Danny Ocean Talks Miami, His Venezuelan Roots & the Taste of Music | Billboard
In partnership with Billboard and DoorDash, the Venezuelan singer revisits his home country by way of local Miami cuisine, thanks to DoorDash’s diverse selection of vendors and highlights how through food and music, culture has no boundaries.
Danny Ocean:
Food and music has always been my way of staying connected to my roots. Leaving Venezuela was difficult and it was not just about adapting, but to find a way to blend my past with what I had already had in front of me. I wanted to make a living from music, but I knew that in Venezuela, I was not going to be able to. And sometimes we have to make sacrifices in order to get what you want in life, and I was aware of what I had to do and also what I had to sacrifice. I went through a lot of things that as an immigrant we have to go through when you come here, and regardless of how tired I was when I got home, I always try to dedicate a couple of hours to my music and the love that I have for music is what makes me keep going forward and I believe that this what motivates me the most. It is beautiful when there is a bigger purpose than your own personal interest. I know that I am not just doing it for me, but for my culture and my people. Venezuelan food is like a little piece of home that I can take with me no matter where I am. When I am far away from home, it is those familiar flavors that bring me home. Arepas, empanadas, the things I grew up with.
Watch the full video above!
Stefanie Tanaka
Billboard