Life & Work with Dazmin Laster of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dazmin Laster.

Hi Dazmin, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, & from a young age I was drawn to music, storytelling, & creativity. That passion really started to take shape when I attended Cleveland School of the Arts, where I was introduced to new styles of music rooted in my culture, had opportunities to perform publicly, & began to see that being an artist could become something bigger than just a hobby.

After transferring back to Shaker Heights High School, I struggled to find the same creative spaces that had inspired me, so I started creating opportunities for myself. Over the years, music remained a constant in my life, even as my path took unexpected turns. While pursuing my artistic goals, I also attended nursing school and became a licensed practical nurse in 2023. Nursing has given me a deeper appreciation for empathy, resilience, & human connection—qualities that naturally influence the way I create.

Currently I balance two worlds that mean a great deal to me, healthcare and music. As a singer, songwriter, & producer, I’ve had opportunities to perform at events like New York Fashion Week, collaborate with other artists, & contribute to projects in television & film. At the same time, my work as a nurse has grounded me & continually reminds me of the importance of service & compassion.
More than anything, my story has been about learning to embrace every part of who I am instead of choosing just one path and creating instead of waiting. Whether I’m caring for patients or creating music, both experiences have shaped the person & artist I am today.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced has been feeling separated from music. Not necessarily from creating itself, but from the sense of community, inspiration, & belonging that first made me fall in love with it. For a long time, I was searching for spaces where I felt understood creatively, spaces where I could fully be myself as an artist. When I couldn’t find them, i suffered at first, then I had to learn how to create them. Very young, I had already accepted that no one was going to hand me the opportunities I was searching for. I had a friend named Andre who lived in Bedford that introduced me to the studio and always encouraged me, so once I got familiar with recording I would leave school, make my way to the studio across the city most times, and create.. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me one of the most important lessons of my life: if the spaces you need don’t exist, you build them yourself. At the time, I was yearning for community, opportunities, & environments that would allow me to grow creatively. Looking back, I realize that I wasn’t just chasing music I was teaching myself to trust my instincts as a woman and as and artist, & create the life I wanted, even when I couldn’t fully see it yet. In a lot of ways, that challenge still exists. Balancing music with nursing, navigating industries that often expect people to choose one identity, & protecting my creativity while carrying the responsibilities of everyday life has forced me to constantly rediscover my relationship with music. There have been moments when I questioned whether I could fully pursue both paths, moments when I felt disconnected from my artistry, & moments when I wondered whether I was asking too much of myself. Learning to honor both callings has required discipline, sacrifice, & an immense amount of faith in God and myself. Navigating the music industry itself has also come with challenges. As an artist, songwriter, & producer, I’ve had to learn the business side of creativity, advocate for myself, protect my work, & trust my instincts in spaces that don’t always make room for individuality. Over time, I’ve learned that some of the qualities I once thought I needed to hide my sensitivity, my perspective, & the way I connect with people are actually some of my greatest strengths. Looking back, I realize that every obstacle has pushed me toward becoming more fully myself. The girl who once searched for belonging eventually learned how to create it, & that lesson continues to guide both my music & my life. Every season of distance ultimately brings me closer to understanding who I am as an artist.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a nurse, singer, songwriter, producer, & performer who prioritizes creating music that feels honest & reflective. Over the years, I’ve developed not only as an artist, but as a writer & creative who is constantly learning how to shape records from the ground up. Whether I’m writing for myself or collaborating with others, I’m drawn to music that helps people feel seen. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to perform at New York Fashion Week & the Tribeca Film Festival, co-write songs for Paloma Ford, & maintain ownership in records with both Paloma Ford & Rick Ross. My work has also been featured in television & film, allowing stories that started in Cleveland to reach audiences far beyond my hometown. What I’m most proud of, though, isn’t any one accomplishment it’s the fact that I’ve built my career on my own terms. Since I was sixteen, I’ve been searching for & creating spaces where I could grow as an artist. I spent years finding my way to studios after school, paying for sessions myself, & creating often alone. Those experiences taught me to trust my instincts, advocate for myself, & understand the importance of ownership. think what sets me apart is my ability to live in multiple worlds while remaining true to myself. Since I was sixteen, I’ve been creating opportunities for myself finding my way to studios after school, paying for sessions on my own, and building a creative career while pursuing nursing. Even in high school, I knew I wanted to care for people. During my senior year, I enrolled in STNA classes after school, laying the foundation for the nurse I would eventually become. I’ve never waited for permission to become the artist or the woman I wanted to be. More than anything, though, I’m committed to authenticity. I’ve never wanted to create music simply to be consumed I want it to connect. Whether I’m writing for myself or collaborating with others, I’m always chasing honesty, emotion, and the feeling that someone listening might recognize a piece of themselves in the music…. Everything I create is rooted in connection, & I think that’s what makes my artistry uniquely my own

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to stop waiting for permission. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time searching for the right community, the right opportunities, & the right spaces to create. What I eventually realized is that sometimes the spaces you need don’t exist yet, & it’s your job to build them.
I’d also tell people not to lose their essence trying to become who they think the world wants them to be. If God made you sweet, stay sweet but be intentional about who you give that sweetness to. If God made you a helper, continue helping others, but don’t allow people to take advantage of your heart. If God made you sensitive, understand that sensitivity isn’t a weakness. Let it help you understand yourself & the people around you, but don’t let it define you or limit who you can become. If you love music, art, or creating in any form, pursue it wholeheartedly. Don’t let the world convince you that purpose only exists in corner offices, Fortune 500 companies, or traditional career paths. Purpose looks different for everyone. Some people are called to heal, some are called to build, & some are called to create. There is value in all of it. Most importantly, trust your instincts & protect your art. Learn the business side of the industry early, understand ownership, & never underestimate the power of betting on yourself. The journey may not unfold the way you imagined, but that doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path!!!! I’m actually still learning this myself, but one thing I know for sure is that you don’t always find the opportunities you’re looking for you create them. Sometimes, the very things that make you different are the things that will carry you exactly where you’re meant to go…..

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lnk.bio/dazmin_
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dazmin_
• Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/@dazminlaster675
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/dazmin