Since moving to Austin, Texas in 2015, cellist Dan Radin has earned a reputation for being a go-to hired gun in the scene.  He’s backed The Voice contestants, played in bands opening for Grammy/Tony winners, and performed at official SXSW showcases.  This year, the cellist decided to reveal himself to the world as an equally-capable singer-songwriter with the release of his first solo album, “Romance for Antiheroes.”

Radin was introduced to cello lessons in 3rd grade through a school program, which subsequently thrust him into a comprehensive classical music education.  While in college, Radin began to sit in with folk bands and singer-songwriters, learning to leverage his relative pitch to play by ear and improvise cello solos like a lead guitarist.  He moved to Austin after graduation, where he’s since gigged aggressively (Radin estimates nearly 1000 performances).  To fill any gaps in his schedule, Radin began side-hustling as a guitarist/singer.

Gradually becoming more comfortable with a frontman role, the cellist decided it was time to share his own original music with the world.  Radin’s vision of cello-led acoustic rock prominently displays his singer-songwriter roots, garnering frequent comparisons to John Mayer and Dave Matthews.  Radin’s debut solo album, “Romance for Antiheroes,” is a collection of songs documenting failed relationships; however, at its core, the album is a coming out party for a shy cellist who has begun to come into his own as a full-fledged artist.

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He writes like Tom Petty.  He’s got John Mayer’s croon, Springsteen’s earthiness, and Mac Miller’s sense of exploration. And he plays cello unlike anyone else.

Talking to him, it’s obvious that Dan Radin is a story-obsessed songwriter.  Before even releasing a record, his songs have earned him appearances this year on Fox 7’s morning show Good Morning Austin, HBO Max’s reality show Swiping America, and on festival bills alongside folk mainstays like Josh Ritter, The Lone Bellow, and Langhorne Slim.

Much like his cello, Radin sticks out like a well-manicured sore thumb.  His style is too casual for a professional symphony, yet polished enough to raise eyebrows at a Nashville whiskey jam.  You could spend days dissecting his disarming poetry about lost love while effortlessly falling for the surrounding orchestral arrangements.  That’s the subtlety of an ear honed by 24 years of classical training.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t obsessed with the grind, but playing just one show a day would be nice to work towards,” admits Radin, grinning.  “Putting out my own original songs is really important as well. It’s been a long time in the making.”

Long before putting out his own music, the cellist made a name for himself in the Live Music Capital of the World as a collaborator and sideman.  The Pittsburgh native moved to Austin in 2015 to “sharpen his chops in the scene”; he’s done just that, having gigged with a dozen contestants from NBC’s The Voice, performed a few official SXSW showcases, and stamped nearly 1000 live performances.  The 8-year incubation hatched an intentional, bar-performing string player who has arrived fashionably late to the early 2000’s singer-songwriter era.

Which brings us to his upcoming debut solo album, titled Romance for Antiheroes (September 2023).

“It was a slow burn with these songs.  I wrote some of them almost a decade ago.  But I really wanted to find myself as an artist before putting them out,” Radin explains.  “They mean a lot to me and needed to be shared in the best light.”

Part confession, part therapy for mental health struggles, Radin opens up on the album about depression, doubt, self-sabotage, and the thread of hope that ties them all together.

“We want to blame externalities, but we’re usually the only thing holding ourselves back.  It’s a constant work in progress.  Kaizen.” He quotes the Japanese word for “continuous improvement,” which is tattooed on his left arm.

Sharing Radin’s optimism, you can’t help but root for the antihero.

– TK