After years of busking in the subways of New York City, Damiyr Shuford is finally trying to make the leap into a full-fledged music career, with all the studio time, production and physical albums for sale that that entails. But while some might be tempted to view his years of platform performances as a stepping stone to the career that he’s currently launching, it’s pretty clear that Shuford doesn’t think of it that way. The subject of our latest Uncharted puts his all into his public transit showcases, as is made evident in the performance of his original song “I’m Right Here.”
Shuford’s commitment throughout the performance isn’t merely some put-on for a camera, either. To hear him tell it, the busker goes out every day and gives his all because he can’t fathom living any other way.
“I had to go out and sing for people,” he told us. “When I wasn’t singing, it just felt wrong. I’m not happy if I’m not singing.”
And those people have returned the love. In addition to giving the singer a sizable YouTube following, they’ve allowed him to steadily crowdfund his debut album and share studio versions of his originals as they are recorded. Give his performance a listen up top to see if you prefer the live version.
