Indianapolis singer set to open for Ashanti at The Vogue

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Damon Karl, an Indianapolis-based singer and songwriter, is preparing for his biggest performance since his career started at the age of 16.

On Labor Day weekend, the 27-year-old artist will share the stage with R&B superstar Ashanti on Saturday at The Vogue nightclub.

Karl, an Arsenal Technical High School grad who fell in love with music in the church, remembers learning how to play an instrument out of curiosity. “I just had this huge fascination of wanting to learn how to play guitar.”

Now after years of honing his craft, he doesn’t just want you to dance when you his music. He wants his lyrics to leave a mark. “I want people to be able to feel what I feel through my music when I write.”

Geno Shelton, a concert promoter and veteran in Indy’s music scene, has been promoting musical talent throughout Indianapolis for nearly decades. He called what Karl has the “it” factor. Shelton has even gone as far as comparing Karl’s style to some Indiana music legends.

He is “a cross between Kenny ‘Babyface’ Edmonds and Michael Jackson,” Shelton said.

Shelton and other Indianapolis talent promoters including Raleigh Carter-Harper, Amp Harris and manager Sid “Uncle Jamz” Johnson believed it was time for more people to know who Karl was.

“It’s about trying to help these artists, especially the young ones, man,” Shelton said. To “get a platform (and) to be able to perform in front of a major audience.”

As the promoter for a special show on Labor Day Weekend, Carter-Harper decided to give Karl that chance. Karl will be the opening act for Ashanti. It would be his first real shot at opening up for an artist of her caliber. When asked about what fans should look for in his performance, he smiled and said: “A little bit of Michael Jackson, a little bit of Babyface, a little bit of Usher…. You can see all that right here on my acoustic guitar. That real love for music.”

Tickets to the show are available for $75 each.