She’s only really just started to settle down in London, but 22-year old Dana McKeon has certainly wasted no time in making inroads and edging closer to getting ahead as a musician.

I’ve just started recording my first single, so you’ll definitely be hearing more from me this year

To be entirely honest, she does have the added advantage of being multi-talented. In fact, not only does she play guitar very well but she writes and sings her own songs too, and to top it all, she’s also a fully-fledged world-ranking beatboxer.

Indeed, she’s the only Maltese beatboxer performing at an international level; a speedy rise to the top considering she started out three or so years ago.

Everybody knows the effort and talent that playing guitar and singing entail, so for the uninitiated, it’s worth explaining that beatboxing is a particular and specialised talent which involves imitating the sound of musical instruments and creating percussive sounds and rhythms using one’s mouth, lips, tongue, larynx and voice. This is often done while also humming, singing and playing another instrument.

If it sounds complicated, that’s because it is, even if McKeon makes it seem pretty easy – or at least I thought so when I had seen her perform in Valletta a few years back.

As of last February, McKeon is resident in the English capital, widely regarded as the epicentre of the music world and certainly one of the best places for an aspiring musician to be based. Her move to the UK was the result of a music management deal with ANP Media, one of London’s leading events and media companies whose CEO recognised McKeon’s talent and potential last summer and encouraged her to take the big step if she wanted to pursue a career in music.

“A number of factors spurred me on to move to the UK and focus on my music career. After I’d completed my studies in physiotherapy at University, I had come to London for a few weeks to test the waters with no contacts whatsoever.”

That stint – four weeks in total – saw McKeon playing over 20 gigs, attracting the attention of several scouts from a number of media and record companies.

The positive feedback she was getting further confirmed her gut feeling, which she says “was telling me to take the plunge and chase my dream”.

Fully aware that it wasn’t going to be an easy ride, McKeon admits it has been pretty hectic, but quite rewarding too, since the day she arrived.

“I’ve been performing at lots of venues around the city and making a lot of great contacts. I’ve also been writing lots of new songs and working closely with ANP Media to work out a plan of action.”

More or less focused on the long-term and various aspects related to McKeon’s career, that plan also included her stepping up to the challenge of representing Malta at the 2012 Beatbox Battle World Championships in Berlin last March where she placed fifth in the women’s category.

This is a significant achievement, perhaps more so given it was McKeon’s first international competition of such magnitude. Understandably pleased and excited with her high placing, McKeon’s focus switched back to her own work the moment she was back in London.

“I’ve been working on expanding my vocal percussion techniques, both as a solo act and in collaboration with a number of established artists,” she explains. “I’m particularly eager about working with an upcoming a capella group that’s also based here in London.”

More recently she also secured her first-ever UK festival gig and will be performing at the Maystock festival in Devon later on this year.

Meanwhile, there’s the rest of ANP Media’s plans for the Maltese artist to work on, and of course, the fact that she is also signed to Europe’s Beatbox booking agency Beatbook will surely bring more exciting prospects and opportunities her way.

“I’m looking forward to getting some beatbox gigs around Europe through Beatbook, but I’m also quite thrilled to be working with ANP Media, as there are plans to record an album and some music videos.”

McKeon’s star, though fairly new, seems to be firmly in the ascendant, and she’s determined to give it her best shot.

“There’s talk of setting up a number of large-scale performances around the UK and some countries in Europe too and I’ve got some gigs lined up here in London during the Olympics,” she says, clearly chuffed about the way things are moving.

“I’ve just started recording my first single too, so you’ll definitely be hearing more from me this year.”

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