Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Daniel Mann Teel

We’re obsessed with Daniel Mann Teel. The singer-songwriter is an up-and-coming talent and one to watch in 2020. At the age of sixteen, he was involved in a horrible motorcycle accident that changed his life forever. Finding himself at the lowest of lows, he learned to embrace that vulnerability and push forward. Since then, he’s channeled all of his life experiences into his craft, producing hit songs like his latest, “Obsessive.” We caught up with Daniel to learn more about him and his new single.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Daniel: It was almost exactly two years ago. There was a band coming into town called The Brook & The Bluff. My sister had gone to college with the drummer and they needed an opener to do a forty-five-minute set. I started playing guitar at twenty. My sister was like, “My brother has written songs before. He can do it.” It had to be all original music for forty-five minutes. They were like, “Oh yeah? You have all the songs you need?” I said, “Yes, absolutely,” completely lying. [laughs]

That was in January. From January to March, I had to write fifteen songs to be able to perform at the show and open for them. That’s what ignited my fire. But what really did it was out of that I got a bit of recognition and people started noticing. I got in contact with a guy named Sam Ashworth. He wrote with H.E.R. He and his wife Ruby are the ones that wrote “Hard Place.”

It received a record and album of the year nomination at the Grammys. I got completely spoiled. That was my very first producer for my first song. I got to hang out with him, and we cut three songs, “Obsessive” being the main one. The best thing about “Obsessive” is that we actually went into the studio and it wasn’t finished yet that day. I just happened to write another while we were still there. Working with Sam and his level of expertise and creativity is amazing to see. I felt like I’d been playing Mario Kart for forever and then I got to see somebody actually driving NASCAR. It was amazing the difference between the two. He really ignited a passion that I hadn’t realized was there. Before, it was more “I’ll write a song. I’ll play a gig.” But he showed me how more artistic it can be than I thought it was.

PC: What did you learn about yourself as an artist while writing those fifteen songs? How challenging was that?
Daniel: I learned how many different facets there were in me. I’m surprised how many sides of myself that I could tap into—different songs, styles, and genres. It was impressive. For example, during one of the times I’d actually planned to move to Hawaii. One of the songs has that beachy vibe. Then right after that, there’s a darker moody Billie Eilish-style song. I was surprised and excited that I could do this.

I was surprised how optimistic and light I could write while delving into that much soul searching, then also how dark, brooding, and deep it could be in the next verse. I was surprised at the dichotomy of those two things that could exist in the same person and in one song.

PC: You’re a nomad who travels a lot. What impact has that had on your songwriting?
Daniel: That’s a great question. Since I was thirteen, I’ve moved twelve times. It’s exposed me to a lot of different artists and cultures. When I was young, I lived in South Alabama, and that was more classic rock. That actually introduced me to John Mayer and that bluesy stuff. Then I moved to Arizona, and I got into the rap scene with artists like Kid Cudi, Eminem, and Biggie. It really changed me, but it wasn’t until I moved to Nashville and I got into John Legend. That ruined my whole life in the best way possible.

Moving around played a game of Operation on me, completely dissecting my musical anatomy, and then placed every state and every place that I’ve moved to or been in back together. That’s how it really affected me. It made me diverse and really excited about new music that I hear because I always wanted to be surprised.

PC: You’ve also stated that music has allowed you to express yourself uncensored. Was there a particular moment in your life when you realized that? Is it ever scary to be as vulnerable as you are?
Daniel: Absolutely. Vulnerability is huge. It’s always been a huge issue for me. I would say that music may be the one place that I can open up. It’s the one thing that’s allowed me to be a voyeur on the world and just expose that part of myself and feel free about it.

I was sixteen when I got in a motorcycle accident. I was really, really, really torn up. I broke my femur, hip, ankle, toe, everything. I was a 4.2-GPA student. It wasn’t until that time—because I had a lot of time on my hands—that I felt really vulnerable. What got me out of that—because I was in a wheelchair—was playing piano. That’s actually what got me into the music scene. I was either going to do that or play Wii during my recovery. [laughs] I sat there and played for hours.

It was really hard for me because I have a competitive nature. I want to reach excellence. It was hard to accept that this is where I was. I can’t move. I can’t do that. But also because you’re vulnerable physically doesn’t mean you have to close yourself off emotionally. That injury became therapeutic.

PC: Tell us about “Obsessive” and the inspiration behind the song.
Daniel: “Obsessive” was produced by Sam Ashworth. The music video was filmed by Quagmire Filmz’ Luis Tovar. But the song itself, it came out of a time in my life where it was, like I said, from the dichotomy of how good and bad it was when I realized that I was capable of much more good than I ever thought and much worse things than I ever could have imagined. I was surprised that’s who I was at the time. I genuinely surprised myself because I didn’t know who I was at the time. The main line in the song is “You don’t know me how I thought you did.” It’s me speaking to myself and trying to figure me out. I thought I had me figured out. I thought I knew everything about me. But I was sorely mistaken.

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Daniel: There are two, and they’re completely different. A complete guilty pleasure of mine is Katy Perry. I could listen to “Firework” every day of the week and I won’t stop singing it either. The other one is surprising because it’s in a completely different direction and it’s Slipknot.

PC: First album you bought?
Daniel: John Legend’s Lifted

PC: First concert you attended?
Daniel: Paramore at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It was amazing. Hayley [Williams] is so tiny.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Daniel: John Legend’s Get Lifted. Every single song spoke to a different part of me. “Alright” was more of the angst, intense part of my personality. “Used to Love U” was the vindictive side. “It Don’t Have to Change” is the family and romanticized side. But every single song spoke to a different part of me. That man can sing. That’s when I knew I wanted to do music.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Daniel: I know a lot of people usually say Red Rocks or the Hollywood Bowl. One place that I want to perform is called the Fox. It’s in Pomona, California. It’s a small little theater with the old velvet seats. It only holds four or five hundred people. But I used to live there, and they had the craziest bands that you’d never expect like Bastille. I saw them there. Alt-J was there.

PC: A must-have on the road?
Daniel: This is going to be gross, but I’m a huge fan of Hot Cheetos. I also like espresso energy drinks. [laughs]

To keep up with Daniel, follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Spotify.