When it doesn’t connect: Danny's reflection on art, accountability, and (doing your very best) to get it right…

A&R people often get asked, “What is it you are looking for?” And honestly, it’s a hard one to answer. There are so many variables.Sound, timing, narrative, data, affirmation from peers, mood that day... But in truth? It usually starts with a feeling. An emotional response. A moment of connection. And from that point on, it’s about conviction and building belief both internally and externally. It’s about the desire to make it work, whatever it takes.

I live for that magic moment. That first listen when a lyric hits a little too close to home, when the production swells in just the right way, when a harmony makes your hair stand on end.  A surprise. A moment of vulnerability. Or strength. Or clarity. That’s when we know. That’s when we feel we have something to work with. A sense that others might just feel the same way.

That feeling is everything.

In 2022, I heard a track that gave me that buzz. It was poetic, raw, and haunting in the best way. Easily one of the most beautiful/personal songs I’ve ever had the privilege to work on. I remember posting about hearing this song for the first time on Twitter(???) before it was even signed, thinking, ‘this will date well’… We released it via our Made Records singles label ‘Made Arcade’ pretty much in demo form. I was sure it would find its tribe.

It didn’t.

Today, it sits with just over 3,000 streams on Spotify (300 of them probably me).That stings. Not because of the numbers, but because I feel like I let the artist down. Did I overpromise? Did we underdeliver? In truth... that’s a resounding yes to both.

The song still makes me shed a tear. Even now, when it comes on, I set it to repeat. It has that same pull. It deserves more. The writer deserves more.

Here’s the thing: as A&Rs, it’s not enough to believe in the music. It’s our job to deliver. To make sure the work finds its champions, securing it a special place in the world. When it doesn’t connect, the accountability rests with us. Well, that’s how I feel when it doesn’t quite go to plan.

I’ve obviously been lucky to be on the other side of it with several records. Alignment, timing, and the big machine kicking in when required.  Telling the right story. Capturing the essence of what made a song special and building around it. That’s what it looks like when it works.

But the truth is, it’s never been more competitive. There’s more music than ever, more noise, more pressure to break through instantly. And I just wish there was more space for songs to have a second, third, fourth chance. It does happen. Just not THAT often.

We should be creating room for that kind of growth. For art to live past its release week. Because I still believe in that 3,000-stream song. I still believe in the artist who made it.

In my opinion, A&R isn’t about taste. It’s about care. That should mean standing by an artist and/or song. Because, while being an A&R is far from the life-or-death pressure of being a heart surgeon… When it doesn’t work. When you let an artist down. it still hurts the heart. Deeply.