from a deep place.
Having roots in Chicago and now living in Pacifica, CA, how have these places influenced your music and songwriting?
If you’re writing songs, then your surroundings are ultimately going to find their way into your music. You can hear New Jersey in Bruce Springsteen and Georgia in Otis Redding. It is in the way you talk, the way you think, the way you describe, and perhaps even in the way you view the world. Chicago, to me, is a rhythm city. When I think of Chicago, I think of drums, of percussion, of beats and night clubs and trains. It’s where I got my start as a musician and where I grew up, so those roots run deep. Pacifica, in some sense, is entirely different – it is quiet, peaceful, a place where I can hear my own thoughts. And so the lyrical qualities of my songs have changed a lot since moving to Pacifica, because being immersed in nature makes me feel self-reflective.
You wear many hats—songwriter, producer, vocalist, guitarist, drummer. Which role feels the most natural to you, and which one challenges you the most?
Drummer is certainly the most natural, because I’m the most trained at it. It’s still challenging to play that instrument properly, but it feels extremely fun because I have the most freedom of expression on it. Guitarist probably challenges me the most – it doesn’t take long for me to feel like I can’t quite get myself out of a situation.
Looking back at your four EPs, how do you think your sound and artistic vision have evolved over time?
I have become more comfortable in my voice. Because of that, I’ve needed less and less layers around me to feel like I could effectively communicate the intent and emotion of the song. I’m more comfortable singing lyrics now in the way that I hear them, and it leads to less clutter in the way of the true message of the song.
What’s next for you after ‘Carry With You’? Any upcoming projects or musical directions you’re excited to explore?
I just got out of the studio with the same wonderful crew – Chloe Mendola, Harry Griffin, and Cassie Annunziata. We have a four-song EP tracked and recorded, again much of it played live. It’s some of my favorite material, and it was tracked beautifully, so I’m very excited to release it. In the meantime, “Somebody Else” is climbing the radio charts (it was #50 on the MediaBase Top 40 Activator Chart as of 4/2/25), and there’s some interesting momentum happening with that song as well – I’ve heard a few cool remixes of it, and I’m excited to see where it goes. We’ll see what the year holds!
Listen to ‘Carry With You’:
