Daniel Victor graduated university with a degree and a few song ideas.

Four years later, thanks to his determination and a little bit of luck, his recording project Neverending White Lights has launched his musical career heavenwards, with a hit single to his name.

"I thought it would have been nice to build up to something like this, and I thought, wow right off the bat all these things happen," Victor tells CTV.ca. "It could also mean that I have something unique, and I can hopefully live up to those standards."

Victor recorded his first album "Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies" over the span of almost five years, writing, performing and producing the album completely solo - eventually even releasing the album independently in 2006.

What makes the Neverending White Lights project truly unique is the high-profile guest stars that Victor, a complete unknown in the music industry, was able to recruit. The artists include Dallas Green from Alexisonfire, Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace, Scott Anderson of Finger 11, and Daniel Greaves from The Watchmen, among many others.

In the past year Victor won the award for Best Rock Group at Canadian Music Week and Favourite Single of the Year at the Independent Music Awards. "The Grace" was the seventh most spun rock song in Canada in 2006.

Neverending White Lights is nominated for the Juno Award for New Artist of the year. This is Victor's first Juno nomination, and it's one that he wasn't expecting.

"It's one of those things that I don't think you purposely strive for. I set out to make music for the sake of making music, but getting recognized for that does mean a lot to me," says Victor.

Like any well-crafted studio project, Neverending White Lights has a sound that is dense and mesmerising -- it chimes and soars. The entire album has a purpose - a theme - with urgency buried deep underneath the layers of keyboards and drums.

As Victor tells it, this was the album he was destined to make, and after school, jumped right into making it.

"The day after I graduated, I went to work. I had song ideas and the concept to do something different. I mapped out how to do it, and that was it."

It was an initial collaboration with Jon Foreman from the American band Switchfoot that made the entire album possible.

"The song we wrote for my record, he wanted on his record. Switchfoot took it, put it out right away, and I got a decent royalty on that," says Victor.

The song was on Switchfoot's debut on Columbia Records, "The Beautiful Letdown," and went on to sell almost three million records.

"It was ironic, because it was the first song on my record that they took, and that enabled me to sustain myself financially for four years. It didn't make it on my record, but it allowed me the ability to record," says Victor.

Like all of the other contacts Victor made with the artists that eventually ended up on his record, it was all a result of cold calls to managers and persistence. And in the case with Foreman, the collaboration also formed a friendship.

"He was the first singer I approached. I flew down there and he took me in for a couple days. A really great relationship came out of that. He's a really great friend of mine," says Victor.

At that point the collaborations became easier and easier to get, with Nick Hexum from 311 next to sign up.

"Once you get people of that calibre, it's much easier to get everyone else on board, when they see who you are working with already," says Victor.

And so it went for years, tracking down musicians until the record was complete. But despite the celebrity of artists invoked, there was no major label interest.

Victor recounts how he felt rejected:

"Nobody really wanted to take a chance. I was surprised because I thought not only was the album strong, but it had appeal because it was different. Everyone is so used to signing the hot new trend or the cookie cutter bands that people forget about the projects that have heart and have the ability to grow on their own. I was forced to put this out myself, and it was not a decision that I wanted."

After partnering with Fontana North for distribution, who were able to put Victor in touch with someone who was able to plug "The Grace" to radio stations, which was picked up enthusiastically across the country.

"Things seem to work themselves out," says Victor, thankfully.

Now that "Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies" is finally released and put to rest in a sense, Victor has now turned his gaze towards the next album - and a host of possible new collaborators.

"I'm at the stage now where I've finished writing the album. I have about 20 songs done, and none of them have singers yet. It's my concern right now, to try and get the right singer for the right song, which is one of the most important parts," says Victor.

"I felt that the first record had the perfect match of songs to singers. I don't want to arbitrarily send songs out to people, I want to have it planned out depending on the singer's talent and the type of music."

So who does Victor have in mind?

"I've sent something out to John Legend, and I've been talking to k-os for the last four months. Lexi Valentine from Magneta Lane is a good friend of mine, and I wanted to do a duet with her. We've recorded that already."

Other artists on Victor's wishlist include Death Cab for Cutie, the Stills, Sam Roberts and Nada Surf. But a couple of artists that may just be out of reach.

"I want to get Tori Amos and Trent Reznor to do something, but when you are dealing with people in the U.S. you aren't familiar with, the way I'm doing it is a lot more tricky," says Victor.