Meet Dominique: The L.A. Pop Artist Turning Trauma Into Dancefloor Gold
BY PATRICK TSAKUDA | PHOTO BY DARIO TEJADA
Los Angeles-based pop artist Dominique is stepping into his power—and our playlists—this month with a debut single that refuses to be put in a box.
Titled “You’re a Star (Get on Up),” the track marks the very first time the classically trained pianist and composer is sharing his own voice and original lyrics with the world. And honey, he isn’t just dropping a single; he’s rolling out a massive, multi-genre ecosystem. Alongside the original track, the release comes packed with a jaw-dropping suite of remixes spanning UK house, Afrobeats, Latin fusion reggaeton, disco, Afro house, tropical house, melodic house, and tech house.
FACING HOMELESSNESS AND ADDICTION
Growing up on the East Side of Columbus, Ohio, Dominique’s life has always revolved around music. He was picking out intricate melodies by ear on a preschool piano at age three and playing principal bassoon in the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra as a teen. But “You’re a Star (Get on Up)” wasn’t born under the bright lights of a formal concert hall. It was scribbled on the edge of his bed just two and a half hours before he headed to the studio, capping off what he calls the hardest chapter of his life.
Following the devastating back-to-back loss of both parents to cancer—with his mother passing right in his arms—Dominique found himself completely untethered, eventually facing homelessness and addiction.
Reflecting on those grueling days, he gets raw: “So many times I would be outside watching everyone walk by, ignoring everything happening and judging people over silly things like material possessions. Sitting there with nothing, while no one would listen to anything I had to say, I knew I still had everything. I was still everything. I was greater in that moment than I had ever been before; just in disguise as a man who had no home.”
FINDING THE RHYTHM OF SURVIVAL
Out of that intense crucible came “You’re a Star (Get on Up),” functioning as both a deeply personal reckoning and an infectious public anthem. “It’s the commanding voice inside that I had to find and listen to in order to get out of that situation,” he explains. “It’s like I’m going back in time to tell myself to wake up, get on up, and remember exactly who I am; and not believe what life or society or trauma had tried to turn me into.” He treats the song as a promise kept to his parents: “I knew they hadn’t passed so that I would die on the street. I was going to fight, get back up, and finally do what I was called and prepared to do all along.”
Musically, Dominique engineered the track as an upbeat, high-energy activation anthem designed to put good frequencies straight into the listener’s body. He wanted something versatile enough to transform across genres. While the original sits in a funky house groove, Love Foundation UK stepped in for deep and UK house vibes, while other cuts lean into Afrobeats, Latin reggaeton, and a shimmering, 1970s-inspired disco mix that feels right at home on any queer dancefloor.
Keeping things authentic was non-negotiable for Dominique. He consciously left his natural breaths and raw live-take imperfections in the vocal mix: “I don’t mind leaving in the things that show it really happened, that it was a person who did all of that.”
THE DREAM TEAM AND WHAT’S NEXT
To bring this massive sonic vision to life, Dominique teamed up with acclaimed electronic music producer Velvet Code—the genius behind official remixes for Lady Gaga’s Chromatica. Dominique raves about the collaboration: “There were elements of the record that required the skill and artistry of another person, and Velvet brought exactly that. He went above and beyond to understand my musical perspective, my voice, and the messages I wanted the music to communicate… He never tried to change who I was as an artist – he helped bring my vision to life and elevate it.”
Ultimately, “You’re a Star (Get on Up)” is all about finding freedom, getting lost in the music, and stepping fully into your authentic self.
You can stream “You’re a Star (Get on Up)” and its vibrant Afrobeats mix on all major platforms, with subsequent remix waves dropping on October 9 and October 16. Get your dancing shoes ready!
