Twitch Streamer DataDave on the Power of Versatility and Always Trying

A kind of digital renaissance man David Cherry is a streamer, voice actor, professor, and above all, an entertainer. But most simply know him as DataDave. A variety streamer with a passion for Pokemon, RPGs, and just about everything else, Cherry blends a natural affinity for entertaining with an affable attitude.  

Life has been nothing short of happy accidents for the man behind DataDave. He's cultivated an army of 60,000 witty audience-goers who watch him tackle everything from his favorite video game to creative exercises in webtoon voice acting. It's no wonder Cherry was among the first picks by Twitch to don their highly coveted Twitch Ambassador title. A trendsetter and infectious force, Cherry is the personification of perseverance.   

"I think my purpose is to provide a welcoming space where people can have fun, enjoy content, and meet other people," he said in a phone interview with Lifewire. "I didn't expect anything (with streaming). I just wanted to see what would happen… and it's been great."

Stumbling to Success

Born and raised on the southside of Chicago, Cherry fondly recalls his childhood in a multi-generation home with his grandparents, aunts, and mother. Living between this home and his remarried father's, his early life was full of the nurturing power of family.

His trajectory as little Dave was finding various interests from marching band to gospel choir and track to peer counseling and, of course, gaming. This freedom of association has moved its way into his adult life. Never one to be confined 

"[My family was] always engaged with me when it came to gaming and just putting me in different things that I became interested in," he said. 

His father helped show him how to build computers, which he credits for his current-day interests in tech. Nourishing all his passions and interests has allowed Cherry to become a creative, fearless man. Whether it's voice acting, streaming, or the occasional deep dive into cooking—David Cherry always gives something the good ole college try. 

His foray into streaming came on a whim. Nearly six years ago, he connected with a friend who happened to stream. As is often the case with Cherry, he decided it was interesting and dived headfirst into research. 

With a camera and mic off Amazon in tow, he hit that Live button, and five years later, he's amassed a sizeable audience and dedicated following. Between his career in academia, streaming, and passion for voice acting, Cherry's current life is nothing short of an elaborate balancing act. 

A Voice Found

While he's fallen in love with streaming over the years, initially starting in the Pokemon and broader Nintendo niche, he's diversified his content to better reflect his multi-faceted disposition. His stream is a mystery box of amusement. Reflecting on who he is as a person, the audience never quite knows what's in store when they tune in except, of course, for Wednesdays when he invites other voice actors on his stream to lend their talents to a series of webtoon readings. 

The most rewarding thing for Cherry has been the tight-knit, welcoming, and hilarious community around him. He expected the worst after coming out of the closet three years ago. However, his audience did not switch up. All of his fears turned to joy as his community surrounded him with the affirmation he needed. And that was a testament to the kind of content creator he was and who he had cultivated in an audience.  

"Not only did the same viewers still watch, but we started getting more viewers who were non-binary, bisexual, gay, and it became more welcoming for the LGBT community within my stream," he said. "My community has been more comfortable to speak whatever truth they choose, and I love that."

Cherry is looking forward to treading new ground in 2022. This is the year things get a bit more digital for DataDave. The most recent thing to catch his eye? VTubing. The virtual motion capture-enabled possibilities have provided Cherry with a new niche to tackle in the content space. 

Above all, his number one guiding force is to have fun and create lifelong experiences. The biggest takeaway from the genuine curiosity of DataDave is that it's never too late, and you're never too green to try something and discover a new passion.

"This may be the theme of this interview, but I just let things fall where they may," he said. "It's got me this far… let's see how much further we can go with this."