Today we’d like to introduce you to Cousin Dan.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
My name is Daniel Scoggins, but most people know me as “Cousin Dan” which is the moniker for my musical and artistic endeavors. I was born and raised in Dallas Texas and moved to Atlanta in 2007 to go to SCAD (Atlanta), where I received my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in sculpture. After finishing school, I was doing freelance work for various Mellow Mushrooms across the country. Then I took a job in the scenic department at Malone’s Fabrication and Design, where I was part of a team of artists building museum exhibits. During my tenure there, the music side of my career began to take off, and I was able to quit my job and go full force with “Cousin Dan.”
Please tell us about your art.
My background is in visual art, but after finishing school, I was pretty burnt out on the whole “fine art” scene. In my eyes, the institutions narrative for what an artist should be felt narrow-minded, and was lacking for me. So I decided to stumble my way through finding my own path. This led me back to music, where my goal was to have fun, attract women, and put on an awesome, unforgettable show. As I have grown, so has my mindset for who I am and what I am trying to accomplish. A big shift in that process happened in 2012 when I was shot outside of 97 Estoria while walking back to my car. That night changed me forever. It made me look at everything differently, including myself and what purpose I am supposed to serve while I’m here on this Earth.
My Cousin Dan show, or “one man spectacle” as I like to call it, consists of me alone on stage, straight up sending it. I wear leopard spandex with a mirrored codpiece while performing on my light up personal dance floor that shoots smoke out of the sides. I dance, I sing, I rip guitar solos (and the occasional phone book), making it rain yellow pages on the audience. My purpose has become more clear to me over the years as I have gained invaluable experience through a lot of hard work, trial, and error, and not being afraid to lay it all out on the table.
I think a lot of people are held back by anxiety, fear of judgment, and whatever societal standards that have been drilled into their heads, and I say f*** all that. I am trying to lead by example, and I seek to inspire people to take risks and follow their dreams, whatever they may be. Though, typing that makes me cringe a little like I’m trying to be some sort of inspiring motivational hack or something. But deep down I think the sentiment comes from an honest place.
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
I don’t think there are really any notable challenges facing artists today, maybe the government? Being an artist in and of itself is a challenge. It’s a long and tough road filled with blood sweat and tears. If you aren’t ready and willing to put in the work and face whatever comes at you, head on, then maybe you should be an accountant. If you couldn’t tell, I’m not a big fan of excuses and complainers, haha.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
The best place for people to see what I am up to would be my Instagram page, @cousindan. I am most active on Instagram, but I also have a Cousin Dan FaceBook page, and a Youtube channel with some pretty ridiculous content. People can support me by coming out to my shows to catch the real deal in action!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cousindan.com
- Email: cuzzindan@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cousindan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cousindanRULES
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/yocousindan
Image Credit:
Ryan Myers
Kristi Mayer
Daniel Leake
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
