Daniel Kehlenbeck

Alumni Spotlight: Daniel Kehlenbeck (2001-2006)

From free guitar lessons after school at Ysgol Bryn Alyn to producing music at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios, Daniel Kehlenbeck's journey shows what can happen when passion, talent and determination come together.

Today, Daniel is a professional musician, songwriter and music producer based in Manchester. He performs between 150 and 200 gigs every year, works in a recording studio producing artists across a wide range of genres and has released more than 100 original songs, achieving over one million streams on Spotify.

But his musical journey began right here at YBA.

While at school, Daniel attended free after-school guitar lessons led by Phil Watson. Inspired by what he was learning, he and his brother formed a band, setting him on a path that would eventually become his career.

Daniel credits the support and encouragement he received at Ysgol Bryn Alyn as being instrumental in helping him pursue his dream.

"All through school, I was encouraged by many members of staff to pursue music. Most notably, Nia Turner, who let me use the music room during lunch breaks to practise. I was good at other subjects, but it was during this time I realised that music was my passion."

Leaving YBA with an A grade in Music, Daniel progressed to study Music Technology at Yale College, achieving Distinctions throughout his course before moving on to study Music Production at university in Leeds, where he graduated with a 2:1 degree.

During this time, he continued performing with JKLMNO, the band he formed while still a student at YBA. Over the years, they played festivals and venues across Europe, while Daniel also began building a career as a solo artist under the name Danny Gruff.

After university, Daniel made the bold decision to become a full-time musician.

Many years later, he is still doing exactly that.

He has now performed more than 2,500 gigs, toured extensively across the UK and Europe, released three albums and shared stages with well-known artists including McFly, Frank Turner, Bowling for Soup and James Bourne.

Alongside performing, Daniel has developed a successful career as a music producer, working with artists from genres ranging from rock and pop to jazz, hip hop and neo-soul. Many of the records he has produced have received BBC radio airplay.

One of the highlights of his career came when he was invited to produce an album at Abbey Road Studio 2, the legendary studio where The Beatles recorded many of their iconic albums.

"That was an incredible experience. It's pretty much the most famous studio in the world."

Outside of music, Daniel lives in Manchester with his wife and their two cats. Together they have travelled extensively, visiting destinations including South Korea, Australia, Canada, the United States and countries across Europe.

Despite living in several cities including Leeds, Liverpool and London, Daniel remains proud of his Wrexham roots and regularly returns home to visit family and support Wrexham AFC. In fact, he was even invited to perform inside the Racecourse Ground for the club's Players' Awards event.

Reflecting on his journey, Daniel is clear about the role YBA played in helping him get where he is today:

"Without the support and encouragement I received at Ysgol Bryn Alyn, I'm not sure I'd be doing what I do now. What I do today is about as close to a dream job as you can get."

Daniel's story is a fantastic reminder that following your passion, working hard and embracing opportunities can lead to an extraordinary career.

We are incredibly proud of everything Daniel has achieved and look forward to seeing where his musical journey takes him next.