Behind the Soul: Interview with Phoenix, AZ Artist DALI
By KBR
One of my favorite qualities of music is the beautiful opportunity to make a connection through auditory observation of sound. Being a curator and artist, I am always hypercritical of not only myself but others who are making content. Sometimes a song makes you click onto the next, but sometimes, if you’re lucky, a musician can make you feel something for four minutes. Analytical artists know technique and high quality takes years of work and monetizing off your talent takes money and marketing. It is true that anyone can be an artist, but certain individuals hold something special — the presence and raw talent fit for legends.
Although there are many talented musicians constantly dropping tracks and grinding to build their audience, DALI is undoubtedly a shining star in the Arizona music scene. Describing her sound as “cinematic, melancholy, expansive, and soulful,” DALI’s smooth vocals and artistic lyricism make the perfect addition to your list of favorite artists. I had heard and vibed to her music before, but it wasn’t until her single “SLIDE (prod. Xander)” that I was very impressed and immediately captivated by her original style. Since listening to this track, DALI has become a part of my everyday soundtrack, and I hope her music can be the same for you.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background? When did you first start pursuing music?
I have always been a music person. My mom played guitar and sang in the church ministry and my dad was a traveling blues musician. I was born with music in my veins. I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember; I started playing piano when I was 5 and taught myself guitar when I was 11. When I turned 12, I started writing my own music, and confirmed what I knew my whole life — I wanted to be a musician. I’ve been moving towards that goal ever since.
What are your favorites songs you’ve made?
Definitely the songs I haven’t made yet. “Selfish” is probably my favorite released song. It was so raw and emotional, and it really gave me the opportunity to release the heaviness I felt in that moment. I still listen to it every now and then, and it’s interesting, almost healing, to realize how much I’ve truly grown and learned from those experiences. It’s a good reminder to be kind to myself when I notice feelings of unworthiness start to creep up.
How do you feel about your project, “Apathy: My Last Goodbye?”
Very similar to how I feel about selfish. I’m extremely proud of that EP because it took a lot of time and vulnerability to be able to share some of my deepest struggles and highest hopes at that time. However, in the process of creating it, I grew to really dislike it. Hearing those songs over and over again after I had already begun getting over the situation was a little depressing. I was reliving a lot of that trauma everyday. Once it dropped I was very relieved.
My hatred for the project disappeared once I started receiving so many messages from people telling me how much my music touched them or helped them feel a lot of the emotions they were trying to decipher. As an artist and a perfectionist, it’s very easy to be my own worst critic, but the impact it has on my friends and fans is what makes it all worth it.
Are there any musicians you have been compared to based on your sound?
I’ve been told I sounded like a cross between Fiona Apple and Erykah Badu, and that was really sick.
What is your biggest struggle as a musician?
Probably being a perfectionist as well as being so vulnerable in my music. It’s really uncomfortable for me, especially performing live, because I have such high standards for myself; sometimes it’s hard to live up to it. Putting your whole life out there for everyone to listen to can be unnerving at times.
I also struggle with feeling deserving of being a “legend.” I recognize the effect my music has on people, however it’s hard for me to accept their compliments or how far they see me going for some reason, which is something I definitely need to unpack.
The first time I heard your music was when I listened to “Cross My Heart.” W1ho helped you with the production?
Franco Masuello was the producer for the track “Cross My Heart.” Franco Masuello and I had a very collaborative experience creating this track. He’s one of my favorite producers in Arizona. It was so amazing working with such a skilled musician.
I came in with the bass line, he and I found different sounds we liked and where we wanted to place them, and then he built the beat from there. The mix was done, as usual, by my amazing and extremely talented friend and engineer, Trent Fitzgerald. I don’t think I’ve met anyone who mixes or produces as well as he does.
How has the music scene in Arizona changed in the past five years?
To me, five years ago it was just a little group of kids hanging out at Deer Valley Park on 19th Ave. We created a little community of lone wolves, and over the course of the years we dedicated ourselves to our professions and slowly began attracting and connecting with people all over the city who were on the same wavelength. What’s happening here feels very tribal, ancestral, and magnetic. I feel like I’ve lived lifetimes with the people in this scene, and I feel so blessed to witness the progression of a small friend group bloom into a full blown community. We’re really blowing up the underground right now, we’re starting to cross over into different genres and there’s been a new wave of younger creatives coming into our radar, so that’s really exciting to witness as well. We’re Arizona’s best kept secret.
Who are your favorite local musicians? Who would you like to collaborate with?
Taylor Edoria, Taco Sauce, Cowboy’s Mirage, Josh Caballes, The Intellect Set, Pariah Pete, Saiah, Dela Preme, Eddie Wellz — There’s so many different people I could list here. I’d have to say the artists who have really impacted me and who I have the utmost respect for from an artistic perspective are Jalopy Bungus and Shrub Head. They’re also two of my best friends, and were the catalysts for this movement, in my opinion. We wouldn’t have a lot of what our scene has become if it wasn’t for them coming together and deciding they wanted to rap.
I would love to collaborate with Saiah, The Kaleidoscope Kid, The Beleganas, the Intellect Set. I want do another song with Josh Cabelles and Franco in the future.
How was the experience collaborating with Jalopy Bungus on “Procrastinating Suicide?”
It was an absolute shit show. I was in Portland at the time, and the place I was recording wasn’t entirely put together yet. There was a lot of technical problems out of everyone’s control, but no one knew how to fix it.
The day before the deadline, I went to the studio and gave Jessahn the stems but somehow all the tracks that bounced were somehow chopped up. By the time I found out, I was already home and lived almost an hour from the studio.
We ended up staying up for 22 hours to fix the track. I had work at 11am the next morning and we both stayed up until like 7am. I was a complete zombie the next day. I still love the song and it has an important message, but at the end of the day I wish we could’ve gotten all the stems because there were parts and little details missing. Jessahn and I will most definitely be collaborating again in the future.
Who are some of your biggest musician inspirations?
I have a lot of people I draw bits and pieces of inspiration from but a lot of what I create is intuitive.
Frank Ocean is a big one for me because he doesn't really follow any rules when it comes to his music structures or how he chooses to live as an artist. He reminds me to do things at my own pace, trust my vision, and not listen to anyone who tells me to make music a certain way.
I've been listening to Norah Jones for most of my life, and she made me feel comfortable with having the type of voice I do. I was really insecure about how raspy it was becoming as my voice started developing, because I wanted to sing like Hayley Williams, but Norah helped me overcome that.
Amy Winehouse taught me not to waste my pain to preserve my pride, and how to express something, not only in words, but with the way she sang certain words and combined specific notes to communicate things that words cannot begin to fathom.
Seahaven and Mat Kerekes gave me the freedom to explore my deepest emotions — my highest highs and my lowest lows. As a teenager, after growing up so restricted and uncommunicative, pop punk was raw, angsty, honest, weird, and made me feel like I wasn't alone. I used to go to so many shows alone as a teenager and I would dance, scream, cry, mosh, crowd surf and just feel absolutely free to do or feel whatever I wanted without judgment. I learned how to really embrace it and fell my emotions.
The song "Cry" by the Veronicas is a big standout for me. I was obsessed with the song in middle school and practicing it with my best friend at the time deepened my love for harmonizing. People might notice that in almost every song I make, there are usually triple harmonies. The Veronicas play a big role in that.
The Runaways always come to mind when I'm making or performing more sexually charged music. It wasn't my intention to make that one of my focuses, but I think there's something so badass about a chick who's able to embrace and be open about sexuality in ways that could be deemed "unladylike." The members of this band were all so sexy, confident, and in your face; that is always inspiring me to stay open and unapologetic.
Erykah Badu helps me remember not to take things seriously and just accept my own greatness. I love watching her interviews because she's always so calm and confident in all of them. At first I was worried about not having enough music theory knowledge or not having the best voice, but she was able to get where she is without that knowledge and without the "perfect voice" because she is a force of artistic nature. We have a similar creative process. She does so many things outside of music, and she's authentic. She doesn't let herself be boxed in, her existence doesn't allow it, and I have grown so much just from recognizing the parallels between her and I. Am I saying I'm a legend like she is? No, but I have just as big of a chance to be and I don't have to apologize for believing that.
DALI - Photography by KBR - Published in FIERCE Feminine Rising Magazine
Where do you see your music career going in the next few years?
Honestly I don’t really see my career headed anywhere anymore, but not in a bad way. I’m trying to make more of an effort to live in the moment and do whatever I’m lead to do with my music. As long as my music resonates with people and makes them feel good or heard, I’m not really in this for any fame or money. A platform would be great to create change in my community, but I also realize I don’t need to wait until my music career blows up to start doing that.
When can your fans expect a new song release?
“Red Wine” a new collaboration with Hip Hop artist with Pariah Pete is being released next week, April 24th, on all major platforms. I feel like the track is going to be a great moody summer song. It’s got a melancholy, yet very chill vibe. I think all the cool desert kids are gonna love it. Click here to presave.
This was my first time working with Pariah Pete after being friends for a few years, and the experience was really natural and relaxed. He knew exactly what he wanted me to say, and I added my own twist and style to the melody. This is one of my favorite collaboration to date, so I am very excited for the release.
