Dominique, a classically trained pianist and composer known for his work in the concert world, steps into a new spotlight this month with the release of his debut vocal single, “You’re A Star (Get On Up).” The song marks Dominique’s first time sharing his own voice and original lyrics with the public, and it arrives with an unusually wide footprint: alongside the original track, the release includes a full suite of remixes and reinterpretations spanning UK House, Afrobeats, Latin fusion Reggaeton, disco, Afro House, Tropical House, Melodic House, Funky House, and Tech House, giving listeners dozens of ways to experience the same message.
Born and raised on the East Side of Columbus, Ohio, and now based in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, Dominique has spent his life immersed in music, from picking out melodies by ear on a preschool piano at age three to serving as principal bassoonist in the Columbus Symphony Youth Orchestra as a teenager.
But “You’re A Star (Get On Up)” was not born on a concert stage. It was written on the edge of his bed, roughly two and a half hours before he walked into the studio to record it, at the close of a period he describes as the hardest of his life.
After the back-to-back loss of both parents to cancer — his mother passed away in his arms — Dominique found himself unmoored, eventually experiencing homelessness and addiction.
“So many times I would be outside watching everyone walk by, ignoring everything happening and judging people over silly things like material possessions,” he says. “Sitting there with nothing, while no one would listen to anything I had to say, I knew I still had everything. I was still everything. I was greater in that moment than I had ever been before; just in disguise as a man who had no home.”
“You’re A Star (Get On Up)” grew directly out of that period as both a private reckoning and a public anthem.
“It’s the commanding voice inside that I had to find and listen to in order to get out of that situation,” Dominique explains. “It’s like I’m going back in time to tell myself to wake up, get on up, and remember exactly who I am; and not believe what life or society or trauma had tried to turn me into.” He describes the song as a promise kept to his parents: “I knew they hadn’t passed so that I would die on the street. I was going to fight, get back up, and finally do what I was called and prepared to do all along.”
Musically, Dominique describes the song as “an upbeat and uplifting inspirational anthem” built around the idea of activation. It is designed, in his words, to “put good frequencies and energy into the listener’s body” and encourage people to reconnect with something in themselves they may have lost, forgotten, or had taken from them.
That intention is part of why he built out so many versions of the track. The original sits in a classic, Funky House pocket; UK House and Deep House remixes come courtesy of Love Foundation UK; and additional versions move through Afrobeats, Latin Reggaeton, and a shimmering, era-accurate Disco mix, alongside Afro House, Tropical House, Melodic House, and Tech House interpretations.
“I wanted to write something versatile enough to multiply into many other songs, each with its own unique production and quality,” he says.
The track’s influences run from classical structure and church hymns through Rock, Jazz, Gospel, and Country, with a particular pull toward the Disco and House music of the 1970s and beyond — genres Dominique says once served as an escape during difficult, financially strained years. He also made a deliberate choice to keep the vocal performance unpolished in places, leaving in his breaths and the small imperfections of a live take.
“I don’t mind leaving in the things that show it really happened, that it was a person who did all of that,” he says.
Dominique co-produced the single and its remix package alongside acclaimed electronic music producer Velvet Code, whose credits include serving as an official remix producer for Lady Gaga’s Chromaticaalbum. With a career spanning electronic, Dance, and House music, Velvet Code brought both his production expertise and deep understanding of club culture to the project, a partnership Dominique describes as seamless from start to finish.
“There were elements of the record that required the skill and artistry of another person, and Velvet brought exactly that,” Dominique says. “He went above and beyond to understand my musical perspective, my voice, and the messages I wanted the music to communicate. We worked incredibly well together across the production, remixes, instrumentation and vocals. He never tried to change who I was as an artist—he helped bring my vision to life and elevate it. I’ll always be grateful for what we created together.”
“You’re A Star (Get On Up)” is written to encourage listeners to experience joy through music and dance, reconnect with who they truly are, and find freedom in the present moment. Through every performance and recording, Dominique hopes to offer listeners the same sense of belonging and liberation that music has given him throughout his life.
CONNECT WITH DOMINIQUE
References
Project Publicity. (2026). Pop Artist Dominique Announces Debut Single “You’re a Star (Get on Up)”. Retrieved from [Email communication].
Hi, I’m Erick Ycaza — a music blogger with a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. I created this blog to keep you updated with daily music news. Surprisingly, I’ve been writing about music since 2007. If you’re an artist and would like to be featured, feel free to reach out: info@electrowow.net
