 “Darren Ockert has been building up his impressive resume for some time now, and if you haven’t heard of the pop singer before this…you’re about to make room for a new addition to your musical library” (Pen’s Eye View).  British-turned-Floridian, Darren Ockert is an international man of many talents.  He is an accomplished indie pop singer, songwriter and producer now based in Miami, Florida.  Born and raised in Lincoln, England, he is a graduate of the prestigious London School of Musical Theatre. Post-graduation, he established a theater production company called Darren Ockert Productions in London at the Young Vic Theatre. In 1999 Darren Ockert became one of the youngest producers to win a prestigious TMA Award for his co-production with the Young Vic Theatre Company of Arabian Nights. On September 29, 2000 this production of Arabian Nights played a limited run Off-Broadway on 42nd Street in New York City at the New Victory Theater.

Ockert’s solo-artist career began in 2005 with Anything Is Possible, which was the first album he recorded, produced and released on Shark Meat, his own label.  The album received much critical acclaim and landed him a nomination in the 2006 OutMusic Awards for Outstanding New Artist – Male.  Ockert opened the awards show, held at The Knitting Factory in New York City, with “Out of the Rain,” the second single from the album.  Anything Is Possible also appeared on the initial 2006 Grammys voting ballots, and Ockert appeared on the initial 2007 Grammys voting ballots for co-writing and producing Grace Garland’s Lovers Never Lie (In Bed) album. 

2012 welcomed The Rain From London (Shark Meat, 2012), a four-track EP featuring a title track that tips a Union Jack umbrella to London’s famous wet weather.  Inspired by ‘80s UK pop, Darren has harnessed that energy and infused it with a fresh sophistication for a sound that is memorably powerful and poetic.  An homage to his homeland as well as a metaphor for a failing relationship, Ockert’s voice rings out reminiscent of contemporaries such as Daniel Beddingfield or Enrique Iglesias as he laments, “Happy endings always leave me feeling sad.” After the pulsating rhythms of The Rain From London, Ockert slows things down for the ballads “The Force of Gravity” and “I’ve Moved On.” EP closer “This Modern Life (1984)” pays tribute in more than title, mixing in essences of the darker tunes of the decade with Ockert’s modern pop sensibilities. The EP received five nominations in the 2012 RightOutTV Music & Video Awards and the track “This Modern Life (1984)” won the award for Best Electronic/Dance/Hip Hop/R&B Song. The song “Force of Gravity” was also a finalist in the 2012 UK Songwriting Contest. Prior to The Rain From London, Darren released the single and music video “Celebrity du Jour” (Shark Meat, 2009), which was quickly in rotation on MTV Networks LOGO channel.

In February 2013 Ockert premiering a documentary, which he co-produced, followed suit with a single and video,  “You Don’t Know Me,” as well as anti-bullying campaign, the #YouDontKnowMe project, and putting the finishing touches on full-length Short Story Long due out later this year.

Premiering - and taking first place - at the Enzian FilmSlam in Orlando on February 17, Darren Ockert: A Mini Documentary offers the first teasers of songs from Ockert’s forthcoming record Short Story Long . An apt pairing, the documentary and album shed light on his creative process and personal life.

Short Story Long’s first single, “You Don’t Know Me,” sparkles with peppy twinkling loops, crisp production and synths, catchy, uplifting melodies, and danceable beats, lyrically, the song touches on the pains of being in the public eye and the struggles of warding off false assumptions. The video for “You Don’t Know Me” which premiered on LOGO TV’s New Now Next, follows eight strangers as they transform from one character to another in front of your eyes in their bathroom mirrors. Each story is of a person who is assumed to be quite different than they really are based upon their outer appearance versus their true selves.  The video’s plot goes along with the #YouDontKnowMe project that calls upon anyone who has ever felt misunderstood or unfairly judged based on how they appear.  Ockert launched the interactive forum on March 12, 2013, inviting people to post videos sharing personal stories of overcoming prejudices. Ockert hopes that this project can help to destroy stereotypes and help people realize that we are more alike than we are different. 

A pixel in a sea of renders. I have found myself lost on this planet, forever waiting for the day that I may finally return home. Until that time I shall devote myself to the art of Hip-Hop and continue the search for the perfect flow.

My name is Kevin aka N. I run HotBot Productions out of Miami Beach, FL. I'm always down to collab, hit me up if you like a beat. Check out my website HotBotPro.blogspot.com for beats, videos, pics, and random cool stuff I find. Peace.

Lila Chertman is a professional singer and cantorial soloist who is also a physician! She graduated from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and works as an endocrinologist in private practice.  Prior to that she completed fellowship at Jackson Memorial Hospital / University of Miami after Internal Medicine residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Lila was born in Miami to Peruvian parents and welcomed into a musical family, which includes her uncle who studied as a pianist at the Manhattan School of Music, and her aunt who was an opera singer in Salzburg, Austria. Lila began singing at the age of 10, as a member of several choirs and as a soloist in community events and private functions. While still in high school, Lila began leading religious services regularly at Temple Emanu-el of Miami Beach. Later, she debuted in her own concerts in Lima, Peru and recorded a CD there of Jewish Music entitled Every Soul. In college, Lila was frequently invited to sing at events like convocation and joined UM’s Women’s Chamber Ensemble. Before starting medical school, she worked as the Cantorial Assistant at Congregation Bnai Israel in Boca Raton and was a featured soloist in the High Holy Days choir at Temple Menorah in Miami Beach for the more than a decade. From 2019-20024 she sang in the Master Chorale of South Florida under the artistic direction of Maestro Brett Karlin, taking part in productions of Verdi's Requiem among others and singing with Andrea Bocelli in concert. Since 2022 Lila has been the Cantor for the High Holy Days at Temple Emanu-el where she sings on select weekends throughout the year as well. Lila enjoys playing the guitar and sings in English, Spanish, Hebrew, and Italian at events ranging from bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings, to charity galas and private functions both nationally and internationally. Most recently Lila built a home recording studio, is having fun learning to record music on her own, and looks forward to fun musical collaborations with other musicians. She would LOVE to join a local band, so please reach out if you can help make this happen!

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