Rising Stars: Meet Daniel Teitell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Teitell.

Hi Daniel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story. 
I am the frontman for the Hard Rock cover band called Toxic. Shortly after moving to the Raleigh area in 2018, I found myself dying to find another band to be in after fronting a band up in New Jersey. I stumbled upon my go-to band meet-up website called Bandmix.com. I had put a few videos and clips of myself singing some cover songs and was sought out by the guitarist of Toxic (we were not called Toxic at the time). He had seen some of my clips and asked if I would be interested in getting together to “jam” with him and two other members. I showed up with a mic in my hand, and the rest is history as they say. In early 2020 (February, to be exact), we had out very first live gig at what was The Maywood in south Raleigh. Very shortly after that, we decided to part ways with some of the original members. However, the drummer and myself continued on. We reformed in late 2020, and due to Covid restrictions and limitiations, we truly did not get to play out until mid-2021. 

I can confidently say that we have worked incredibly hard to be where we are today as a band, and we are very fortunate to have stayed so close as brothers and bandmates throughout the years. Even passed members, we stay in touch with because it truly becomes a family when you decide to dedicate your time and energy into a project of this caliber. We have been fortunate enough to play from Goldsboro to High Point, and we have gained an incredibly support fan base along the way. We are very excited for the years ahead, and we plan on continuing to improve our musicianship and set list along the way. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As I mentioned before, the hardest struggle is keeping a family atmosphere and making sure we are all on the same page. Early on, we ran into challenges such as musical direction, time management issues, and even just branding ourselves as a whole. Now the “struggles” are more maintenance struggles, such as finding time outside of our day-to-day lives to make sure we are set up for the next show. We have definitely bonded over the years as well; however, everyone has opinions and different perspectives that sometimes that makes things challenging. We vowed that when this becomes more of a job rather than a hobby, we call it quits. The last thing we want is to not have fun doing something we love doing. So, I guess in saying that, the struggle is really keeping things fresh and fun for US as well as the audience. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a lead singer and vocalist. I am widely known in the area for doing “screams” and clean vocals. It is definitely a talent that shocks people when they hear it, especially knowing who I am as a person. Yes, I am very outgoing, but I definitely do not look like the type that would be screaming into a microphone on weekends! I am incredibly proud to be a part of a band that others look up to in the area. I know that a lot of time and effort has gone into working to get to the point we are at, so to see it pay off and hear how much people love to see us perform is very gratifying. What sets me and the band apart from others is that we offer a full experience from heavy metal to softer ballads. We focus on nostalgic hits from an era that most bands would not cover. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.toxictheband.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toxicthebandraleigh/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToxicTheBandRaleigh
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToxicTheBandRaleigh

Image Credits
Soulfully Unscripted