Daniel Kay

A nyone visiting the Queensland city of Toowoomba over an Easter weekend in recent years would have noticed that the town is taken over by an amazing event.

The Australian Gospel Music Festival (AGMF) off ers a multitude of activities for young people and family groups. Rock bands, fi re twirlers, stunt-bike riders and gospel singers appear separately and together at selected venues.

It was while visiting the festival that I fi rst came across Daniel Kay. In the middle of Toowoomba’s main shopping complex, this young singer performed on a temporary stage.

Shoppers paused to watch and listen. It was more than just Daniel’s boyish good looks that created the crowd of onlookers. His powerful voice, his commanding stage presence and his engaging patter drew a huge throng.

Who was this guy? Sounding like a mix of John Farnham/Bob Carlisle/Bryan Duncan he had his audience intrigued. Some may have thought he sounded more like Michael Buble, David Campbell or Harry Connick Jr.

I was fascinated by the polished performance and the high quality of his vocal presentation. I remember in particular his heartfelt rendition of the ballad “Butterfl y kisses.” Daniel Kay is something of an enigma in the Australian music scene.

In 1991 he toured as part of the Youth for Christ group Travelers, performing in high schools, prisons and churches throughout eastern Australia.

Following two years of Bible college studies, Daniel became the creative arts director of a Queensland church. Worship leading was part of his brief and he used his vocal talents to enhance concerts and dinners for Scripture Union and TEAR Australia.

Singing at corporate events and early appearances with the initial Ten Tenors allowed Daniel to practise his skills and to fi ne-tune his public persona.

To further his development as a vocalist, Daniel attended the Conservatorium of Music and obtained a Master of Music Studies in contemporary voice.

He has had the opportunity to provide backing vocals for Michael Bolton and Barry Manilow; and has been a guest artist on Channel Ten’s Good Morning Australia .

So where does someone like Daniel Kay fi t? He sits comfortably with the “new breed” of balladeers emerging from the “Idol” franchise, but he is not a person seeking fame for its own sake.

And he doesn’t really fi t the image of the contemporary Christian music singer/songwriter seemingly so popular with teenagers and adolescents.

Daniel Kay could be categorised as an “adult contemporary” artist and performer appealing to a primarily female conservative audience.

However, he is capable of reaching a much broader cross-section of the community.

His latest recorded project, Fly , was produced in Melbourne by Aussie music veteran Doug Brady.

The 10 tracks showcase Daniel’s soaring vocals and feature several of this country’s leading session musicians including guitarists Sam See and Ross Inglis, bass player Andrew Naylor, and backing vocalists Steve Romig and Kay Harrison. The album’s version of “You raise me up” rates up there with Josh Groban’s and Westlife’s eff orts. The album should give Daniel exposure on radio, and this, coupled with live gigs throughout 2007, will introduce him to an Australia-wide audience.

While Daniel acts as principal voice coach and owner of Djarts studio, he is a passionate performer poised to make a signifi cant impact on the Australian music scene.

As he builds his profi le in both the corporate and Christian sectors, he is keen not only to share songs and music, but also to communicate a profound message with his listeners.

This artist is not in a hurry. He is content to wait for God to prompt him and to give him direction. But his philosophy is clear when he states: “In a world where the complexities of everyday life beset the most menial of tasks, it is imperative that we encourage people to return to a simple faith in Jesus.”