MI SUCCESS STORY: DARREN SMITH

After attending both the Drum Program and the Independent Artist Program (formerly Recording Artist Program), Darren Smith found work as a cruise ship drummer for several years, leading him to work and visit 36 different countries. In 2007, he started composing music for online games and slot machines in Las Vegas. In 2011, Darren (aka Baby Dee Beats) produced the single & album title track “Playback” for reggae star Collie Buddz.” The song was downloaded over 250,000 times, with more than 2 million YouTube views.

Since then, Darren has scored producing gigs for TV show Arrow as well as top-selling K-Pop groups Oh My Girl, B1A4, and Girls Generation. The hit single “Lion Heart” by Girls Generation has sold over 950,000 downloads, reached #1 in 12 countries, and received 34 million YouTube views of the music video. Darren’s road to becoming a successful music producer started at MI, where he learned all the recording software and drumming skills that are used to make these songs.

“Without MI,” says Darren, “I wouldn’t have been able to jump back and forth between full time drum work to music composing. It changed my entire life.”