Daniel Baron is a South African platinum selling, award-winning and chart-topping singer/songwriter/producer with an astounding sixteen radio chart hits and five number-one’s to his name. In 2016 People Magazine named him “One of South Africa’s greatest pop stars”.
His smash hit ‘Children Of The Sun’ broke records and debuted on the 5FM Top 30 chart at the number 1 position. It was the top selling South African dance song on iTunes for over 3 weeks in a row, also topping charts all over Africa. Often referred to as the ‘chameleon of music’, Baron is known for crossing over genres with an array of electro-infused pop-dance songs, inspiring stadium-sized rock anthems and emotional piano ballads that have all taken the world by storm. Despite his genre bending-antics, his voice and melodies carry a golden thread through his vast and colourful catalogue. A humble disposition combined with a captivating stage-presence, gravity defying vocals and profoundly crafted songs that convey messages of love, inspiration, hope and faith have all been factors in cementing him as one of South Africa’s iconic music figures.
Daniel is a self-taught musician, multi-faceted vocalist, and a prolific songwriter and producer. His songwriting ability has led him to become very sought-after in the music industry. He has written and produced songs for many artists and corporates alike. Baron has worked with Euphonik, KWESTA, Sketchy Bongo, Pascal & Pearce, ProVerb, Royal-K and Cindy Alter (multi-platinum selling member of 70’s super-group, Clout). He has also written and produced music for the likes of Sun International, First National Bank, Standard Bank, Roche Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim and Africities Summit.
Baron has released three highly acclaimed studio albums, each yielding a multitude of hits. His debut album ‘It’s Time’ was released in 2012 and spawned a total of eight hits including ‘Not Here’, the epic rock/rap collaboration with hip-hop star, ProVerb which hit #1 on the Top40SA and remained at the top for two weeks. Other mega hits like ‘All Over Now’ and ‘So Much More’ also achieved huge chart success, both peaking at #2. The latter remained on the chart for a staggering 18 weeks and was later selected for an advertising campaign for Africa’s major satellite television network DStv. In 2013 he was selected to open for Bon Jovi as a part of the ‘Because We Can’ World Tour. Daniel performed with his band to a crowd of 65,000 at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
In 2015 his sophomore album ‘APOLLO’ was released, yielding another string of smash hits including ‘Indestructible’, ‘Heartbreak City’ and ‘Free’. In the same year he achieved another number 1 hit with ‘Say What You Want’, a collaboration with Afrikaans super-group ADAM. The multiple chart-topping single ‘Say What You Want’ with ADAM was also selected as the soundtrack theme for the block-buster South African-produced film ‘Vir Altyd’. The success of the collaboration led to the release of the EP titled ‘Young & Wild’ which also featured the popular piano ballad ‘How’. Daniel also achieved a number one with his first ever Afrikaans single ‘Hart’. The hitmaker’s third LP “Weekend Of Mass Destruction” pushed boundaries even further in 2016, featuring well-known hits ‘Beautiful Noise’, ‘Private Show’ (feat. Sketchy Bongo) and the club giant, ‘Children Of The Sun’.
Over and above his local success, Baron has also achieved on an international level, having performed in Switzerland, toured the UK, and in the US, gained the attention of various producers for film and music alike. He penned and recorded 3 songs for the international feature documentary film STUCK. ‘Wrongfully Detained’ and two other songs were selected as part of the soundtrack of the film which reviews the worldwide adoption crisis. The music video, was filmed in Ethiopia. Details on the cause can be found on www.bothendsburning.org)
Baron’s music has received recognition from the acclaimed Patrick Magneralla (Manager of Green Day and Goo Goo Dolls). In 2014 Baron recorded a song at AfterMaster studios in LA with the team behind the Lady Gaga album, The Fame Monster. He won a Wawela Music Award for ‘Best Male Artist & Composer’ and was nominated for ‘Best Soundtrack in a Feature Film or Theatric Documentary’. The awards applaud South Africa’s international breakout tunes that go beyond borders to achieve success on a global scale. Daniel has featured in the Heat Magazine Hot 100 celebrities at the top 12 position. His collaboration with Trance producer/DJ Protoculture titled ‘Back To Life’, received a play by Armin Van Buuren himself on ‘A State Of Trance’. Baron has gained multiple endorsements including car, hotel and musical instrument sponsorships.
Daniel is an ambassador for CANSA (Cancer Association of South Africa). In 2014 he started the ‘Rockstars Ride For CANSA’ campaign. Baron rode the JHB 94.7 Cycle Challenge with a team of 12 riders to raise funds for cancer awareness and in memory of his cousin, Matthew who passed away of cancer at the age of 14. The song ’A Lion’s Heart’ was also written and released to remember Matthew and all other cancer victims. Daniel’s greatest aim is to inspire and move people with his music.