David Draiman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Draiman
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Draiman performing in 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Michael Draiman |
| Born | March 13, 1973 New York City, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1996–present |
David Michael Draiman, born on March 13, 1973, is an American heavy metal singer. He is well-known for his powerful voice and unique singing style. Since 1996, he has been the lead singer for the band Disturbed. He has helped write many of the band's popular songs, like "Stupify" and "Down with the Sickness". In 2006, he was recognized as one of the "Top 100 Metal Vocalists of All Time."
Between 2011 and 2015, when Disturbed took a break, David Draiman worked on a different music project. This project was called Device, and they released an album in 2013. Disturbed later reunited and released new albums, including Immortalized in 2015, Evolution in 2018, and Divisive in 2022.
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Early Life and Education
David Michael Draiman was born in Brooklyn, New York City, on March 13, 1973. His parents were Jewish. When David was 12, his father faced some legal challenges. David's brother, Benjamin, is a musician who lives in Israel. His grandmother's family came to Palestine in the early 1900s.
David's parents sent him to Orthodox Jewish schools. He spent time in Israel when he was younger. He attended several Jewish day schools. At one school, he was asked to leave because he wanted to be a "normal teenage kid" and found the strict religious rules difficult. Even so, he learned to be a hazzan (a singer in a synagogue).
After high school, David studied at a religious school in Jerusalem for a year. When he returned to the U.S. in 1992, he started studying at Loyola University Chicago. He graduated in 1996 with degrees in Political Science, Government, Philosophy, and Business. He thought about going to law school but decided it wasn't the right path for him. Before joining Disturbed, he worked in healthcare for several years.
Music Career
In 1996, David Draiman tried out to be the lead singer for a band called Brawl. This band later changed its name to Disturbed. He joined after seeing an advertisement in a local music paper. The band's guitarist, Dan Donegan, was very impressed with David's audition. He said David was the only singer who could immediately create great melodies.
David Draiman has written many of Disturbed's most popular songs. These include "Stupify", "Down with the Sickness", "Indestructible", and "Inside the Fire". In 2006, he was ranked among the top metal vocalists of all time.
During Disturbed's break from 2011 to 2015, David worked on a project called Device with Geno Lenardo. They released their self-titled album in 2013. Disturbed then came back with new music, releasing Immortalized in 2015 and Evolution in 2018.
Musical Inspirations
David Draiman has shared what music inspired him. He said the first album he ever bought was Kiss' Destroyer. He also loved classic bands like Black Sabbath. He was influenced by metal bands such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and Queensrÿche. He also enjoyed hair metal bands like Whitesnake.
Later, he explored punk and new wave music, listening to groups like the Sex Pistols, The Ramones, and The Misfits. In the 1980s, he liked The Smiths and The Cure. When the grunge music movement started, he was very interested. He remembers getting albums from Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains.
Personal Life
On September 25, 2011, David Draiman married model and actress Lena Yada. Their son was born in September 2013. They later divorced in 2023. In May 2025, he became engaged to model Sarah Uli. He proposed to her on stage during a Disturbed concert in Sacramento, California.
Views on Politics
David Draiman has shared his political views. In 2015, he said he supports liberal ideas on social issues. However, he also believes in a small government. He mentioned that he doesn't agree with all the financial policies of the Democrats. He also doesn't agree with some of the extreme views of the Republicans. He supported Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential election. In March 2022, David Draiman and Avenged Sevenfold singer M. Shadows spoke out against a law in Florida.
He has described himself as a strong supporter of Israel. In 2019, he criticized some activists who wanted to boycott Israel. In October 2023, he spoke out against attacks on Israel by a Palestinian militant group. In June 2024, he visited Israel Defense Forces troops and expressed strong views against a militant group.
In July 2025, David Draiman faced some strong reactions at a concert due to his support for Israel. He said the negative reactions came from "a few" people who disliked Jewish people. He stated that he remains "unapologetically a fiercely pro Israel Jew." He also criticized another musician, Tom Morello, for praising an Irish hip-hop group. Draiman said that all innocent lives lost in the conflict are due to the militant group using their own people. The Irish hip-hop group responded, saying they don't care about anyone's religion, but that signing bombs to harm people is wrong.
Music Releases
David Draiman has been involved in many music projects.
With Disturbed
- The Sickness (2000)
- Believe (2002)
- Ten Thousand Fists (2005)
- Indestructible (2008)
- Asylum (2010)
- The Lost Children (2011)
- Immortalized (2015)
- Evolution (2018)
- Divisive (2022)
With Device
- Device (2013)
Guest Appearances
David Draiman has also lent his voice to other artists' songs:
- "Forsaken" (2002)
- "Here's to Us" (guest version) (2012)
- "Dance in the Rain" (with Megadeth) (2013)
- "We Believe" (with Hyro the Hero) (2020)
- "King of Misery" (co-written with Saul) (2020)
- "Dead Inside" (with Nita Strauss) (2021) – This song reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
- "Angel Song" (with Nothing More) (2024) – This song also reached No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Songs chart.
As a Producer
- Trivium – Vengeance Falls (2013)
See also
In Spanish: David Draiman para niños
