Derik Nelson and Family

Biography

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Derik Nelson & Family’s (Olympia, WA) signature sound features velvety three-part pop/folk vocal harmonies that only a family can deliver.  Backed with warm acoustic guitar and a “silk on the ears” musicality, talented siblings Derik, Dalten, and Riana Nelson have been performing together since childhood.  Derik Nelson & Family has performed the US National Anthem at Seattle Seahawks NFL, Seattle Sounders FC, and Portland Trailblazers NBA home games and are proud to tour nationwide with their own headlining concert.  They’ve garnered over 3.6 million views on YouTube, performed in over 90 cities across the USA, and reached over 50,000 students of all ages with their educational music workshops and fundraising assemblies.  Singer-songwriter and audio engineer Derik has appeared regularly as the lead guitarist on television’s “Glee” and his vocals have been featured on “Raising Hope,” “New Girl” (FOX), “How I Met Your Mother” (CBS), and “The Voice” (NBC).  He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Southern California, where he helped to shape the curriculum that became the Popular Music Degree Program.  Derik was awarded the Brian Wilson Music Scholarship for songwriting and received first place in the Indie International Songwriting Competition for his original song, “The Way It’s Gonna Go.”  Vocalist and manager Riana received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan.  She has worked as a casting associate for FOX’s “Empire,” was a lead vocalist for Princess Cruises, and managed a summer program for Disney teaching young children in Beijing, China.  Riana serves on the Board of Directors at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Olympia, WA and is seen as a role model in her hometown.  Dalten, a vocalist and video/light/tech designer, attended Arizona State University and has an extensive musical theatre background, playing several lead roles on stage.  He has appeared on episodes of television’s “Glee” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”  With his skills in engineering, Dalten conceptualized, filmed, and executed over 250 separate choreographed videos spanning a 20-foot-video “wall” to create the visually immersive musical experience featured in Derik Nelson & Family’s signature mainstage concert across the United States.