Connor Duermit wasn’t supposed to be a musician, he was supposed to be an architect.
The North Carolina native enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis where he planned to follow in his father’s footsteps. But the decision just never felt like the right one. ”I was creating, but not in the way I wanted to. I realize music and art are what gave me life. And while I was learning to express myself artistically on paper, the universe started throwing down some things that seemed to be redirecting my focus towards music.”
”My mom was a self-taught musician. She always said to me, ”You don’t have to do anything in the traditional way. You don’t have to follow the path someone else has laid out for you. You can make music however you want.” But I still felt if I didn’t become an architect and take over my father’s business, I would be letting people down.”
By chance, his college band opened for Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, which inspired Connor to drop out of college and follow his musical muse to Los Angeles. There he met up with a collective of like-minded individuals, including Third Eye Blind drummer Brad Hargreaves and longtime Ariana Grande musical director Troy Laureta.
His debut single “Never Letting Go” is the fruit of that collaboration. The song focuses on the feeling of security in giving one’s self over to love. Duermit’s soulful, clean vocals carry the track atop rolling, expressive piano, showcasing his keen sense of musicality.
Keep an eye out for Connor Duermit’s upcoming debut EP To Love. The four-song set, with production from by Tom Coyne (Sam Smith, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift) follows the winding road of a forlorn love affair from its inception to its eventual collapse.
Check out the exclusive premiere of first track, “Never Letting Go”:
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