Dalby: “I Am The Luckiest Person Alive!”

Now let’s hop right into this latest single, “prom!” — Tell me about this particular track; how did it come to fruition?

‘prom!’ started as a joke, and (producer) Dylan (Rouda) and I wanted to tell a story about a girl “stealing” a prom date and all the regular clichés. We wanted to write something fun, and match it with an up-tempo, angsty melody.

“prom!” follows right on the heels of “bitter,” produced by TRICKY STEWART — Talk to me a lil bit about this composition…

‘bitter’ was so much fun to work on with Tricky. We recorded that one late at night in his studio, and it was just a fun time bringing the concept I had to life. Tricky is just a great, genuine person and I love working with him so much.

How then does “prom!” either differ and / or compare to previous DALBY entries?

I think ‘prom!’ really stretched my comfort zone when it came to writing topics. I don’t usually write songs themed around high school because I don’t generally write about things that people could relate to me. ‘prom!’ was super different for me, and I feel like I’ve grown as a songwriter in my ability to write simplistic lyrics and not overthink.

As a songwriter, when you sit down to pen your lyrics where do you draw your inspiration from?

I draw inspiration mostly from my friends or television. When my friends tell me about a problem they’re having, I tend to write a song about it and send it to them afterwards. I also like writing stories based on movies or television shows. I rarely write about myself because I don’t have much going on to be honest, but when I do I think they’re some of my best songs.

Reflecting, tell me your whole inception into music — When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for DALBY?

I’ve always loved music as a kid, and got involved in dance and musical theatre when I was really young. My love for singing grew from there, and I taught myself piano and guitar when I was 10. I wanted to start playing live shows by myself at restaurants around town, and I began doing that at 11.

Now you’re a native of where exactly? And growing up there, who all did / do you consider to be your strongest musical influences?

I was born in Newport Beach, California, and moved around a lot as a kid. I’ve lived in Georgia since I was 8, and Atlanta has a great music scene. None of my main influences are from Atlanta, but TLC would be my favorite from here.

In having said that, how do you classify your overall sound and / or style?

I don’t like to box myself in any specific genre, but I would say I’m more Pop / Punk with some Rock and Alternative influences. I think I’m still finding my sound and learning to grow every day.

Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?

I want people to feel seen, I want people to have fun, and I want people to connect with my music. I love writing deep lyrics that can emotionally connect with people, but I also love providing a fun song that anyone can put on in the car and rock out to.

If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?

I think Taylor Swift is the answer to that. I love her songwriting, and I’ve been outspoken about my love for her music. I think she’s a super cool person with such wisdom, and I really admire how she can switch genres and nail it every time.

If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?

There’s so many venues that I would love to play, but I think The Hollywood Bowl would be incredible. When I first went to Los Angeles, my dad went and took me to see it and I just decided right there that I wanted to play there.

On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Pop(ular) music?

I think Pop music is something that is ever-changing. I don’t really think Pop is a straight-up genre anymore, because many other genres heavily influence what’s on the radio. I enjoy all types of music and I love a lot of Pop songs right now, but I think there’s always room for music to grow.

What do you feel has (so far) and will continue to be the key to your (longstanding) success?

I think my relatability and my dedication to reflecting myself in my writing. My personality is very open and real, and I’m very observant, which I love to portray in my songs.

Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?

I’m a super big fan of baseball and football, and I have been since I was little. I am a massive Chicago Cubs fan, and I really want to throw the first pitch at a Cubs game. I have been to so many Cubs games at Wrigley Field, and it would be a lot of fun for me to be involved in sports somehow.

To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?

I truly appreciate every opportunity I’ve ever been given, and I don’t really weigh my career moments on a scale of importance or success. My favorite career moments so far has been playing at two parties in Los Angeles, and meeting so many incredible people that I have worked with and have become great friends with. Performing is so much fun for me and it gives me a rush, and when the stakes are high I have more fun.

What’s an average day like for you?

I’m still a high school student, so I spend a lot of my day doing my virtual classes or attending one of my two face-to-face classes. I usually spend the other portions of my day writing music, having meals with my friends or family, and watching baseball and football.

Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…

My DMs are always open, and I typically respond to comments and any response to my art. It makes me so happy when people listen to my songs or watch a performance and they feel some sort of draw to it. One of my favorite things is meeting little kids after my shows because I remember when I was the little kid watching artists perform, and knowing that that is what I wanted to do with my life.

What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?

I have so many favorite things about music, but I think my two favorite things would be recording studio sessions and live performances. I always bounce back and forth between which one is my favorite, but I truly can’t ever choose. I actually have a love / hate relationship with my least favorite thing about music, and that would be the importance of social media. On one hand, it’s incredible that so many people are able to see me and I’m able to interact with so many people. On the other, I really prefer producing content face-to-face with people because I feel like the virtual setting isn’t as personal.

What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

My answer to this question is always that I am the luckiest person alive because I have so many wonderful people around me who have supported me for years. The most important thing for establishing a career in music is to trust the people around you, and to find people who can understand and execute your vision for yourself.

Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you all see yourself?

I see myself writing, recording, and performing songs, no matter what level that may be. Music is my passion, and I’ll be happy as long as I get to do that for the rest of my life.

As for the immediate, what’s next for you, DALBY?

I have two new songs coming out in the next few months, and some more music coming out very soon.

Any “parting” words for our readers?

Go listen to my new single, ‘prom!’ and be on the lookout for new music and content coming very soon. Thank you for listening, reading, and supporting my words and my music.