Creator Spotlight with Record Producer & Artist Dayna D. Staggs Sr.
This week, we’re pleased to introduce multi-platinum record producer, songwriter, artist, philanthropist, and publisher Dayna D. Staggs Sr.
What was the inspiration behind becoming a creator? What do you enjoy most about the creative process?
I was inspired to become a musician while living abroad in Europe from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. By the age of 14, I had already begun writing, executive producing, and recording my own songs. As an Army brat, I saw various American artists advertised on flyers while they toured U.S. Army bases throughout Europe. I was fascinated by how Europeans—many of whom spoke little English—could sing every word, dance, and connect deeply with the feel-good music.
During high school, I continued writing, producing, and recording songs while also singing in the choir. At the same time, I became active in the creative scene as a breakdancer in the original Floor Masters crew. We helped introduce the art of breakdancing, hip-hop, and B-boy style to Frankfurt’s youth culture, performing in subway stations and on the streets of downtown Frankfurt with my 525 boom box. When the Star Search competition came to Frankfurt in 1984, our group competed and ultimately won first place, which gave me the opportunity to travel to California and audition for the movie Breakin’.
My best friend’s father was the general manager of the club where we often danced and competed. Each year, major artists would visit and perform there, and he would allow my parents and me to go backstage for meet-and-greets. Having those artists listen to my music and encourage me to continue creating inspired me to record my first track as an independent artist.
What I enjoy most about the creative process is making music from scratch—taking the concepts and ideas I hear in my head and arranging the lyrics, melodies, and instrumentals into a complete composition and sound recording.
When did you first become aware of copyright, and why?
I first became aware of the importance of copyrighting my work in junior high school through my music teacher, Mr. Smith, who was also an opera singer. I told him that I was in the studio recording songs I had written, and he advised me to protect my work by getting it copyrighted. He then said, “Go to the library, get a book on copyright, and you’ll learn.”
What is the best piece of advice that you would give other creators in your field about copyright and how to protect themselves?
The same advice my teacher gave me still applies today: “Do your research.” Back then, we had to go to the library, but now you have the internet and everything at your disposal. I also recommend consulting with an entertainment lawyer licensed to practice in your state to help you properly register your works with the U.S. Copyright Office.
What is your biggest copyright-related challenge?
The biggest copyright-related challenge that contributes to a dysfunctional system involves inconsistencies in how intellectual property (IP) and copyright royalty rulings are applied.
- When IP and copyright royalty judges rule in favor of original artists and songwriters to receive higher streaming rates for their works, they are often still paid at the outdated rate instead of the rates established by current U.S. court webcasting rulings.
- Another challenge arises when the works of original artists, songwriters, or their estates are not properly cleared for use. In such cases, they may receive no payment or only small percentages for the use of their original works, while new creators who sample or reuse those works financially benefit from material they did not originally create.
How has AI technology impacted your works and career?
AI technology in the music industry presents both benefits and risks. One significant advantage is that AI can detect buried sounds and samples in sound recordings, performing work similar to that of a human musicologist and identifying elements that may not be detectable to the human ear. However, a major disadvantage is that it can be used to infringe on original lyrical and sound recording works by extracting key elements of an original melody and combining them to create derivatives and interpolations of original works. The clearing of these models and the underlying AI framework must be carefully controlled. One of the most frequently discussed ideas in the music industry is the creation of an underlying rights-clearing framework for AI licensing models that benefits creators, which, in my opinion, is not too far off.
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