POP POWERHOUSE DAYA IS JUST GETTING STARTED

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Photos / Danielle DeFoe
Styling / Odessa Lu
Makeup / Robert Rumsey @ Cloutier Remix using Pat McGrath Labs
Hair /Johnny Stuntz @ Crosby Carter Management

story / Catherine Santino

When I speak with Daya, she tells me that sheā€™s getting attacked by mosquitos on her back deck in California. Meanwhile, Iā€™m watching the seasonā€™s first snowfall from an office building in New York City. But despite our opposing climates and three hours of the time difference, I feel like Iā€™m in the same room as her, chatting as friends.
She has a way of instantly making me feel at ease like weā€™ve known each other for years and weā€™re catching up on life. Itā€™s easy to understand why her music has inspired such a loyal and expansive fanbase.

In 2015, Daya, who was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and began playing instruments at an early age, released her first song, ā€œHide Away.ā€ The track was well-received and remains a true testament to Dayaā€™s unique vocals, fresh sound, and ultra-relatable lyrical sense. The following year, Daya released her first full-length album, Sit Still, Look Pretty, a satisfying follow-up to her break-out track.

Now, fans are hungry for her sophomore album, which Daya says will experiment with new sounds and production. ā€œI get bored with things fairly quickly and Iā€™m always trying to push the boundaries within my own creative thinking,ā€ she explains. ā€œSo, this album branches out into different areas of my songwriting and voice and production without venturing too far from the sounds of Sit Still, Look Pretty.ā€

If her recent single, ā€œSafeā€, is any indication of the caliber of the album, weā€™re in for a treat. Not only does the song feature sleek production and sophisticated vocals, it also holds special meaning for Daya ā€“an indication that sheā€™s wise beyond her 20 years.

ā€œā€™ Safeā€™ was written the day after the Vegas shooting at Route 91 Fest in September of last year. I wasnā€™t there so I canā€™t speak to how the victims or festival attendees or the friends and family of the victims felt, but I was affected by this tragedy as part of a community thatā€™s continually dumbfounded by the accessibility of these types of weapons.ā€

In the song, Daya reflects on the blissful naĆÆvetĆ© of childhood: ā€œI remember the rush / We were running backyard to yard / I wasnā€™t scared of going too far / Staying out till it was too dark.ā€ The refrain of ā€œBack when we were safeā€ rings truer and louder than ever in the wake of the gun violence epidemic in the U.S.
ā€œI wanted ā€˜Safeā€™ to potentially spark a dialogue in people about why we donā€™t feel safe going into seemingly universally safe spaces like churches, schools, festivals, and what we can do to actively change that,ā€ Daya explains. ā€œInstead of feeling passive or discouraged to engage in the issues we care about, I wanted it to open a door for conversation and action.ā€

The fact that Daya can create such an impactful song after such tragedies speak volumes of her empathy and intuition as a songwriter ā€“ and perhaps explains her choice in stage name: Daya, in Sanskrit, translates to ā€œcompassion.ā€

And sheā€™s not just all talk. Throughout the 2018 midterm election season, Daya took full advantage of her platform to speak on the issues that matter to her and encourage her fans to get out and vote.

ā€œI believe in an educated world and I believe in a democratic world where ideas are shared and thatā€™s the best way to implement change,ā€ she says of her activism. ā€œIā€™ve been reading a lot, listening, campaigning, and engaging and encouraging everyone else whoā€™s angry about the state of our country to turn that anger into action and do the same. I donā€™t ever see myself becoming more apathetic about this until we start to see a change.ā€

This past year, Daya also used social media to make another important statement. Though she had been posting subtly with her girlfriend, on October 11th, National Coming Out Day, Daya confirmed her relationship and spoke openly about her bisexuality for the first time.

When I ask why she chose to make such a declarative post, she says she wanted to have a real, honest moment with her fans, as well as address the stigma surrounding bisexuality. ā€œSome peopleā€™s general attitudes towards bisexuality can be a bit off-putting, dismissing it as just a phase or a ā€˜trendā€™ instead of actual, real feelings,ā€ she says.

ā€œIā€™d been posting with [my girlfriend] and about her for months but I think it meant a lot to my followers to be direct and real about it for the moment. Discovering my sexuality and being in this relationship has been the best thing to happen in my life but itā€™s also come with a bit of baggage, so I think it shows my LGBTQ fans that their struggles donā€™t go unnoticed and that Iā€™m going through a lot of the same. Iā€™m honored to be able to have the platform I do and hope to use it to further normalize homosexual relationships and continue the fight for marginalized groups.ā€

And so, Dayaā€™s presence, both in social media and in her music, remains to be a refreshingly genuine one. When I see her posts on my feed, they look just like something a friend would post; thereā€™s nothing remotely contrived about them.

I tell her that between her new relationship and her dramatic haircut (we joke for a minute about how strong of a reaction the chop got from fans), she seems to be more at peace with herself than ever.

ā€œWhen everything started, I got really in my head about other peopleā€™s expectations for me,ā€ she says when I ask about the pressures to curate a certain image. ā€œBut now I donā€™t really give a fuck and it feels great. My brand is me and Iā€™m constantly evolving as a person, so Iā€™ve decided to do away with any unrealistic expectations.ā€

Though sheā€™s already had enormous success as an artist, itā€™s clear to me that Daya is just getting started. Her talent is one thing, but talent will only take you so far. Dayaā€™s assuredness, vulnerability, and willingness to grow in all directions make her an unstoppable force in pop music.
I think I can speak for all her fans when I say: I canā€™t wait to see what she does next.

CONNECT WITH DAYA:Ā 

FACEBOOKĀ //Ā TWITTERĀ //Ā Ā INSTAGRAM

 

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