DERRICK HARVIN

Composer/ Musician/ Producer/ Audio Engineer

Where do we go from here? Living in the present, we ceaselessly search for directions to our future in moments from the past. For Derrick Harvin, the answers of tomorrow may be out of reach, but they can be seen from where he stands. These answers may not always be clear, but Harvin has learned to discover them through hues of color, impressions of imagery, and sounds of emotion. With his debut solo project, From Here, Harvin captures these aspects of the future by creating an artistic journey of self-exploration, sharing a masterpiece that transcends him from a musician to an artist and transforms a past of doubt into a present of hope.

Harvin has always found his life’s passion in musical expression, though most of his successes have been achieved behind the scenes. A renowned producer, Harvin has written, produced, and engineered contemporary projects for stars of various genres, including 50 Cent, Hilary Duff, Chaka Khan, Natasha Bedingfield, Betty Wright, and Kevin Cossom. After graduating from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, Harvin produced at Battery Studios in New York, where he gained the attention of Grammy Award-winning producer Vada Nobles and was offered a multi-year publishing deal with Noble’s company, New Ark Entertainment. With this company, Harvin co-wrote and produced Duff’s single, “Stranger,” with American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi, and he also co-produced and engineered additional songs on Duff’s Dignity project. Harvin partnered with Rashad Tyler and Kevin Cossom to form Seven Eight Music, LLC in 2003, the same year he joined the faculty staff at Full Sail University.

This time spent making music in the background inspired Harvin to take the brave step into the spotlight. Much of this inspiration came from Harvin’s work as producer on Erly Thornton’s In Transit, the title track of which debuted at #25 on Billboard’s Smooth Jazz Chart. Harvin’s love of jazz’s ability to convey emotion manifests itself within the photographic elements of From Here. As a musician doubling as a professional photographer, Harvin has mastered the art of expressing visual aesthetic and color through the beauty of instrumentation.

From Here is not just a product of Harvin’s choice to progress in his music career; it is Harvin’s courageous effort to embrace a brighter tomorrow after the heartbreak of his past. Dedicating the album to his late father, Harvin chooses to view the world from where he is at the moment with eyes wide open and a heart full of faith. He hopes that the story within From Here represents the universality within his audience, as everyone has the choice to decide how they will perceive and appreciate the future from here. Harvin is ready to captivate a global audience, one that can begin to understand life’s great mysteries hand in hand through a magnetic album that surveys the depth of an artist’s sentimentality.  

Harvin’s thoughtful reflection within From Here is not merely meant to show the world what he has to offer, but to reflect what the world has shown him.

- written by Courtney Caggiano