Northfield teen on gap year releases 3rd pop album

Even as a 3-year-old, Galvin Dupont had rhythm.

In a video taken by his father Jim, the toddler can be seen at the bottom of a carpeted stairway playing a drum set. What can be immediately heard is the youngster displaying nearly perfect beat and tempo.

Fast forward 16 years.

Galvin Dupont, who performs under the name Doop, just released his third album of stream of conscious songs. The 19-year-old sings the pop songs accompanied by instruments he created using the Garageband digital music program.

“I always knew music was a big part of life,” he explained. “Somehow, I just needed to find a way to channel it.”

Dupont’s first album, “Hobo Bobo,” was released when he was a ninth grader. His second album, “Popping,” followed a couple years later.

After graduating last year from Northfield High School, Dupont decided to delay college for a year to focus on his music. After working the 6-11 p.m. shift stocking shelves at Family Foods, Dupont quit his job in the middle of March to finish his latest release, “Pointerflex Powergrid.”

Dupont explained that he writes his lyrics after sketching out an idea ahead of time. Most of his song lyrics deal with the vicissitudes of life. He said he likes to comment on his personal connections to people and things and notions he has about the world and himself. He often romanticizes ideas and often sprinkles in metaphors to make a point.

Songs take shape in four hours or four days, depending on how much polishing is required. His song titles often refer to everyday events, such as “Yellow House,” “It’s a Party,” “The Chocolate Milk Song,” and “Big Fat Chicken in a Big Fat House.”

Beyond the songwriting and the instrument mixing, Dupont said singing is his “victory lap,” his favorite part of the process. His melodic, raw voice contains oceanic depth and waves of emotions.

Dupont played drums in the school band five years before dropping out his junior year. “I found my footing back in the studio,” he said, referring to a basement room he has turned into a recording studio. In his studio is a drum set, a couple guitars and a track recording unit.

“Garageband was an easy way to learn to make and record music,” said the self-taught musician.

Asked about musical influences, Dupont mentioned Jack Stauber, who is known for his strange lyrics and accompanying music videos on YouTube used as internet memes.

Dupont said he relates to Stauber’s hypnagogic pop, avant-pop, and synth-pop music that often reminds him of the Talking Heads, although mixed with vocal screams, and strange, eerie, soulful sounds.

Although Dupont said he’s focused on creating pop music, he won’t rule out looking for a new sound and new genres.

Grassroots reactions

Asked what reaction his friends have when they hear his songs, Dupont said that being in his studio mixing and mastering his own music doesn’t allow him much interface with listeners. But his friend Isaiah Loesch has given him plenty of positive feedback, and is his videographer for short music videos.

One of Loesch’s three music videos shows Dupont coming out of a porta potty in a south Northfield park singing “She Loved Me.” Another scene Loesch filmed shows Dupont singing in a nearby biking and walking tunnel.

To widen out the listening audience, Galvin’s father Jim Dupont, a music agent, manager and promoter, made at least seven calls to local KYMN radio station owner Jeff Johnson.

That persistence eventually paid off when Johnson played “Here Comes the Crown,” a song off the latest release. Since that local airwaves debut, Johnson said he’s played that one track off of the 50-minute album numerous times.

“Jim got in contact with me to submit a couple of Galvin’s tunes,” said Johnson. “I gave them a listen and was impressed by his songwriting and musical ability. I especially like ‘Here Comes the Crown,’ and KYMN has played that a number of times. It has a catchy pop hook and solid production values. Doop definitely has a bright future.”

As a musical parent of a budding musician, Jim Dupont would likely agree that Galvin’s future has potential wattage.

“He puts me to shame as a musician,” said Jim, who played in bands before becoming a music promoter for a Reggae rock band. “But, hey, his mother and my wife Juli sang to him in the womb.”