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He Survived Addiction, a Brain Tumor and the Military: There’s No Stopping D-NamX

April 5, 2021

If there’s one artist who exemplifies perseverance and resilience, it’s El Paso-based D-NamX.

Born in Texas, D-NamX first discovered his love for music when he was 15 while living away from home with his cousin. But after a recent brain tumor diagnosis, this passion took on a whole new meaning.

Music transformed from a hobby and an outlet to a therapeutic force, helping to get him through darker times. Having overcome a life-threatening surgery, D-NamX has a newfound commitment to his musical career and is living proof of the power of music.

While his entry into the electronic scene came just two years ago, D-NamX has been making music since he was a teen. He started out with bass guitar before adding drums, keyboards and turntables to his repertoire. But as he got older, D-NamX found himself in his first battle, this time against drug and alcohol addiction.

Joining the Navy at age 23 was a way out, and the dance music artist spent 12 years overseas in Asia and Europe, continuing a fight against all odds. Local clubs abroad became his playground, and he enrolled at Berklee College of Music online to study music production. His debut album, 2019’s Lucid Intervals, came soon after, inspired by his life in the military. Full of soaring drops and riveting sound design, its sonics fall in line with styles curated by Alan Walker, Sigala and Matoma.

It was while he was abroad in Japan, though, that D-NamX was diagnosed with his brain tumor. “I thought I was having a stroke at the time. I didn’t realize it was a type of seizure,” he divulged in an interview with KTSM. Music became a lifeline while he awaited surgery. His sophomore release, Daydream, was written during this time.

“I just want people to understand that even though you can go through something as traumatic as a brain tumor, you can’t be down about it,” D-NamX told KTSM. “You should always continue to do your best to look forward to the future because there’s always something to look forward to.”

Today, D-NamX is tumor-free and back in El Paso raising his newborn son. With a renewed focus on his musical career, he’s come out the other side hopeful and optimistic, making music to match. You can catch his livestreams on Twitch on Wednesdays and YouTube on Fridays.